BENGALURU: I draw, Mother of two floofs. Running on low patience, always! – this is how illustrator Mounica Tata, aka doodleodrama, describes herself on her Instagram handle. Probably this was one of her USPs which made her followers fall in love with her.
She is currently holding a mentorship programme by Unheard India, an organisation that runs various learning and mentorship programmes for the age group of 13-25 on comic-making, illustrations and creating art, which was supposed to take place in February weekends but has now been moved to March weekends, considering the fact that it is the exam season.
Known for her simple yet conversational illustrations, Tata says most of her works are inspired from life incidents, experiences, and her observations. "Sometimes, I draw about experiences that are funny in hindsight. Or I draw and talk about something that catches my attention, evokes an emotion in me or an idea or issue that I feel strongly about," says Tata. She adds that her family members, friends, teachers, husband and her two dogs are mostly her subjects because she is always surrounded by them.
A self -taught illustrator and comic maker, Tata’s mantra of exploring her art is though exploring, experimenting and experience. “The more you consume and produce, the more art you digest. Style is constantly changing. It’s good to keep exploring and experimenting. More than style, it’s important to find your voice,” says Tata, who quit her job in 2016 to finally give a shot as an illustrator. She adds, “I saved up my salary and gave myself some goals and deadlines. I am grateful that my gamble paid off. ”
The 30-year-old illustrator who lives in Bengaluru with her husband, says, "Digital presence is crucial in today’s day and age. It has helped me share my content, create community and bring in opportunity to collaborate with various brands.”She has about one lakh followers on Instagram. Tata’s advice to anyone who wants to be a professional illustrator is quite simple. “There are no shortcuts or secrets, it’s plain hard work," she says.