In my childhood, my natural talent was to draw and paint. I used to draw all the time, wherever I was. I made a lot of sketches, a significant number of them being sketches of Gods. Any parent would have felt the need to encourage this kind of a kid, considering how crazy I was about art. Hence my parents admitted me in Santhanu's Art Institute in Chennai. I was to learn all the lessons by correspondence. It was a 24 month course or so, in basics of sketching, cartooning and painting. I took it up with great interest. I did the course with great zeal and dedication. Each month the lessons would arrive by mail - I'd open it up, practice all the lessons a couple of times, follow the instructions and draw them myself. I'd then send my drawings to the institute, again by mail. A few days/weeks later, the teacher would send me the new set of lessons along with the old ones corrected. My teacher was of course a great artist himself - being the famous Santhanu's son and all that. He was very encouraging and often appreciated my interest. I remember the monthly fee for this course was only Rs. 19! Imagine that - a precious art form being taught only for about half a dollar a month. Quite amazing, isn't?
I participated in some drawing and cartooning contests and won some prizes, but was not very proactive about it. In the summer holidays, I would take up a theme and draw enough to fill a big chart paper (a few feet by a few feet size). I would paint my sketches very diligently and produced many nice paintings. I used to flaunt them to all the guests that come home and to my friends in school :) I kicked ass in the diagrams that needed to be drawn for biology classes. I remember my friends never used to believe that I only drew those accurate pictures of a cell with all its details (nucleus, plasma and what not). Not to forget the map of India - this I have done many times.
My favourite painting was that of a landscape. There are these mountains behind this river. The river had the reflections of the pine trees on the opposite bank, a boat. There were telephone wires, with love birds sitting on them. There were of course other birds flying. This came out pretty well. Then I made a painting of the late chief minister of TN, M.G.R. So many more. I did become somewhat complacent during the middle of the course and was not faring well, but nothing to worry. I caught up. I passed the course. In the end, my father and I went to the art institute in person, for the first time. After all, I had to see who had been grading my sketches :) He was a warm and soft guy and was very polite. He encouraged me to take up the next level (I think), but then I somehow didn't end up doing it. Don't clearly know why.
All this was going fine. I was probably studying 6th or 7th grade at that time and my drawing teacher wanted me to give all of my paintings to her so that she may display it in some exhibition. Needless to say, I was excited and gave her all my precious paintings. When she was supposed to return them back, she didn't. The reason she gave was "all your paintings were spoilt in the rain, I think".
I got furious and trying to control my temper and rage. How could she be so irresponsible. She was supposed to be a drawing teacher for God's sake. I can never forget when she told me "you're young - you can create more paintings". WTF does that supposed to mean? I couldn't take this crap at all. Imagine how much time I had spent drawing those paintings. My parents couldn't take it either. These are some of the most unpleasant experiences in my life. My father came to the school and talked to the principal and complained about their irresponsibility. This war dragged on for a few days - we were demanding the return of whatever paintings that were left over, damaged or undamaged. The principal (she was a lady) got all so offended by my father's remarks but somehow realized that she was helpless. I think she must have put some pressure on the drawing teacher. She summoned me later and yelled at me saying "Bring your father....tell him that I have some of your paintings" as though we were the culprits. I hated her.
She gave back some paintings/sketches, but by then I was clearly a new person. I had changed. I had lost interest in drawing. From then till today, I'd produce only a few sketches - I had somehow given up.
Time of course healed this experience and I got to concentrate well on studies. I'd just display my talent in a very subdued manner by volunteering to do calligraphy, etc. At some point though, I took a sudden interest in just sketching and cartooning. I'd draw all the ads for 7UP and a few more. I am not sure where they are now. After coming to the U.S., this thing wasn't even in my mind. I was very inspired to pick it up again after my roommate started sketching and painting left and right. I didn't follow it up with full vigor though I did end up sketching some decent stuff. Escher's "reptiles" is one among those :)
I participated in some drawing and cartooning contests and won some prizes, but was not very proactive about it. In the summer holidays, I would take up a theme and draw enough to fill a big chart paper (a few feet by a few feet size). I would paint my sketches very diligently and produced many nice paintings. I used to flaunt them to all the guests that come home and to my friends in school :) I kicked ass in the diagrams that needed to be drawn for biology classes. I remember my friends never used to believe that I only drew those accurate pictures of a cell with all its details (nucleus, plasma and what not). Not to forget the map of India - this I have done many times.
My favourite painting was that of a landscape. There are these mountains behind this river. The river had the reflections of the pine trees on the opposite bank, a boat. There were telephone wires, with love birds sitting on them. There were of course other birds flying. This came out pretty well. Then I made a painting of the late chief minister of TN, M.G.R. So many more. I did become somewhat complacent during the middle of the course and was not faring well, but nothing to worry. I caught up. I passed the course. In the end, my father and I went to the art institute in person, for the first time. After all, I had to see who had been grading my sketches :) He was a warm and soft guy and was very polite. He encouraged me to take up the next level (I think), but then I somehow didn't end up doing it. Don't clearly know why.
All this was going fine. I was probably studying 6th or 7th grade at that time and my drawing teacher wanted me to give all of my paintings to her so that she may display it in some exhibition. Needless to say, I was excited and gave her all my precious paintings. When she was supposed to return them back, she didn't. The reason she gave was "all your paintings were spoilt in the rain, I think".
I got furious and trying to control my temper and rage. How could she be so irresponsible. She was supposed to be a drawing teacher for God's sake. I can never forget when she told me "you're young - you can create more paintings". WTF does that supposed to mean? I couldn't take this crap at all. Imagine how much time I had spent drawing those paintings. My parents couldn't take it either. These are some of the most unpleasant experiences in my life. My father came to the school and talked to the principal and complained about their irresponsibility. This war dragged on for a few days - we were demanding the return of whatever paintings that were left over, damaged or undamaged. The principal (she was a lady) got all so offended by my father's remarks but somehow realized that she was helpless. I think she must have put some pressure on the drawing teacher. She summoned me later and yelled at me saying "Bring your father....tell him that I have some of your paintings" as though we were the culprits. I hated her.
She gave back some paintings/sketches, but by then I was clearly a new person. I had changed. I had lost interest in drawing. From then till today, I'd produce only a few sketches - I had somehow given up.
Time of course healed this experience and I got to concentrate well on studies. I'd just display my talent in a very subdued manner by volunteering to do calligraphy, etc. At some point though, I took a sudden interest in just sketching and cartooning. I'd draw all the ads for 7UP and a few more. I am not sure where they are now. After coming to the U.S., this thing wasn't even in my mind. I was very inspired to pick it up again after my roommate started sketching and painting left and right. I didn't follow it up with full vigor though I did end up sketching some decent stuff. Escher's "reptiles" is one among those :)
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