Bright hues sprinkled on traditional ornamental patterns are what you see at first glance. However, if you look closer at the pieces Aishwarya Ravichandran creates, you can see multiple styles and stories being blended together. It is a natural progression of colours, patterns and, most importantly, her own stylistic impression. There is, in her work, a certain brightness and aesthetic appeal that is deeply personal and, yet, invariably relatable. It is art that carries, with itself, pieces of her own creative vision and experiences.

Keen on drawing ever since her childhood, Ravichandran spent her early years in Pune and Chennai, before moving to Bangalore to pursue Fashion and Design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology. In drawing and illustrating, she finds a certain sense of relaxation while, simultaneously, discovering new things on a constant basis. In doing so, there is a progressive trajectory, one that marks her own evolution with each passing day.

This evolution did not come without its own set of challenges. There was an uncertainty she was faced with when she quit her former job to pursue her passion for illustration and creating artistic pieces. Opening her own illustration studio and managing the business has been a tremendous journey, one where she has gradually come into her own. Indeed, the whole journey, beginning from her quitting her job to opening her own studio, has been one that she sees as the most courageous step she has taken.

It may have been a path where she was challenged in ways she had not anticipated, however, for Ravichandran, there is nothing else that she can imagine herself doing. From perusing works on art history to drawing inspiration from the architectural designs at some of the older temples, Ravichandran looks forward to the milestones that she has yet to reach. It is the road ahead that keeps her motivated and yearning to accomplish more.

To delve a little deeper, for Ravichandran, her work is a seamless fusion of colours and traditional motifs, while also being peppered with the visual imagery that exists around her. In her illustrative pieces, she strives to merge, in them, stories that speak about women empowerment and the absolute need for women, anywhere, to be treated with respect and dignity.

These creative pieces are not just born from innate talent and skill. While that already exists, Ravichandran has been constantly working to evolve and polish her own style. It is this idea, that regardless of the prior existence of talent or skill, if one works with due patience and diligence on their goals, the path to achieving success becomes a certainty, that Ravichandran preaches. It is a constant process of betterment and improvement that one must incorporate in their efforts. Once that comes into being, it is merely a question of taking the next step and Aishwarya Ravichandran, quite splendidly in fact, already has.

There is, in every artist, a sense of poetic determination, an urgency to create. Zarrin Hussain, a fantastically talented artist, is an individual of this same determination and urgency. There is an underlying passion and zeal for art in her words that rears its head in brief glimpses. Hussain specializes in hyperrealism, more specifically, conceptual hyperrealism and conceptual architectural hyperrealism. In her decision to pursue art, she found herself becoming more confident in her own creative vision, which, in turn, led to her observing and understanding what lay around her with increased patience and clarity. It is, indeed, an even bigger achievement that she is not formally trained and is, completely and decidedly, a self-taught artist.

Interested in art ever since her childhood, Hussain, initially, did not consider it as a career option. For her, back then, it was more akin to a hobby, one that she enjoyed and loved but never serious enough to be taken into consideration when contemplating her future. Just after school, when looking at options for further studies, Hussain wanted to pursue Design but could not, since she would have to shift to another city, an idea her parents did not entertain. In lieu of that, she opted for a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from her hometown.

In 2017, right when college started, Hussain found herself with plenty of time on her hands and she decided to use that time to draw. Inspired and encouraged by her father, an artist himself, she decided to pursue art seriously this time. Still, that did not come without its own set of challenges. At the outset, she struggled with everything. Not knowing much about the materials needed for her craft, Hussain relied on skill alone. Even now, she emphasizes the focus on actual skill and practice rather than the materials. After all, tools do not make an artist. 

Now, inspired by the goals she, herself, has set, Hussain works diligently to achieve them.

For Hussain, it was a journey of perseverance and patience as well as organic learning. Her love for the medium of charcoal and graphite was constantly challenged by those around her, other artists included. She was repeatedly urged to shift her focus to oil painting or other mediums that used colour. Additionally, the constant doubts, from those around her, about the scope for art as a career compounded the series of obstacles she had to face. Adamant and driven, Hussain stuck to her medium, that of charcoal and graphite, and worked diligently to improve on her innate skill. The first 2 years were a period of drawing from references online. When she decided that she had progressed enough, she moved on to creating original pieces and using her own reference material.

