Unleashing the Magic of Freehand Painting in Your Illustrations

P.S. Rathour's freehand painting seems like a dance with the page. He has mastered the technique, says, "It's a form of drawing without any guidelines or pencil sketch, relying solely on your hand-eye coordination and intuition. It's challenging, fun, and an excellent way to unleash your creativity."

For Rathour, freehand painting wasn't always a career. As a commerce graduate, he started a full-time job in Himachal Pradesh in 2017, far from home and friends. To kill time and boredom, he started sketching. Soon, he created an Instagram page and began sharing his artwork regularly. With the support of commission work and a boost in his morale, Rathour dedicated his weekends and holidays to practicing his craft.

Now, he's an expert in the field, and his advice to aspiring artists is simple: Don't be afraid to experiment with freehand painting. It's a beautiful way to add magic to your illustrations and bring your imagination to life.

Rathour explains, "You paint or draw without guidelines, letting your intuition guide you. It's a challenging but rewarding technique, especially with paint, particularly watercolours. Watching the colours blend and bleed into one another is fascinating."

But freehand drawing requires more than just artistic intuition. "Hand-eye coordination is crucial," Rathour says. "You may have a clear picture in your head when you start drawing, it doesn't always come out perfectly." It takes practice, and lots of it, to improve.

"Daily practice is key," Rathour advises. "Even just a short amount of time can make a difference. Starting with simple shapes like circles, ellipses, and square boxes, then gradually making them more complex, is an excellent way to practice." It's a lesson Rathour has learned through years of dedication to his craft, and one any aspiring artist can benefit from.

As an artist, Rathour is a master of many mediums, including pens, watercolours, and acrylics. However, he has a particular affinity for each project at hand. For instance, he favours pens for foundational sketches and watercolours for quick dreamy pieces that capture the essence of a moment. But when he needs to bring a subject to life with bold, realistic strokes, acrylics are his go-to.

Rathour's artistry extends beyond his choice of medium, as he seamlessly blends realism with abstraction. He's a colour wizard, often replacing traditional hues with his unique palette, creating pieces that feel fresh and vibrant. He's not afraid to push boundaries and experiment, especially with watercolours. Rathour loves controlling the flow of water, almost as if he's a water bender. And why not? With watercolours, he can create stunning textures and paint abstract or realistic pieces with ease.

But creating art is not always an easy task. Rathour's most challenging project to date was a stunning 5x3 feet painting of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It wasn't just mentally taxing, but physically as well, as he tackled it on canvas, a material that's not his usual preference. Despite the difficulties, Rathour persevered and delivered a masterpiece that showcases his unwavering dedication to his craft.

The art world has embraced technology, with digital art and multimedia installations becoming more prevalent and virtual and augmented reality experiences gaining popularity. Online platforms and social media have also opened up new opportunities for artists to reach a global audience. Yet, amidst all these technological advancements, traditional art remains as relevant as ever.

Freehand painting is a testament to the enduring power of traditional art. In a world that's ever-evolving, it's reassuring to know that traditional art forms will always have a place in our hearts and our artistic pursuits.