Shital Verma

USA

The General Partnership

I spent my childhood in Banaras frolicking on the ghats of the Ganga. What caught my attention, apart from the usual boatmen and ritualistic visitors, were these artists coming from different parts of the world. Known and unknown, they would sit for hours sketching and painting the inspirations they got sitting on the steps of one of the world’s oldest living city. Now, I was young and intrigued. From the corner of my eye, I would steal a glimpse and then try to copy their style, in secrecy of course. Later in the lanes of Banaras, I would pick up second hand comic books, read them and then do my own versions of their characters. What began as a comical hobby soon gained expertise with me walking into Fine Arts at Banaras Hindu University. Here the pencil gave me company. The pencil became my sixth finger and Sketcher became my middle name. In 1992, I walked out of the university, wearing the invisible graduation cap and with a bagful of dreams. Worked in many publication companies and design houses, Like Dainik Bhaskar, DNA Mumbai, Times Group Delhi, Hindustan Times… Every day was an experience, and every illustration printed became a learning point. The pencil turned blank papers into lifestyle magazine design, page scribbles, children’s books, graphics, info-graphics, ad campaigns, packaging design, story boards, digital illustration, logo designs and even digital Illustrations. Times have changed, and my pencil got a new friend in my Wacom tablet. Improvising in my own style, I have started a series of celeb digital portraits, from the past and the present. While art is finding its way into new perspectives, the pencil still yearns for more. Its sharp, black lead, ready to turn more pages into new chapters of history.