Sharanya Kunnath is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Dubai. Her work centres around spirituality, mysticism, mythology, women, and nature. She is just starting out on her career, and hopes to work in the publishing industry, and with anyone who wants her to draw pictures.

Why are you an Illustrator?
Because I love words and images, and I like to draw.

Did you attend school for fine art or design?
Yes, I did. I went to the American University in Dubai to study Graphic Design, and then did a Masters degree course in Illustration at the Arts University Bournemouth in England.

You have a distinct style of illustration. How long did it take you to develop your style?
This is something other people tell me, but I don’t know if I can see it myself. Developing consistency is always in the back of my mind, and it can be a bit daunting when you have to think about it all the time; almost like you’re scared to make a wrong move; this can harm experimentation because it might feel like you’re wasting time drawing a certain way, when you should be drawing like you always draw. Which is why I think one should develop a style organically, something that comes naturally and becomes second nature and is enjoyable. A forced illustration style might be technically good, but it will always look forced, and ultimately take away from the overall feel of a piece. I still have not reached this stage, but I am eager to get there.

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
I don’t think so. No role models as such, but definitely people I admired for various aspects of their lives; rarely do you find someone who embodies everything you wish to be. It’s usually a little bit of this and a little bit of that from different people. But I think my mother has influenced me a lot in the way I think and act.

Who was the most influential personality on your career in Illustrations?
I don’t yet have a career in illustration, to be honest; I’ve just quit my full time graphic design job, so I’m looking forward to diving into the illustration industry full time. Ignoring this technicality, my family has been very encouraging in my wanting to become a designer and then an illustrator. A professor of mine at American University in Dubai has also been incredibly supportive; it’s always nice to have a mentor.

What made you decide to become a freelance illustrator? When did you start freelancing? Do you illustrate for advertising?
I’ve been doing the odd illustration job since I graduated from my graphic design degree. There have also been a few unpaid contributions, which I’ve worked on because they were good opportunities to get published. I haven’t yet illustrated for advertising, but I would definitely like to.

Are many advertising agencies getting illustrations made these days? Do you work more with agencies or publishers?
I see a lot of interesting illustrative work coming out of India in both the advertising and design fields; so it seems like they are. Behance, the portfolio hosting website, also displays this trend. And the most popular projects tend to be ones that combine illustration and design. So that is encouraging.

Was there any time when you wanted to quit Illustrations?
No, definitely not. But I will say that I had made a decision after graduating to work as a designer for a few years and then switch to illustration. But four months into my graphic design job I realised that this would not work for me, as I missed illustration too much and my illustration skills were not growing, which would have been harmful to my career in the long term.

Have you considered turning your illustrations into toys?
I would love to have my illustrations on toys, and also on packaging and clothing. I’ve actually made movable paper puppets out of the characters in Mahishasura Mardini, which you can see on my Instagram account. ( 1 2 )

Any other Indian Illustrators who you admire?
There are some really inspiring Indian illustrators working at the moment. I follow their work closely. Some names that come to mind are Gumani, Jasjyot Singh Hans, Danger Cat, Kriti Monga of Turmeric Design, Animal Studio, Dithi Chakraborthy, and Smriti Choudhary of Air Phish. There are loads more, though.

Do you have any favorite fellow illustrators or resources relating to your fields?
I’ve always loved the classic English illustrators: Arthur Rackham, Aubrey Beardsley, Cicely Mary Barker, E.H. Shepard, Beatrix Potter, etc. I also enjoy the Art Nouveau illustrators (Mucha, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc), the pre-Raphaelites, and William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement. In more contemporary terms, I really enjoy the work of Niroot Puttapipat, Rovina Cai, Emily Hughes, Iain Macintosh and Brett Helquist. Then there are the people I studied with in the UK, who are all fantastic illustrators in their own right. I find Instagram to be a great place to discover interesting new illustrators.
You have such a wide experience as a top working professional. What advice do you have for aspiring creative professionals? Would you advise them to take on Illustration as a career option? Is it paying well enough?
This question isn’t really relevant to me, as I’m only starting out. I’m trying not to think of money at the moment, although I know this isn’t something everyone can afford to do. Perhaps it sounds naive, but I believe that if the work is strong and the passion and commitment/work ethic are there, the money will follow.

Whats your dream project?
A dream project would be to publish a book of self-initiated work. I don’t know yet what the theme will be, but I do know that I want to write, in addition to illustrating. I’m in the process of polishing up my Masters project as well, an illustrated retelling of the story of Durga. One of my dreams is to get it published.

Mac or PC?
Mac, only because it’s the industry standard and thus better to use for uniformity’s sake. PCs are cool as well, without the pretension.

Who would you like to take out for dinner?
My friends.

What’s on your iPod?
I don’t use my iPod anymore. But I listen to a lot of folk music. Martha Wainwright, Vashti Bunyan, Anne Briggs, Kate Rusby, Rufus Wainwright. And then Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Loudon Wainwright, Bombay Bicycle Club. I recently discovered a great band called Years and Years, who are really different from what I usually listen to.

Whats your Twitter Handle?
@sharanyakunnath. I’m also on Instagram under the same handle.

Sharanya can be contacted via her website here.