As soon as we began talking, I had already told Diksha Rai how beautiful I found her artworks to be. She laughed a little as she said a sweet thank you and our conversation moved ahead. Her Instagram feed, especially for an amateur like me, is gorgeous to look at, a wonderful curation of colours, and Diksha’s talent and skills. It was majorly why, when she later revealed that she is a self-taught artist and has been doing art regularly for only a year now, I was taken by surprise. Diksha Rai, a young painter hailing from Delhi, has her hands flowing with creativity, and a mind that is bent on learning and growing into a better version of herself as an artist. And with her natural talent for painting plus her immense love for it, better things will always be around the horizon for her to reach! 

Having finished her masters in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, Diksha tells me she was just waiting for life to happen. With the possibility of finding and working a job being very low, she opened an art page just to pass her time and indulge her hobby. As a child she used to be an art fanatic, drawing a lot as that one kid who was always found in the fine arts room. Somewhere recalling those memories, she began painting and posting on her page.

Little did she know or expect it to grow into a popular space, let alone also become a way for her to find work for commission. Her page started gaining a lot of engagement, and soon she started receiving requests for commissioned work. Started in April 2020, @artcartbydiksha now has more than 60k following. Her previous plans of finding a job in corporate now on an almost permanent hold, Diksha gleefully admits that she feels like maybe she has found her calling. Art is what she should do. 

However, for now, she has decided to just go with the flow. While she always had a creative instinct, she could never consider art as a viable option for her career, a thing to earn a living. Now with changed circumstances, even as she is far happier with them, she knows she has a lot of things left to figure out. Exploring the field, and navigating the many perks of social media, she has decided to experience it all- taking in whatever benefits come her way as their parcel. 

Having never professionally learnt the technicalities of the craft, Diksha began by imitating different works and setting them according to her own style. Like anyone’s go-to aesthetic inspiration, Pinterest has been a big help to her. Now, she says, she can’t look at things without visualising how she will make their colour or how she will put them on paper. Inspiration to draw looms all around her, and Diksha has learnt to grab all that she can. In fact, she serves with a cute analogy to describe what art is to her now. It’s how you brush your teeth everyday, that is how she looks at her art too. A regularity, necessity, and a habit. 

Speaking of her creative process, she sums it up in one word. It is very random, she says. The world is full of ideas to take away from and there’s always something new that pops up to strike her fancy. In this process, the kind of artworks she does find a lot of diversity, her Instagram feed being a testimony. Sometimes she’d make landscapes, at others a sunset, or a food illustration, and even a cartoon. And with all the room that she has to experiment, and the time she needs to figure her style out, this approach doesn’t seem bad at all. An eclectic mix of all things pretty, in fact. 

Diksha considers creative blocks just a part and parcel of being an artist. Like anything else, it too ends. Besides, for most artists, the good parts of being a creator both compensate and outweigh the little obstacles. For Diksha, it is watching other people get motivated by her work. She never thought she could inspire anyone, but seeing people get influenced to paint and incorporate art in their life by looking at her work is a special feeling of content. It keeps her going, and gives her confidence and the motivation to produce more and better work. 

And amidst all these things, she finds her own art to be a dynamic process. Diksha knows it will be continuous and is never going to stop. She says she will never stop finding inspiration and new ideas, painting is not going to take a pause in her life. Because ultimately, it is growth she is striving for. Even now, her criteria for judging her work are by the standards of what she has created previously. Following this approach helps, for instead of being intimidated by other artists and their works, she gets a clear view of how much better her work has gotten compared to before- an indication of her improvement born in practice. 

Following on this trail, her advice to people like her, beginning and figuring out a path in the field of art, is to remember that creativity is not a competition. Once you settle that in, only then you will love what you do. We are sitting on a pool of talent and you’ll find everyone being good at something. If you get daunted by that, you’ll never give yourself a chance to find and nourish your creative side. Identifying that you do have an instinct for something and owning it is the first step, she says. And Diksha Rai has come a long way from taking that first step. Now, creating something of her own, and carving a journey that is all her alone, Diksha as @artcartbydiksha has many more places to go! 

Let’s pour you a glass of nostalgia. Do you remember how your hands took on a life of their own & created masterpieces on the margins of notebooks? Do you remember how you hurriedly shut your doodles as the teacher walked past the aisle next to you? Now’s the time to think about them again. What would life be like if you pursued your art? More than anything else, art is an outlet. It is just another way to represent yourself—it is no good or bad here. Perhaps, our feature today will give you just enough incentive to unearth those long-forgotten artistic impulses and show them proudly to the world.

Meghana Reddy is one of the most impressive concept artists in recent times. She works in visual development as well as in 3D look development currently based in Atlanta, United States. But that’s not all. She worked as a Lead 2D/3D artist for 2 animated films currently streaming on Netflix and also as a background and prop artist for Bless the Hearts—an animated series. We’ll let her impressive portfolio speak for itself. And it won’t take more than one look to see the sheet variety in her art. Be it 2D, 3D, Fantasy, Realist or character design she has got a tremendous prowess in all forms. But every story needs a beginning, and hers starts from Chennai, India. 

