What started off as rough scribbling done on the last sheets of notebooks, has evolved into an art form by itself and a medium of self expression – Doodles. Researchers have even deciphered the reasons behind different types of doodles we do. With gaining popularity for doodles, imagination is the only limit.

Arosh Thevadathil, popularly known as Doodlemuni is an illustrator from God’s own country, Kerala.  His creative doodles on everyday life, couples, famous personalities and social issues have brought attention from across the country. He believes that an artist can instil emotions among people through his artwork, and continues to do the same.

Arosh came up with the name ‘Doodlemuni’, as he wanted to depict himself as a serious guy who scribbles humorous snippets. He wanted to add a ‘Desi touch’ to the name, to make it attractive.

Having been good at art right from childhood, he has won several awards in national level competitions. He learnt the basics for different types of art from Mr Vishnu Namboodiri and went ahead to get a degree in Fine Arts from RLV College.

His work is characterized by its wit; it’s packed with strange symbols, cute little characters and humorous scenes. He works on traditional and digital mediums, as the situation demands. He uses Photoshop, Illustrator and Coral Painter, to make adorable doodles.

Touching people’s Heart through Art

Even though he was born and brought up in Kerala, he understood the real beauty and culture of the place only when he moved out. Many of his artworks are based on the culture and places of  Kerala. “I approach my artwork from a detached standpoint”, says Arosh.

When Kerala was deluged by the heavy rains, Arosh was in Bangalore, and spent several sleepless nights horrified by the visuals he saw on TV. He arranged for materials to be sent to the disaster relief camps, and did a special tribute to the unsung heroes who risked their lives to save others.

Among those works, the one that received maximum attention was the rescue of the pregnant woman on a helicopter. “Seeing that work, Commander Vijay Varma, the man who undertook the mission, called me and wished me personally. I consider that the highest recognition that my work has ever received”, he says.

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All about the Funcher shop

Having worked in Ogilvy, he got a lot of recognition from big corporates. Tired of having to follow guidelines, he longed to do something creative on his own without any limitations.

Suresh Ramakrishnan and him, having shared the common vision, vibe and passion for creating art, started their own venture “The Funcher Shop”. Just like how Puncture shop fills air, The Funcher shop fills happiness. They have numerous products like T-shirts, mugs, bags, clocks, based on various themes surrounding riders, Malayalis, Bengalis, Bangalore, movie themes.., 

“I don’t need anything else when I immerse myself in art”.

He believes that criticisms shape up a person’s career and make them strong. He works on his ideas and style based on the feedback he receives.

According to him, every project is a dream project. Nonetheless, he wishes to learn about Bangalore and make artworks on it.

On being asked if he has hit the rock bottom, he says. “There was a number of instances where I felt like my hands were tied and I would never get back on my feet. But, if you are diligent and are determined, you can always come back stronger and better from any hopeless situation”.

He views art as his life. His art is a result of his emotions, whether sadness or happiness.

“I don’t need anything else when I immerse myself in art”, he says.

Get Your Custom Artwork from ‘Doodle Muni’ Today!

When asked if he wants to travel back in time to the future or past, he says, “As there were a number of things I could not do in my past due to certain circumstances. I’ll certainly return and correct my mistakes if given the chance”.

Biggest pet peeve? “For each artwork, artists do a lot of research, refer to different works and make multiple scribbles. We ponder over and analyse it before composing the piece on canvas. Just when the work is about to get completed, a person who knows nothing about the effort put in and one who has no artistic eye comes along asking for changes on behalf of the client. It is a menace when they interfere in the artistic process”.

“An artist can conquer the whole world through his art”.

His advice to the budding artists is to never give up.He also feels that social media validation does not define anyone as an artist.

“An artist can conquer the whole world through his art. An artist can make people happy, sad, thoughtful etc. Above all, the artist himself can find joy in his art and share it with society. So even if no one notices you at first, there will come a time when they will accept, love and celebrate you”, he says.

Prasad Bhat is the mastermind behind Graphicurry, a caricature specialist and an illustrator based in Bangalore. His quirky caricatures have brought him global appreciation. Like every other Indian kid, Prasad Bhat studied Engineering and struggled to get a job after his graduation. On realizing that engineering was not his cup of tea, he started his own design studio turned art store, Graphicurry.

Prasad never fails to bring a smile on your face, whether through his caricatures or comedy. His skills have attracted some of the coolest clients such as Amazon Prime, Disney and MARVEL. His artwork is original, authentic and witty.

Here are excerpts from when we caught up with Prasad Bhat for a quick interview and a dozen laughs.

What’s the story behind Graphicurry?

“Art and food are two of my most favourite things, hence the name ‘Graphicurry’! Luckily, the URL name was easily available”.

“Graphicurry started off in 2013 as a logo and designing company for corporates, and eventually evolved into a personalized caricature store. Today, we have over a hundred varieties of caricatures and merchandise of famous TV shows, movies, and artists”.

What made you take up an off-beat career and start Graphicurry, having studied engineering?