Indeed, one of Hussain’s most famous pieces is that of the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. There is an incredible backstory to the drawing, one that not only showcases the talent in her but, more importantly, her perseverance when facing challenges. To cut the long story short, Hussain, after facing a series of obstacles in acquiring an original reference image of the palace, received a personal invitation from the Maharaja of Jodhpur to photograph the palace in order for her to obtain the reference images she desired. Hussain detailed the entire project, her reason for choosing to pursue the specific subject and her inspiration behind the mammoth task she had undertaken, through WIP posts. The finished project contains over 7000 detailed individual sandstones, a feat which deserves nothing but the utmost admiration and respect.

This is not a tale of just an artist. More so, it is a tale of fierce drive and complete immersion in one’s own craft. As Hussain puts it, art involves the process of creation, to be an artist is to be a creator. Taking immense pride in her work, she urges others to follow their dreams regardless of the challenges they face. Sure, things may not be easy to begin with. However, opportunities will come eventually. It is the drive to forge one’s own identity based on the work one accomplishes that one should focus on. It is the idea of diligence and patience, when pursuing art, that Hussain preaches.

And, that, by itself, is a beautiful message.

Design is at the centre of most communication these days. Think about it, there is no brand, no tweet, no post without a cohesive and evocative design backing it. And at the core of design- is an artist reimagining the lines between reality and imagination. To elevate reality is an artistic experience. Anubhav Gangwar delivers exactly that. One of India’s best hyper-realistic artists; his journey is an incredibly inspiring one.

The Start

For some people, art hits like an epiphany, for some it is a long-lasting love story. For Gangwar, art never left his side. He began to pursue it seriously after schooling and fell in love with how people created photorealistic masterpieces; he decided that he wanted to do the same. Simultaneously, his interest was also piqued by software-applications and how they could be incorporated.

He stumbled upon the wide array of courses offered by the ‘College of Art, Delhi’ and decided to pursue Visual Design which was certainly very new for him

Journey and Hiccups

For many of us, the period after finishing school is the most stressful thing we’ve ever gone through. It is natural and healthy to take time and figure out what we want to do for the rest of our lives. Gangwar stayed at home for two years in this quest. It was definitely not easy as the guilt of not working gnawed at him. And of course, many in the Indian society do not shy away from ridiculing people. This period was a low for him, which he conquered through drawing.

So how does one define success then?
Believe it or not, in an interview Gangwar was asked the definition of colour, and when he replied, his answer wasn’t deemed right! Fast forward a couple of years, Anubhav’s artwork has been printed in an international magazine while currently pursuing design at  IDC school of design IIT Bombay. He has thousands of followers on Instagram and Facebook. And the best part?

He still doesn’t know what the correct definition of Colour is!
Find your definitions! Even when it comes to success!

Style

From a commonplace Paper note to a can, there is nothing which doesn’t come under the ambit of beauty. Gangwar often gets to hear, “We never thought this thing could ever look this pretty”. And that is the exact purpose of his art. He admits that it comes from him not being so social. And that has helped him direct his attention to everyday objects. He makes the world see, what he sees. 

Inspiration

There is seldom any motivation without some hint of inspiration. An idol or a role-model whose work one admires can play a big role in shaping our destiny. This is not only exclusive to well-known creative outlets! Be it any walk of life; it is essential to look up to somebody who has travelled the same path before.
Marcello Barenghi work inspired Gangwar to try realism in the first place. Heather Rooney, Cj Hendry, Morgan Davidson, Jack ede, Marco Graci are some whose work fuels him currently.

Motivation

After being inspired comes the time to perspire! To log in the hours and slog away for the pursuit of excellence is no mean feat! And we all know how important hard work is when it comes to success! Perhaps it even outweighs talent! Anubhav tells us that it is completely okay to feel demotivated at times, even if it comes to the things we love! Crib in front of your friends, take a nap and bounce back up with unmatched vigour

Of course, being an artist comes with its unique set of challenges and struggles, so this is what Anubhav has to say to that

Today, we live in a career-oriented world. What you choose for your career will determine your future, not only in terms of money but also your status and relationships. A constant societal pressure to become an engineer, a doctor or a lawyer exists, especially in India. So, opting for an unconventional or creative career in such an environment can be tough. Sushmit Kishore, is here to share his experience and learnings as someone who chose to pursue a creative career.

Humble Beginnings

Though Sushmit Kishore was never an academic genius, his passion for art surpasses all. He has been drawing since he was as young as three years old! But his talent was recognized when he was in fifth grade.