Early Life and Journey 

As a young girl, she was the one who doodled constantly while class was on. While most people would scold her for not paying attention, she found that her passion for art & design was also shared with her father. After school, she would attend art class which in her words ‘was the only creative outlet’ she had.  Together they spent a lot of time dissecting the cinematography and special effects of movies. As they sat and saw every animated movie together and obsessed over its ‘attention to detail’, young Meghana found her spark. But a spark and a flame are two different things. The moment of truth occurred for Reddy the moment she laid eyes on Peter Jackson’s famous adaptation of the classic series ‘Lord of the Rings’.

And that led her to follow the works of the great Alan Lee. Although Lee’s medium was watercolour with a more romantic style (different from Reddy’s). His focus on storytelling, characterisation and use of colour inspired her to pursue this as a career.

We fast forward to a couple of years, where Meghana completed a degree in Visual Communication from M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai. This is where she learnt the fundamentals like the history of animation, fine arts, design, packaging, printing and filmmaking. Additionally, she also learnt how to create stunning visuals using various design software. She then moved to the United States of America to pursue Masters in Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah.

Artists are also hugely defined by the different things they bring to the table. Be it motifs, signatures, easter eggs or a trademark style; each artist strives to create their unique splash in the world. Meghana too has an artistic style rivalled by none.

Artistic Style

Upon being asked her favourite artist Meghana expressed that while there is a lot to learn and admire from the past, one must also really look up to modern artists. One of her biggest creative motivations is in fact derived from her peers. The world of art is constantly evolving and that is exactly what has compelled her to keep hunting for newer styles.  Lately, she’s working on incorporating humour into her style, which needless to say, is a great plan.

Speaking of plan, Reddy’s artistic process is also very solid. Even though she works on a diverse range of projects, it all starts with one simple idea for her. A key hook that tunes everybody in. For her, colour and lighting can really make all the difference in adding the ‘X’ factor.

In her personal life, she loves spending time at museums and learning as much as she can about astronomy. A self-professed astronomy nerd, she loves reading all about black holes (which makes sense, since her work will quite literally suck you in!)

Her message to all people is to keep at it, keep trying and work hard!

The will to create has driven people of our times into significance; a lot of hard work mixed with the will to create is what pushes you to the top where the results are what you’ve always wished for. The art of fine lines and the power a drawing hand holds can together create unrealistically real things. We bring you 4 self-taught artists who create hyperrealistic portraits that you might as well mistake for photographs! 

Sooraj Sudevan hails from Kerala and his artwork is full of the lively colors of the south; from hyperrealistic portraits of south Indian film stars to commissioned sketches of classical dancing divas – his Instagram feed provides a range of detailed fine art. Scroll through his handle for more awe-inspiring art!

When you look at Vishal Pandey’s art, it speaks to you. When his pencil moves on the paper, he – literally – embeds life into it. The portraits that he creates are as real as a sight you would witness with your eyes – in black and white. His sketches not only have the right amount of brightness and shadows at the right places, they also are as real as the subject itself. The details are so minute and well done that one, at some point, would mistake some of his artworks as photographs!

Varshitha Venkatesan’s artwork is about repeated patterns and minute detailed frames. From portraits of deities to random angular draws, her art is about details and the essence of realism.

At last, we have Ajay Arya whose artwork is the epitome of something powerful. The artist’s feed mostly comprises portraits that hold life within their fine, minute details. The emotions held by the subject are really well portrayed by his pencil-born artistry. One look at any of his works and they would immediately create an image in your mind- they are so powerful.

As we begin our conversation, I am instantly struck by the love and passion she holds for the art form. Soma Chakraborty Debnath is an artist who specializes in Madhubani art. Well, ‘specialize’ is just another way of conveying the fact that she has been producing incredibly beautiful creative pieces for quite some time now. Currently residing in the UK, Soma, as an artist, wishes, now, to familiarise others with the rich and stunning cultural art history of her country.

Hailing from Jalpaiguri, Soma recalls her home fondly, reminiscing on the lush tea gardens that surround the city, before she dives into how she actually chose to get into Madhubani as an art form. Though she had been painting almost all her life, she never actually thought about dedicating herself to art as a serious pursuit. Around the time of her son’s birth, roughly around five years ago, Soma wished to do something that helped her unwind from all the new responsibilities that came with being a parent. She began to paint once again. In the beginning, it was for a few spare minutes, perhaps half an hour at most. When she was looking up creative pieces and researching varying art forms that existed, she came across Madhubani art. Feeling an instant draw towards it, she soon began to push herself to practice it more. Soon enough, she began to share her work with a few close friends. It wasn’t long before the people she showed it to wanted to buy her artwork. Soma, ever the humble artist, chalked it up to her friends being supportive of her newfound passion. What she didn’t realise, at the time, was that she was already a phenomenal artist in her own right.