“I graduated with a score of 75% in engineering. I was over qualified for Call centres and under qualified for IT Companies. While I was desperately looking for a job, my girlfriend suggested that I pursue art seriously. I began to learn various digital tools. 6 years have passed, and here we are. Graphicurry has over a hundred personalized caricatures and merchandise”.

One of your prominent works includes Vector art. What made you pursue it?

“There are so many artists out there who have access to the same tools as I do. I’ve always wanted to have a unique style when it comes to art in order to stand out from the rest. That’s the main reason I started drawing vectors. Plus, I really enjoy drawing them”.

“I sometimes feel like a low-key plastic surgeon”.

How do you manage to get the right balance between realism and exaggeration in your artwork?

“I prefer keeping my art minimal over intricate detailing. Honestly speaking, people don’t like their features to be exaggerated. Everybody wants to look better. So, I only focus on making my clients look cuter”. *chuckles*

As you make customized caricatures, you might have come across various customization requests. What’s the most common request that you get?

“Make my wife look beautiful”. I’ve heard this so many times. I sometimes feel like a low-key plastic surgeon. I wish people could accept themselves and others as they are. I’m a brutally honest person; I would trip at requests like this. Thankfully, my wife, Deepthi takes care of all the client communications and makes my life easier”.

“That’s when I realized that I had travelled so far to get to the point where my favourite thing had to be recreated by me”.

Any current projects you can talk about? What was your biggest project until now?

I had my ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ moment when Disney asked to draw Mickey in my style to celebrate Mickey’s 90th Birthday! That’s when I realized that I had travelled so far to get to the point where my favourite thing had to be recreated by me”.

“Currently, I’m excited to be working on a few projects for Hotstar, which is upping its presence on the online media industry”.

Being an artist, what’s your biggest pet peeve?

“Most of the orders I get are for gifting purposes. Few clients provide hazy images for reference. This is my biggest pet peeve”.

How do you think the digital age has helped artists?

“I’m truly blessed to have digital aid. I have a competitive advantage over others as I was among of the first few artists to start digital caricatures in India. Most of the caricature artists who did not adapt to the technological changes, are still struggling. Technology has introduced us to unlimited possibilities. It’s up to us to make the best use of it”.

“All artists have a shelf life. I’m ready to face life as it comes”.

Could you tell us about your “Evolution” series?

“The evolution series focused on famous celebrities such as Leo, Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robin Williams and others. It was a tribute to all the amazing roles they’ve played so far. I also worked on a project where Ranbir Kapoor evolves into Sanjay Dutt. The idea is to keep the face unaltered and change other details such as the outfit, attire and expressions”.

What inspired you to start stand up comedy? Where can we see Prasad Bhat in the years to come, as a comedian?

“Even I’m not sure why I started doing comedy. I think I like to suffer and be broke. Jokes apart, I love making people smile and I wanted to do that professionally. Recently, I performed in Mumbai for a huge crowd, the video of which will be releasing soon. Other than that, I attend 2-3 open mics every week. It is tiring to run an art store and pursue comedy. But, I’m getting there”.

Prasad Bhat in one of his Stand-up comedy sets.

You have made some amazing caricatures of various Sitcoms. Which is your favourite sitcom of all time?

“Seinfeld is my all time favourite. It’s think that it’s the best show ever and everyone should watch it! Each character has its own charm that makes the show so special”.

Have you ever hit the rock-bottom? Tell us about it.
“I had hit the rock-bottom after my graduation which made me start Graphicurry. Since I’ve already been there, I don’t fear it anymore. All artists have a shelf life. So, I’m ready to face life as it comes. On the other hand, even if I get a lot of money and fame, I won’t let it get into my head. I like to keep myself grounded”.

“If you wake up with a burning desire in you to achieve something, you must follow it”.

Do you plan on taking up workshops?

“No, that’s my last resort. I’m not a big fan of teaching because I’m very impatient. If everybody stops buying from me, then I’ll give it a thought”.

Being a popular artist, demands you to have a constant social media presence. How do you cope up with this?

“I have to constantly post engaging content for my audience. I can’t post whatever I like, it has to be trending. Right now, there’s Game of Thrones fever everywhere. So, few of my posts are based on that”.

They say that art can reduce stress and promote relaxation. Do you agree with this?

“To a certain extent, art is therapeutic. It might seem fun drawing all day. But trust me, it isn’t. It is a lot of work and requires patience”.

Lastly, do you have any tips or advice for the budding digital artists?

“Don’t Do it”. *laughs*
“I’m just kidding. I usually don’t advise others much. It’s easy for me to ask others to pursue art. But, there are other factors one must consider like financial security and emotional support. To be an artist in India, it takes something more than just talent or hard work. It takes a thick skin. Hard-work is overrated. Unless you have a huge inheritance, or become an overnight sensation, it’s really hard to get financial returns”.

“Nonetheless, if you wake up with a burning desire to achieve something, you must follow it. I also believe that if your parents support you, you’d get too comfortable and become lazy. The magic happens only when you step out of your comfort zone. So, I think all the parents should kick their kids out of the house after they grow up “.