Meet Ambika Karandikar, an illustrator and dancer from Pune, India. Ambika illustrates picture books, book covers, storyboards and comics for English and Marathi publications. In this episode she talks about her encouraging parents, her carefree childhood in Pune, her bitter disappointment in art school and how she turned this despair into a learning opportunity. From there, Ambika took her first steps into the world of illustration. Ambika is also a nature lover who is discovering the deeper meaning of metamorphosis. She can also be found tending her garden or strolling the hillsides outside Pune when she isn’t working.
K: Hi Ambika, where did you grow up and what was it like?
A: I come from a small household in Pune. I was not an overachiever. My parents encouraged me to study well and have a happy childhood. My family created an atmosphere where I could grow in confidence. They always encouraged me to be curious and kind. Unlike my peers, my school life didn’t come with any parental pressure.
My love for drawing started even before nursery school where I was first introduced to colours and crayons. My parents were enthusiastic and recognised my skill; that's how my love for art grew. I was blessed to have a teacher in nursery school who never told me how to draw or paint. Instead, she would ignite my curiosity and imagination.
K: What’s your childhood memory of drawing that you remember vividly?
A: One time in school, we were asked to do a drawing on Ganeshotsav. I was told to draw what I saw during those festivities. As a kid, my father used to take me to the processions (Miravnuk) and I used to sit on his shoulders. So, I drew many black, red, grey and bald heads and just one idol on the top of the paper and I remember winning a prize.
K: How did your family encourage your curiosity and creativity?
A: Being a good observer is an aspect of being an artist that was ingrained in me very playfully by my mother. It was just a part of our lives, growing up. I still remember playing a game where we wrote down the names of all the birds we could see from our windows, just for fun.
As a family, we would travel for weeks at a time. My parents had a travelling company. That was very inspiring because I understood how people lived in different circumstances. I was much closer to reality when I travelled. No matter how small or big the village, town or city was, I would always find interesting people and places. I would recreate the people, houses, roads, trees and birds in my sketchbook. Sometimes, I would observe people and mimic them. I enjoyed talking to strangers as a kid. Those are the happiest memories of my childhood. And I got to skip school.
Above: Playful explorations from ‘J is for Jalebi’, published by Adidev Press
K: What did a school life without parental pressure allow you to explore?
A: I can never imagine school without sports. My dad encouraged me to take up sports along with my studies. He believed that, 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ I learnt early in life about team spirit, how not to give up, how to encourage others around me by cheering them on without being judgemental and having fun.
Most of my friendships started on the school ground. There is a different understanding with someone you have played a game with. You get to know their strengths and weaknesses. That makes one appreciate their achievements even more and support them in their downfall. On my last day of school, my best friends and I had tears in our eyes because we wouldn’t be playing throw ball matches anymore.
My mother also put me in a Bharatanatyam class. I think I was drawn towards the dance form because it was so audio-visually appealing. I did struggle at times but once I started taking it more seriously, I started enjoying it. Dance is a very big aspect of my life, it taught me discipline and patience. It is something that I still cherish and enjoy.
K: What was that defining moment that made you choose to art?
A: My family had the clarity that I didn't have the aptitude to pursue a career that involved mathematics in any form. I had a passion for art, so it was more of a practical decision.
My father used to tell me to work on my strengths rather than brood over my weaknesses. He never compared me with any of my friends or classmates. He compared the old me to the new me. He helped me understand art/design/painting was my forte and if I was dedicated and put in enough hard work, I could flourish.
I did my foundation in art after class 10, after which my elective subject was illustration. We did nothing related to children’s books though. All our artwork was done by hand, we didn’t use digital tools for any of our assignments.
Left: Khadakwasla dam sketch after dance practice | Right: Mahableshwar Valley
K: What was going to art school like? Did you have the same kind of encouragement you did as a child?
A: When I started going to art college, I was very excited and ready to learn and absorb everything. Like every college in the country, we had a diverse crowd.Students came from different places and walks of life. Some students were there because they thought it was an easy path. I really wish we had a chance to experiment more with our syllabus/assignments and had more exposure.
Going to art college meant my whole schedule and approach towards assignments was different. My whole routine was suddenly different from everyone I knew. I would go to college, do my assignments, come home and go to dance class. After some time I was bored, I felt I wasn’t doing anything with my life. I was brushing up my skills but I lacked the thought process. I knew there were teachers and mentors out there who could teach how to approach a certain subject, how to ideate and create. This is very important too. I understand, no one can teach you these things but people can guide you. At that time, I had no idea who could help me out of this, I felt like I was being dragged down and that was the worst feeling.
Even though it was a very emotionally challenging time, I must mention that I did make some great friends who I still am friends with today. My family and friends were very supportive and I realised that all this should not get in the way of my vision for my life.
