KOCHI: When we are bored, we either pick up a book, watch movies or scribble something on a notepad. But Bhagya Babu, a graphic designer from Kochi, creates comic strips, turning situations from boring everyday life into a work of art. This artist behind ‘Awkwerrrd’, a successful webcomic, did not start making comic strips with a pre-planned notion. “ It wasn’t anything that I planned. When I was in the second year of college, I started scribbling and drawing comic characters. This received a lot of good response from others,” said Bhaghya. In her comics, all the characters are inspired from the people that she interacts and associates with in her everyday life.
This comic artist doesn’t follow any rule while drawing her caricatures. “I usually get inspiration from my friends. The ideas spark from funny situations when my friends are chatting with me or we are hanging out somewhere. I make a note of it and then try to soldify the idea and later jot it down on my tab,” she said.
Bhaghya began her webcomic series an year ago when she was working in Bangalore. “ My first comic was about an awkward situation of eating food from the floor and being caught.”
The name ‘Awkwerrrd’ was also something that the artist came upon by chance finding herself in some of the awkward situations. “The name wasn’t something I gave much thought to. It was something that I had in my head when I started doing comic strips. The name got fixed in my mind and I didn’t want to change it later,” said Bhaghya who has earned popularity in the social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. “ I try to upload my comic strips every two weeks.
Sometimes I don’t get time but then I keep uploading it on Instagram,” she said.From commerce to doing designs, this webcomic artist’s journey has been full of twists. Presently, she is freelancing as an illustrator in Bangalore. She is supported by her family and friends who are mostly the characters in her comic strips. Bhaghya is preparing for the first offline exhibition of her comic strips which is merchandised by ON FLEA.K -2, a free market stream for small businesses.
The exhibition-cum-sale will be held on September 9 and 10 at TocH Public school. She will showcasing comic stickers and magnets based on malllu-related comics. “Titled ‘Awkwerrrd in Kochi series’, the comic series will be more of weird phrases used in Malayalam. “ This is the first time I am conducting an offline exhibition. Next year, I will bring out my first comic book,” said Bhaghya.