KOCHI: Every time Shreyas Panduranga went travelling, he would capture images on his camera. These photographs were stories by themselves, but the artist in him, felt that he needed to convey more. There were places like Hampi which inspired him to talk about trips and history, in short, which inspired the poet in him. “I have always loved to doodle with words, but it was never a passionate hobby. I am an engineer by profession. I chanced upon letter art by accident but soon got hooked with this form,” says Shreyas who was in Kochi to hold a workshop.
Shreyas writes inspiration quotes on images in creative and flowery styles. “I play with words and the phrases. Letter art gives you that freedom. You can convey many feelings in just two to three words,” says the artist who is based in Bangalore.
According to him, there is a certain technique to make letters eye-catching. “There are certain rules that add to the aesthetics of the letter writing, for example, making the lines thinner to the bottom,” he added. Letter art works miracles when it is used with imagery, but you need to blend them both together and that requires skill, he adds.
Shreyas says this art is now what is driving the advertising industry. “In the past, letters were used to describe brands and places. Then letter art gave way to electronic displays. Today, however, hand written letters and wordings are making a comeback,” he said.
Letter art, according to the artist, is not as simple as it looks. “There are resemblances to calligraphy which is however, a more formal and stricter form. There are certain rules in creative letter art that can be broken,” he says.
Shreyas now holds workshop for both kids and adults.