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Interview with Caricature artist – Sri Priyatham

Interview with Caricature artist – Sri Priyatham

Interview with caricature artist – Sri Priyatham

Sri Priyatham, Caricature artist

15th July, 2019


Sri Priyatham is a caricature artist based in Hyderabad who makes awe-inspiring quirky caricatures. He likes to play around with realism and exaggeration to create his own unique style of art. Having worked with brands like Netflix, he has been greatly appreciated both by the art community and the common public alike.

He also conducts workshops with the aim to increase awareness about caricatures  and motivate more people to take it up as a hobby/career.

How would you define art? 

I don’t have a specific definition as such. As a kid, I used to draw for fun, but eventually, it became my escape where I could rediscover myself.

I have been drawing since I was around 5-6 years old.I enrolled in an art school later, but it was just to fine tune my skills rather than learning something from scratch. I’d like to think of myself as a formally trained self-taught artist.

How do you strike a balance between reality and exaggeration?

The caricature is a style of drawing a figure that is blown out of proportions. It depends on the artist to follow a certain style, a few try to detach completely from the reality to make a comical caricature, while few go for a tinge of realism in it.

I fall in the second category. I find realistic textures fascinating and I would say I that I have got an eye for detail, which helps me bring out the intricacies required for the detailing.

What’s the most common issue you face, as a caricature artist?

Most people don’t receive caricatures that well, but the scenario is changing slowly and steadily. When people see a caricature of a celebrity or politician they find it amusing, but when it comes to a caricature of themselves, they are a bit biased.

I receive a lot of customization requests, most of them are like ‘can you make me look cuter’ or ‘can you tone down a couple of shades’. I think self-acceptance is crucial before getting a caricature done. *laughs*

How does it feel to be selected as the only Indian caricature artist to work with Netflix on the Stranger Things illustration?

 I felt privileged to have been selected. The process wasn’t that complex as they were expecting artists to draw the gist of an entire episode in a single drawing. The goal was to have people relate to the episode just by looking at the artwork.

They came across my Instagram profile and concluded that I would a good fit for the task. They used my style of rendering for the Episode 5 from the Season 2. The best part about this project was that I was given complete creative freedom, this is something every artist hopes and wishes from his clients. 

What can one expect from your workshops?

The main intent of a workshop is not to learn something by the end of the day, rather it is to introduce one to a particular art form. It is about getting an idea of what caricatures are and how to perceive them, it’s not possible to learn something completely within a few workshops, so I generally try to simplify the process. 

Even if a single person from the participants likes the art form and continues practicing it, it is an achievement for me. The goal is to encourage people to take up art as a hobby or maybe even as a career. In the end, we need more people who are aware of the art form, who appreciate the artwork and are willing to buy it.

Could you tell us about your podcast, “What the art”?

It was slow in the beginning, it took me some time to gather my thoughts and compile them. Around 4-5 months down the lane, ‘What the Art’ took shape with the support of Aditya, a fellow charcoal artist, and a couple of collaborators – one being Gokul from MyCopie and the other being Keshav who is a Chennai based YouTube cartoonist.

Having professionals from diverse fields gave a four-point perspective that helped to structure the podcast well.

If not art, what would be your career choice?

Although art is my only field of expertise, screenwriting and film making have always fascinated me. I would have loved to try something in those fields if not for art.

Have you ever hit the rock-bottom? If yes, how did you get back on your feet?

As freelancers, we’re prone to hit rock bottom more often than others, but we can not stay that way for long. In such situations, we need to hustle, change things a little bit and stay positive. Something which I personally do is get my stuff together and try not to panic. I try to focus on working on new portfolios which might pave way for new opportunities.

What quality should every aspiring artist have?
Certain qualities that all the budding artist should develop are staying committed and remaining consistent.

What are your thoughts on Stoned Santa?

The art scenario in India, currently, is an agent-based system, where agencies refer the artist for work based on their expertise, thereby acting as an interface which connects artists to the art consumers. And the thing I love about Stoned Santa is the way they are working to bridge the gap making it easier for artists.

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Interview with Sneha Ghildiyal – Putting art and soul into illustrations

Interview with Sneha Ghildiyal – Putting art and soul into illustrations

Putting art and soul into illustrations

Interview with Sneha Ghildiyal

Sneha Ghildiyal, Illustrator

6th July, 2019

If you’re already not following Half Asleep Doodles, you are missing out! Sneha Ghildiyal, the master mind behind Half-Asleep-doodles and Art-tree8 makes delightful web comics and digital illustrations that can lighten up your mood.