K: What helped you realise this?
A: During that time that I had the opportunity to interview a student (Debangshu Moulik) from my art school for an assignment. He was just eighteen when I met him. In his interview, Debangshu told me that he did apply to big art schools like NID and Srishti and he didn’t get in. So, he decided to make the most of his classroom. Everyday, he used the same classroom as an efficient studio. It was an important, eye opening lesson. For the first time I realised, I was free to do the kind of work I wanted to do. It depended on the client, the market and my interest. I needed to put my head down, do my work and stop seeking validation from everyone. I had to work on myself. That’s all.
It seems simple but it isn’t. After this interview I disconnected from everyone and everything. I began to focus on my work and what I wanted to do with my life. I started working very hard, I started talking to people, I started meeting people from the industry about work. As an introvert that’s something I don’t do at all. I even started connecting with new people.
This was then I discovered Instagram and Behance. I realised I could reach out to people sitting at home. I started believing I could work from my home. Before this, I felt like my friends were in interesting places, doing interesting things and I wasn’t. I realised that not having this distraction could actually work for me. I could showcase my work digitally.
K: Is that when you started your freelance career as a children’s illustrator?
A: In my interview with Debangshu, he mentioned that he was freelancing. I found this very motivating and thought it was something I could do too. In my second or third year I started taking commissions. I illustrated a book cover for a friend. This came at that time when I never thought I would ever work in a publishing house. I always wanted to paint but I never thought I wanted to work on books. I wanted to exhibit my work in a gallery. That was my big dream but I got a lot of validation from the book cover experience and I felt inspired to work more. After that, I worked with a few children’s magazines and that was the start of my freelance career.
When I graduated I started working as a full time illustrator and graphic designer for an agency. I did that for 2 years. I gained a good amount of experience which was necessary for me as a fresh graduate out of college. Then, I realised I wanted to pursue a freelance career in illustration.
I met a few people from the industry who made a big impact on me. I met my mentor, Madhuri Purandare, a painter, writer, actor and singer. She has won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for her outstanding work in children's literature. I also met Dr. Anagha Kusum, a Pune based artist, writer, researcher and educator. Both of them gave me very practical advice. Madhuri Tai left a deep impression on me. It was through her that I realised the importance of creating books for children in India. It was only much later that I had the guts to show her my work.
K: Were books a big part of your life growing up?
A: I definitely wasn’t much of a reader back then. I was fascinated by the visuals though. I chose books based on how visually appealing it was. I used to find it difficult to read novels and small print. It’s because I wasn’t a reader that I am always surprised that I am working in this field now. I never really appreciated reading. I’m definitely better at drawing than spelling!
Pages from ’The Magic Box' written and self published by Nithya Sridharan, Pecuniart
K: What mediums do you work with and what’s your process?
A: I sketch a lot in my sketchbook. All my work begins on paper. I feel most comfortable thinking and ideating on paper. Earlier I used water colours, poster colours, pastels, pencils, and acrylics. Nowadays I work on photoshop or on an ipad. I want to work with traditional materials again, it’s just that many clients want work in a very short timespan. It’s impossible to work with traditional media in those cases. I am looking forward to breaking the habit of digital illustration and going back to working with my hands and brushes.
Above: Pencil sketches from ‘The Golden Deer and the Golden Parrot’, a manipuri folktale commissioned by Jaya He Museum, Mumbai International Airport + Kathanika
Below: A panel from ‘The Golden Deer and the Golden Parrot’
My process is different for every artwork. It depends on the client requirements. Usually I give a lot of importance to research before I begin. I do research on everything, clothing, characters, jewellery and the era. Sometimes I reach out to people for my research as well. After that I begin developing my characters and scenes which I share with the client before colouring digitally. With each book, we enter a different world and live the life of the character. I want to explore as many of these roles as I can. In general, I don’t like restricting myself as an illustrator.
Above: A sketch for a podcast 'Maine Saaf Kiya Tumhara' written by kanya D'Almeida
Below: Final artwork executed digitally
K: What parts about your work are easy and what’s difficult?
A: The easy part is that I love drawing. Back when I was at a job I had to work till very late at night. I was unhappy about that. I had no time for anything. I understand that deadlines are a part of work. Now, I don't let work overpower my life, I like to go to bed early and wake up early. I try to be organised and plan my day.
There are days when I feel like I can’t come up with ideas. This especially happens when I am working on 2-3 projects at a time. In that case, I have to give myself time and space, maybe get to it the next day. In general, it’s always a race against time which never ends. Every day is different. The biggest challenge is just to be honest with your work while you keep up with your goals. Working on children's books one has to be careful about every tiny detail.
It’s also very easy to become discouraged by the lack of motivation when there’s no client to work for.
K: Are there many times when you don’t have a client to work for?
