From Engineering Escapee to Fantasy Mastermind!

Well, I have never been interested in sports. As a result, I used to find it very difficult to make friends as a kid, especially among boys, since I was also an introvert. However, I realised that I had a slight interest in art. I discovered that I was able to use this medium, combining art with storytelling, to make friends as it acted as an icebreaker.

Since I started working in the industry, I've come to realise the critical importance of professionalism and time management. I've also developed an understanding of the significance of transparency in the process of reaching the final artwork. It's essential to have a strategy in place that allows for easy adjustments and avoids wasting time if I need to backtrack in the process.

I enjoyed working at Tryangle 42, where I was part of a team of artists responsible for creating characters for an NFT project. During my time there, I had the opportunity to witness the exciting process of planning the project pipeline, which was designed by our team lead and a few colleagues. Thanks to my team lead, I was able to learn a lot from this project. One of the main challenges was stepping out of my comfort zone and adapting my style to match the project's requirements. Although it made me a little uncomfortable at first, this process allowed me to explore new ways of working that I wouldn't have tried before.

I am from the city of Nagpur. When I was growing up, there was no support system available for pursuing a career outside of Engineering and Medicine, especially for those interested in the fields of art and design. As a result, there was not much awareness about the opportunities in these fields, and I had no choice but to join engineering. However, I dropped out after one year when I was selected into NID (National Institute of Design). It made me realise that there are many people like me who crave a community that encourages their creative side. So, I decided to put my efforts towards initiatives that could bridge this gap.

Maintaining balance is one of the most challenging aspects of being an artist. However, I believe that in order to grow as an artist, I must maintain this balance. I think there are two aspects of being an artist: learning and creating. Learning is where technical proficiency comes from, while creating is where creative expression comes from. Although creating is more enjoyable, I try to allocate some time, at least once a week, towards learning.

I generally begin my creative process by writing, whether it's a single word or an essay. After that, I move on to creating a mood board which consists of two parts. The first part includes artwork that inspires me and is similar to what I want to create. I make sure to gather references from at least 4-5 different artists. The second part of the mood board involves collecting references for technical aspects such as anatomy, composition, color, and background.

My mentor once gave me some advice that I'd like to share with you: "One step at a time." Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to learn everything all at once. Instead, start with one thing. Once you feel comfortable and satisfied with your progress, move on to the next thing and continue in this manner. Remember that learning is a process, and it takes time and effort to master new skills.

Art performance is something that takes me out of my comfort zone. It puts a lot of pressure on me, but that's exactly why I do it. Once I go through that pressure, everything else feels easier. On the other hand, teaching is more like a hobby for me, as I don't have any other hobbies. Teaching has helped me come out of my introverted shell. One of my teachers once said to me, "If you can teach someone a concept, that means you have properly understood it yourself." So, teaching is a way for me to go back to basics and reinforce my understanding of a concept. During my time at NID, I was fortunate enough to have been a student of many amazing teachers who inspired me and helped me grow. Now, I am trying to do the same for my students through teaching.

I am passionate about helping the Indian animation industry grow. Having worked in the industry for nearly three years, I have come to realize the immense potential that Indian stories and animation possess. Unfortunately, the industry doesn't receive the recognition it deserves, and I want to contribute towards its growth.

As an artist, one is often torn between two opposing beliefs - "my work is terrible" and "my work is exceptional". Both of these beliefs are crucial, and giving too much weight to either can spell disaster. To avoid this, it is important to find a purpose for your art, just as you would for your life. This purpose should guide you and help you stay focused on creating meaningful work.