Stoned Santa is grateful to Sneha for taking the time to talk to us about her journey as an artist. Read on more to find out about what she has to say.

When did you start drawing? What made you develop an inclination towards art?

I am naturally inclined towards art and have been drawing ever since I learnt how to hold a pencil.

Are you a self-taught artist? If yes, how has the journey been so far?

I have learnt drawing by myself and continue to learn. I graduated with a B.Com Honours degree and used to pursue CFA. Back then, no one at home saw art as a lucrative career option.

However, after a point I quit my job and decided to pursue art. Although it has been a tough journey, financially or otherwise, the satisfaction that I get by drawing cannot be compared to that of a corporate job.

“Half asleep doodles” is your brainchild. Can you share the story behind it?

Back when I was working for corporate, the only little time I found to doodle was late at night after I was done with my work and studies. Hence, the name “Half Asleep Doodles”. This helped me regain my sanity.

How do you think technology has changed the dynamics of art?

In a world where visuals are given more importance, technology has made it possible for many people who may not be natural artists, to portray their ideas in a creative way.

It has also made art a lot easier compared to the traditional mediums, but not knowing how to use traditional tools can be a major draw-back.

Which are the digital tools that you are grateful for?

Illustrator, Photoshop and Coreldraw.

What’s your thought process behind your abstract paintings?

 If I am having a rough day, the first thing I do is vent out these feelings through art. There is no fixed form or rule. I just draw what comes to my mind. 

Any current projects that you’d like to talk about? What’s your ultimate dream project?

I stay in the present and do not worry much about the future. Currently, I’m learning UI and UX designing. 

What is the misconception that people have about art?

People think that art is easy and it is not a viable career option.

What are the difficulties you faced on your journey of becoming an artist?

There is very less support for artists, outside the artist community. Financial stability is hard, unless you market yourself well. There were times when it became hard to make the ends meet.

If you could learn another form of art, what would it be?

Oil Painting!

If you could give an advice to your younger self, what would it sound like?

“Don’t be scared, nothing is impossible”

Who has been your biggest support?

My mother has always stood by me, even when people have asked me to quit it!

Your thoughts about Stoned Santa?

It’s a nice and quirky initiative! There are some amazing artists and sketches! They also keep experimenting with their art products, so that keeps the feed fresh, innovative, creative and fun!

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5 Reasons why all of us should start drawing again

5 Reasons why all of us should start drawing again

5 REASONS WHY ALL OF SHOULD START DRAWING

As kids, all of used to love playing with crayons and paints. We used to draw on anything and everything, from papers to walls. But, as we grew up not everyone continued to draw. We got so occupied with our studies/work/personal life, that we forgot a part of us that still yearns to be child-like.

Here are 5 reasons why you should grab a pencil and start sketching now.

1. Expressing Hidden Emotions

Art helps us release our deeply hidden emotions. When one’s brain is consciously performing activities while the unconscious part is also expressed. This would help to release energy and would revitalize an individual. The same theory is used in art therapies to accelerate the healing process.

Image Source:Cubeartblog

2. Problem-Solving Skills

Painting helps individuals to think out of the box and realize that wonders can be created from a blank sheet of paper. It makes us realize that any problem can have multiple approaches and solutions. It helps us to think from various perspectives, creatively.

3. Enhanced creativity

Needless to say, art is a creative activity. Most of our 9-5 jobs give work only to our left side of the brain that is responsible for logic, science and math. Indulging in art or any creative processes activate the right side of the brain which deals with visuals and creative processes.

4. Stress Relief

Studies say that modern-day stress and anxiety can be reduced to a great extent through art. People, who get lost in art, transcend into a different world which is free from all the fears and worries. All the accumulated stress can be vented out through art.

5. Communication skills

Art helps us to express our inner feelings, and improve self awareness. People can surpass their limitations and get over their low-self esteem issues and fear. There are several cases where art has even helped autistic individuals to express themselves better.

These are just a few from the long list of benefits art has. What are you waiting for? Go create a piece of art, to bring out the artist in you and experience its therapeutic effects.

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