A: That hasn’t been the case so far. Even during the pandemic I was still working with clients. I am grateful for that. I have thought a lot about this situation many times though. “If I don’t have a client, what will I do?” I will work on my personal projects. That’s equally important. Sometimes when we work for clients we forget to put our own thoughts and ideas into our work.
Dr. Mandke, a personal project
K: How do you manage to stay motivated and inspired in difficult times?
A: I have experienced this many times actually. After feeling low and demotivated, I tell myself, “Ambika, this feeling will pass.” I try to stay calm, I watch movies, talk to friends and family. Sometimes I play with my cats. I distract myself rather than being tough on myself. When I’m relaxed I can think clearly.
There have been times when I have panicked and it doesn’t help at all. I realise that’s when I need to stay calm, become silent, go for a walk in the hills. Sometimes I read inspiring interviews of other artists. Then, I know that I’m not the only artist in the world who feels demotivated. This happens to everyone. The ideas will come. Back in art school I would have become a pessimist.
Sometimes I feel I am not doing enough and compare my work to other artists. I have stopped doing that. I realise that if I need to create something of my own, I can’t do that from a place of comparison. Different people have different opportunities for various reasons. Some times things don’t happen the way we imagine or plan. That takes getting used to. I see their work, look at their progress, see how they ideate and try to learn from that. That’s helped my anxiety and I can also appreciate their work.
So, basically I have come to the conclusion that it’s perfectly OK if I’m not motivated at the moment.If I’m failing at something it’s completely normal. If I don’t feel demotivated, how will I feel motivated? So I let it be and learn from my mistakes.
Ambika’s cats: Timi and Mimi
K: How would you describe your illustration style?
A: I really don’t know if I have a style. I suppose it takes many years to figure this out and sometimes you never will. I can say from client feedback that my illustrations are cozy, comfortable and homely. But I haven’t really thought about it. I feel I am still exploring who I am as an illustrator. I suppose my personality comes through in the illustrations. Maybe I will ask more people about this.
Above: A page from ‘J is for Jalebi’, published by Adidev Press
Below: Cover Illustration for Chiku Piku Kids Magazine
K: Do you think illustration is a financially viable career? How do you sustain yourself as an individual independent illustration practitioner?
A: To be honest, it’s not easy. I’m 24, I live at home and I cannot thank my family enough for their support and kindness. I couldn't have gotten this far without their encouragement and support. As tough as it is, this life gives me the confidence of being a one man army. I also appreciate that I have the liberty to work on my terms. I will be able to understand finances more in 2-3 years. Right now, I’m still exploring many different aspects of myself.
I do however hope publishers would start paying illustrators better though. We have so much scope for storytelling in our country. For an illustrator, this is how we make our living and we need to start being paid well. It will also motivate us to work with dedication.
K: What do you do in your time away from work?
A: I am always working, I am always making mental notes when I’m working on a commissioned project. It gets very exhausting. It is what it is though.
When I have a day off from commissioned projects I watch a movie, read a book or garden. I go to the nurseries to see plants, bring them home and plant them. I stroll to the nearby hills. I love cooking. I’m not an everyday cook, but when I’m in the mood I like to make something grand. My mom is a very mindful cook and I like that. I find it interesting and relaxing watching her in the kitchen. I like watching other people work too.
K: Which illustrators are you most inspired by?
A: I love graphic novels. I love Persepolis and Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi. I like the bold strokes. Then, of course Madhuri Purandare. Her minute detailing is amazing. I also enjoy her subtle sense of humour. It’s something I am trying to develop too. Priya Kuriyan, Yuko Shimizu, Quentin Blake and Shaun Tan.
I am also inspired by Mughal miniature paintings. I especially love the colour palettes and the details in the plants, trees and animals. That’s why I love Sunny Kolekar’s work. I am drawn to work with plants, animals and people. I love Tim Burton’s concept drawings too.
I also like Prabha Mallya, Sonali Zohra, Atanu Roy and Barkha Lohia. I also like Amruta Patil’s work, it’s very raw and earthy. I find her process very interesting too. Prashant Miranda’s work, he uses water colours so well! I always wanted to use them and I realised I wasn’t using them properly.
K: If you got to meet any of these illustrators what would you ask them?
A: I guess I’d be stumped, I wouldn’t know what to ask. Maybe I’ll just observe.
Actually, I would want to ask them about their routine, workflow, mental health and plenty about time management. What is their process of accepting and rejecting projects? I’m very curious about these things.
K: What themes do you enjoy drawing the most? What are you currently enjoying drawing?
A: I love detailed and complex illustrations. I like illustrating plants. I love sketching people, especially their faces and gestures.