They had a free period in school, Kishore narrates the tale. He was drawing away in his notebook when his partner showed the teacher his sketch. Since he was not good at studies, he had never received much attention from his teachers. But his drawing left her speechless! She showed the sketch to his art teacher. 

He instructed Kishore to draw the same thing on the blackboard. Both were amazed by Sushmit Kishore’s talent. Then they introduced him to a senior art teacher, who then made him participate in various drawing competitions. Soon, he began to get recognized for his work.

He started drawing sketches for his friends, who always left in awe of his talent. He would draw maps whenever he forgot to bring them to school. And all the competitions and encouragement from his peers and professors gave him the exposure and confidence he needed. Not only this, but he also was able to gain a lot of experience. 

Aside from art, Sushmit Kishore was also very into music. In eighth grade, he started playing the guitar. And by the last three years of school, he decided to pursue music as a career. But soon after school ended, he realized that his love for music was not enough to make it a career path. Your career path is a life-time commitment, something you will have to do all your life. And for him, that was art.

Choosing the Unconventional Path

Kishore enrolled in law college in 2016. But in reality, he wanted to pursue art. By 2017, he had cemented his decision. He was stubborn even though it was not appreciated by many, and he did not have the support of his father. You see, his father, like most parents, believed that there was no future in art – no money. But Kishore knew what he wanted to do with his life.

It was not easy, he admits. It is hard to oppose the expectations parents build for their children, but sometimes it is necessary. Sure, their behaviour is influenced by societal standards and concern. But at the end of the day, you cannot force someone to pursue a career they do not want to. That will only lead to the failure of the child.

Kishore did not want that for himself. Hence, despite all the hurdles he knew he would face, he chose art. For you, can take never take the artistry out of an artist. And Sushmit Kishore is an artist – through and through.

Lessons Learned in The Journey

Failure is inevitable. Kishore believes it to be a part of the process. It has to happen for you to learn and grow. All of which is required for you to achieve your goals. Having unrealistic expectations is never going to help. Instead, focusing on the process and consistently working hard will push one closer to their goals.

He talks about how art has taught him patience. Once you start looking at things as they are, you neither exaggerate them nor degrade them. You observe. Your senses heighten, and your brain is at peace. He shares how people invalidate his art as it focuses on hyper-realism. But the truth is, replicating reality is one of the hardest things to do. You have to observe and understand each crease and curve, lights and shadows, emotions and tell their story on your sheet of paper.

Sushmit Kishore admits that he likes to take inspiration from anything and everything. And music is a big part of that. Zayn Malik, Mike Shinoda and Eminem are three artists that pose as his greatest inspirations. Their success and advanced skills always fascinated him. It is something he wants to achieve in his field.

His Advice for Young Aspirants!

Everything is possible. Do not let others tell you what to do; follow your passion. But remember the principles of patience, understanding and observation along with consistent practice and growth. Do not carry hate for anything or anyone, and try to find peace in your lives. There is no right time waiting for you to start. Whatever it is you want to do, start now.

Have you ever looked at a painting and felt inexplicably drawn to it? To some, it might look like random shapes and splodges on the canvas, but you seem to be taken aback by its visual power. So, you sit and try to figure out the meaning, the intention of the artist, to understand the overwhelming amount of feelings the painting evokes. But here’s the thing about abstract art – it doesn’t have meaning or a singular explanation. Abstract art isn’t about finding answers but rather about feelings and emotions.

In the most literal sense, Abstract means to withdraw or separate. So, you can think of it as withdrawing from the restrictions of the real world and rules. This particular art form’s intention is to encourage imagination and involvement with the piece. Hence, we feel drawn to these art pieces. They are made to evoke intangible emotions within you. You might try to understand the artist’s intention, but it isn’t about the artist. Abstract art is about you, and your freedom to imagine.

Today we bring you two artists who understand and create such entrancing pieces!

First up we have Anugya (@thatblueartist). If you go through her Instagram page, you will notice that she has ventured into various art styles through time. But her understanding of colour psychology can be clearly seen in her recent work. She uses colours, brushstrokes and texture in the most alluring way – it’s beautiful!

Next, we have @_thecreative_pod. The fluid art on this Instagram page is simply hypnotizing. The flow of the paints captures the artist’s intention while also allowing the audience to feel the pull of the visual aesthetic of the paintings. And to say that these are enchanting would be an absolute understatement!