KOCHI: A steam train chugs its way, spewing clouds of dust, set against a dark backdrop. The picture speaks volumes with its intense and detailed portrayal. It took 30 hours for artist Ratheesh R to make this vintage impression using just pencils. But the arduous effort has paid off well, with the vintage scene looking as picture perfect as it should be.
For this self-taught artist, art is a passion. His pencil sketches are not the usual ones you come across, they have an unusual digital finish to them, which Ratheesh ascribes to working relentlessly, sometimes for hours on end.
Over the years, his craft has also evolved, and each artwork oozes with a rare finesse.
Techie Ratheesh has been experimenting on creating pencil sketches for the past several years. He was initiated to art at the age of 11. “That was when I felt an intense desire to paint. Although I went to learn art, that didn’t continue for long. It was mostly self-taught,” says Ratheesh. He went on to bag many awards while at school.
“Art is more like a companion,” says Ratheesh, who works as a creative designer at Faya Innovations. “Whenever I am happy or sad, drawing helps. It feels as if someone is there,” he continues.
For the past several years he has given a shrug to colours, and has been investing himself in making pencil sketches and portraits.
“At that time, life was all grey and dark and that got reflected in my art as well. Sketches are mostly about aesthetic locales or personalities and the portrayals are realistic,” he says. An avid photography enthusiast, he captures the pictures first and then transfers it using his pencil onto an A4 sheet. “It helps in providing more detailing. Most people have a hard time believing that I sketched these. They think this has been photo-shopped. It took years and hours of work for me to reach this stage. After each work, you learn something. I have learnt a lot and am still learning new techniques to enhance the drawing and impart a realistic touch,” he quips.
Ratheesh uses 8B, 7B, 2B and 4B pencils for drawing. Work on an average takes around eight to nine hours. He pursues his passion after his working hours. “I can spend hours just drawing. Once you get inspired, there is nothing stopping you,” he says. Ratheesh dreams of conducting an exhibition of his artworks.
“I intend to start painting a series on the idyllic locations in the city. That will be in watercolour,” says Ratheesh. With life looking brighter, the colours are finally returning to the artist’s palette.