Talking to the creator of ‘Summer Song', a sublime tattoo of a bulbul that captures the essence and magic of the Indian Summer, Ketaki Watve, an illustrator from Maharashtra, talks about her journey, inspirations and connection with art.

Summer Song

Can you recall a specific moment or event that inspired you and sparked your decision to become an illustrator? 

I don't know if there was any specific moment or memory that sparked this passion inside me. I suppose everyone loves drawing and art, and as a child, I did too. The only difference is that I didn’t stop. I had the support of my family and I let the child inside me soar and kept doing what I love.

What was the very first thing you remember drawing, and how does it compare to your latest masterpiece? 

I remember I loved drawing little comics as a kid, I would spend time illustrating my daily life in comic strips. I would detail out my family and friends and sometimes I would make my daydreams and random scenarios that would pop up in my mind. I don't think I have those art pieces anymore, maybe it's for the best as I'm sure they were quite cringe.

I do remember this one time I had a strip published in my school magazine, so that was fun. I think comics were just a great way for me to express myself as a child. Not anymore, though. I eventually drifted away from comics for some reason.

How has your artistic style evolved since you first started illustrating? Are there particular influences that shaped this transformation? 

Well, I think that my art style has grown to have more depth over the years. At least, that is what I was aiming for. I don't know if my art actually has depth as I feel that I'm still very new to this, and I have a lot of evolving yet to do and to figure out my art style. But I like to take inspiration from nature and draw birds, trees, animals and anything else that catches my eye. 

I also feel very influenced by the movies I watch, the books I read, and the music I listen to, although I don't know if that has actually been reflected anywhere in my art. 

What's your go-to remedy for overcoming creative blocks? Any bizarre rituals or techniques? 

Nothing bizarre. I think Pinterest often helps me overcome my creative block as I get a lot of inspiration from it. I have a board where I save stuff that acts as a stimulus and inspires my future artwork, or I listen to some music or go through my own artwork for a muse. I also have a list on Google Keep where I've written down ideas that I can visualise and recreate, so I go through those.

If you could go back in time and give your beginner self one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Don't be afraid of getting it wrong, and don't be afraid of failing. Actually, this is a piece of advice that I need to remind myself to follow, even today because fear of failure is something that still holds me back from doing a lot of things.

But you know what? If I could go back in time, I would sit with my younger self, and I would just teach her all the Photoshop and Illustrator tips that I learned a little late in life. Every time I stumble across a new tool or feature in these softwares, I'm just like, why did no one tell me about this sooner?

What's your go-to snack or drink while working on illustrations? 

Oh, I never snack or drink anything. While I'm illustrating, I am in a different zone, an alternate universe where I just forget that food is there. I will forget everything else if I'm really immersed in the piece. And if it's traditional art, just keep the cup of coffee away from me. I am very capable of accidentally dipping my paintbrush in it and mistaking it for paint water.

Share a guilty pleasure when it comes to art supplies or tools. 

Boy, do I love art supplies even though I don't do much traditional art anymore? My favourites definitely have to be art sketchbooks and pencils.

If your art supplies rebelled against you, what do you think they would protest about? 

But why would my art supplies rebel against me? I think they love me. I treat them with such respect. Although, yeah, sometimes I am too lazy to wash my palette. I mean, come on, I’m only human. But then I pay for it later by having to spend time scrubbing the paint off.

But no. In general, I use all my possessions with care and respect, not just art supplies.