I clearly remember getting my first box of crayons.
I was 3 years old ready for my "First Ever Day in School" which was the next day. My mother took me to this little shop right opposite the very very old Park Circus market in Kolkata. Holding my mother's hand, I tried to stand on my toes to see over the dada across the counter searching for the box of Camel Plastic Crayons. As my mom handed me the box, I quickly opened the box of twelve neatly sharpened smooth crayons in all their majesty. The perfumed fragrance of those crayons is the the theme fragrance of my childhood!
I never took any formal training while growing up. Somehow, till date I guess the same 3 year old has managed to take over me ever time I draw or sketch something. I guess NIFT has to be the best thing to have ever happened to me. Not only do I study what I love the most, I also get to explore my second love- Illustrating.
Illustrating garments helps me know exactly what ideas are stored in my brain. It's like freezing my thoughts in paper. So I thought, why not ask my co-students the same? But I didn't need to ask. When I saw their works, I got my answer! :)
GOD IS IN THE DETAILS
Arindam's style of illustrating remains classic with an amazing sense of details. The faces somehow remind me of the famous 1930's actress Madge Evans.
THE ROUGH-IAN
What I loved about Abhishek's sketches were the many millions of strokes that make his illustrations what they are. A sense of unkempt lines with alot of blotches and smudges. Sketching in the true sense of the word.
THE PUNK PHENOMENA
Shubho's sense of illustrating is something completely opposite of his persona. His work shows men with tattoos and kohl lined eyes and spiked hair- something very dark. Being a student of Leather Design, he creates sketches of beautiful bags and jackets. Shown below is also his remarkable "Shadow Sketch" made with black Chinese ink.
THE REALISTIC DREAMER
Soumen is one of the most creative people I have known. Each of his work inspires me. Be it his paintings or his strokes, you would fall in love with the very thought behind everything he does.
Most of his illustrations capture the exact detail of the human figure. A very realistic approach to art, he makes what he sees. His "Shadow Sketches" are one of the best in NIFT.
WEARABLE DELIGHTS
Surabhi's creation don't come under illustrations but I would especially love to mention her as her designing skills are out of this world! The prints she creates are brilliant be it the repeated motifs or the T-Shirt print she made [in collabo with Md.Zubaer of NIFT].
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DRAWINGS
Anurag Paul is famous in NIFT for being unconditionally in love with the Bollywood beauty Priyanka Chopra. So much so that all his illustrations are made with her in mind. According to him even if he wants to sketch out someone else's face he cannot. But that is only (thankfully) limited to his female croquis!
DEBAUCHERY
I really try hard not to sound flamboyant when I talk about myself in my posts. I've been trying to find my signature style of illustrations. So here I present that and my "Shadow Illustration".
At first it was the "Lady Long Legs with the Rosy Cheeks" but then I finally moved to the black croquis with the red lips and the very extravagant hair. The male croquis with the dripping paint is kind of my mockery at racism. Black and White are just colors, right?
Please Read: I have copyrighted the drawings under Monster Ate My Couture. It is just to prevent plagiarism. But the illustrations belong to the person they are mentioned under.
Love :]