When she did realise the value in what she was creating, Soma began to post her artwork online. Offers to purchase her incredible pieces came in once again. This time, however, these offers were from complete strangers. It was at this point, as she says, that she gained more confidence and decided to take things a little more seriously.

It is important to note, before we go any further, that Soma’s journey, as an artist practicing Madhubani as an art form, is one of self-education. In the conversation, she reveals how she really had no familiarity with other more established artists in the form. Everything she did and learnt, she did on her own. Of course, she did look up to the works of artists that she came across and felt inspired by. Celebrated artists, such as Bharti Dayal and Santosh Kumar Jha, all had a major influence on Soma’s foundations as a Madhubani artist. In fact, she credits the works of Santosh Kumar Jha as being a vital source of inspiration and for helping her come into her own style as an artist. As we talk more on the topic, I learn that, now, she has come across multiple people who practice folk art forms and, in fact, cherishes their knowledge and experiences as artists and, perhaps more importantly, peers.

Now, as I write this, Soma has a considerable following on her social media platforms, a following that comes from the appreciation and admiration that people have for her work. Of course, it is easier now to go online and look at her artwork. Everything is now more readily accessible to us. However, in the context of art and artists, exhibitions are crucial. Not just in terms of showcasing your work but also in regard to gaining exposure as an artist. When she first began, Soma admits being a little hesitant, unsure of whether she would find an audience in the UK that her work would resonate with. There was also the fact that she and her husband had just become new parents at the time. Still, she found time to participate in the local art exhibitions. As she explains, in the beginning, it was all baby steps for her. 

The response that she got at those exhibitions made her understand geographical boundaries don’t really play a part when it comes to appreciating art. Just recently, Soma was runner-up in the prestigious Rugby Open exhibition which takes place in the Rugby Museum and Art Gallery. The chance to just showcase a part of her country’s cultural history is something that, Soma says, is an honour in itself. And I am glad she brought up this thread. 

As a member of the newer generation of artists practicing Madhubani art, Soma feels it is crucial that she, as an artist, respects the cultural traditions of the art form but also tries to introduce something new and socially relevant to her audience. As we discuss this further, she talks about one of her paintings that had its theme based on same-sex marriage. Another painting, based on her own memories of her father, depicts a father braiding his daughter’s hair. For Soma, as an artist and as an individual, art serves as the perfect medium to not only capture her own personal experiences but also deliver a relevant socio-cultural message that helps us move further, as a collective.

Now, Soma Chakraborty Debnath wishes to use her art to educate others who are unfamiliar with the cultural history of her country. Even more importantly, she wishes, through Madhubani art, to relay the fact that cultural traditions can be used to further collective social progress and not just serve as a repressive element. And, that, in itself, is an admirable goal to aspire to.

Ever since I can remember, Graffiti and murals have always drawn me a little more than other conventional forms of paintings or art. A lot of you, possibly, feel the same way. Maybe it’s because of the surprising places we find them in. In a school parking lot or, perhaps, a lonely desolate wall behind a tea shack. Wherever you happen to find them, graffiti and murals have always been an artistic statement. That is why we bring you these four incredible artists who, more than anything, have been making statements with their creative pieces.

Sneha Chakraborty

Sneha Chakraborty’s artwork has an intense colour palette to it. From sunset yellow to midnight blue, Chakraborty shades each of her pieces with colours that help them stand out. From cosmic turtles to desert dwelling camels, Chakraborty’s art is characterized by a tinge of the unknown and a heavy dose of the lives and places she already knows. What’s more, is the fact that Chakraborty does not seem to restrict her work to a certain genre or theme. In her work, you will find an eclectic mixture of tribal design, traditional practices and, perhaps most importantly, her own signature mark.

Himanshu Arora

Arora’s work is based majorly on pop culture aesthetics. That is not to say that it derives from other sources. Rather, it is a unique blend of Arora’s own interpretation of what he sees around him and his experience of the same. There is a direct influence of the cartoonish in Arora’s work even as he creates some incredibly elaborate pieces. Through his pieces, Arora manages to give tangibility to the very idea of contemporary art.

Mamta Singh

Singh is, possibly, one of the few individuals who has managed to fuse the art of doodling with the medium of wall art. You know those scriblings that you find at the back of notebooks and on desks, the kind that seem too precious to be left in the space you found them in? Singh’s work is reminiscent of that. It’s the kind of artwork that is characterized heavily by aesthetic discipline. Go through some of her pieces and you would understand just what I mean. Singh does not overstate her work with an exaggerated colour palette. Rather, she lets the monochrome speak for itself.

Kartikey Sharma

Kartikey Sharma dives deep into the abstract with his artwork. Sometimes, that invites the possibility of overcomplicating a piece. However, that’s not the case here. Sharma’s work is clean and precise. There is an emphasized focus on design in his artwork that would meet the standards of even the most meticulous individuals out there. Think artwork for Pink Floyd albums and you would begin to understand what Sharma is trying to convey through his artistic pieces.