I never thought I would ever have an opportunity to draw animals. That’s what I am exploring at the moment and really enjoying it too. I love the process of making them into characters. This particular project involves making the animals act like people, so in a way combines all my interests.
Pages from Ambika’s sketchbook
Editorial Illustration for Wayam Kids Magazine
Rum Pum from ‘Main Tumse Dosti Kyoon Karu?’ published by Moinee Foundation
K: When you need help with work, how do you go about asking for it?
A: I have realised that I shouldn’t hesitate asking for help. Opening up and asking for it is important. Earlier I would try to solve everything myself. I don’t like to pretend to be in charge all the time any more. I ask questions boldly, no matter what the question is. I drop my ego and ask.
I remember an incident where I didn’t want the client to get the wrong idea about why I am asking too many questions. I thought I was troubling them. Later on, I realised that it’s a part of my job to ask questions till I have clarity. It’s communication, it’s necessary. Sometimes we make assumptions that may not even be true.
K: What are your biggest lessons in the last three years? What’s worked for you and what hasn’t?
A: I have learnt that I really need to separate my professional and personal life. When you go through a difficult time, it’s easy for it to affect your work. I’ve realised that managing my emotions and keeping it out of the professional sphere is something I need to do more of.
I’ve also learnt that you don’t have to please everyone. Life is about change. Change is constant. Not everyone remains in your life forever. Accepting that change is difficult. I needed to learn to accept that change during the pandemic. I need to adapt to changing situations.
Even though I give a hundred percent to everything I am working on, I know that sometimes things are not going to work in my favour. If something is not going according to plan, I’ve stopped trying to control everything. Where necessary I’m learning to go with the flow.
Above: Editorial Illustration for Wayam Kids Magazine
Below: Editorial Illustration for Kishor
K: Do you read now? What kind of books are you reading?
A: I don’t read any specific genre, just things I find interesting. Right now I’m reading ‘The Tale of Genji’ by Murasaki Shikibu. I have just finished reading The Complete Maus and all of Amruta Patil’s graphic novels too.
K: Do you still dance?
A: I chose to stay in Pune because my Guru is here. Just like I could never separate sports from school, I can’t separate dance from my life. I have been practising Bharatnatyam for the last 15-16 years. I absolutely love performing on stage and have performed at various festivals. I regularly participated and won different competitions. I also attended workshops by eminent dancers.
But after the lockdown everything has changed. I don't get enough time to practice because of my work schedule. Before the pandemic I used to practice everyday for at least 2-3 hrs. I never thought I’d have to choose between dance and illustration. Now, I have reached a point where I need to keep dance in the back seat for sometime. I can’t wait to be back on stage and practice like old times though. That day will come, till them I’m enjoying being in the audience performances.
K: How’s life been with the arrival of the Pandemic?
A: During the lockdown, I noticed so many caterpillars on my pink oleander plant. I was fascinated by their process of metamorphosis. I was obsessed about it and I even grew different butterflies and moths in my garden. Some caterpillars grew into beautiful butterflies and some died. During a time when people were going through so much loss, I understood that success is just a part of the story. The real journey of life lies in metamorphosis. I really discovered how much I love nature during that time. Fortunately, nothing much changed work wise and I still had plenty of commissioned work.
‘Butterfly and Little Girl’, a personal project
K: What are your aspirations for the future?
A: I would love to travel, do an art residency or even have travel as a part of my work. I would love to collaborate on a book where the printing and production is a part of the storytelling experience. I want to live and work in India. I enjoy the diversity, I could spend a lifetime discovering India. I would also like to move to a village, where I can work and garden peacefully. I really don’t enjoy city life.
My parents also took the decision of putting me and my brother in a Marathi medium school when we were young because they thought it will help us understand our mother tongue better . We also learnt to be fluent in English. I really hope to be able to write a Marathi book for children some day.
Above: A page from Ambika’s travel sketchbook
Below: A nature inspired editorial illustration from Wayam Kids Magazine
You can find Ambika’s work on instagram @girlwithagreenmind and behance at www.behance.net/ambikakara167.
Kalyani Ganapathy is an illustrator based in the Western Ghats in South India. In the last few years she has been a part of many collaborative projects with authors and publishers. These include Amrita Sher-Gil, Rebel with a Paintbrush, The Song at the Heart of the River and The Secret Life of Debbie G. This interview series is a personal project that evolved during the Covid 19 pandemic. You can find Kalyani’s work at www.kalyani-ganapathy.com.
Thanks everyone! I really appreciate that you came here and read this interview. It means a lot.
अंबिका .. खूप खूप कौतुक !! मुलाखतीतला ठामपणा , स्पष्टता खूप भावली. तुझ्या कल्पकतेला आणि तुझ्या पुढील वाटचालीस खूप खूप शुभेच्छा. परत एकदा सर्वांचेचे अभिनंदन .