Watercolour artist, Prashant Miranda has his way with kids. This is evident not only in the books he has illustrated, but also the way he joyously interacts with them. I was lucky to have caught him last weekend in Bangalore, while he was conducting an art workshop for little children.
I say lucky because Miranda lives the bulk of his time in Canada, with a few months in the winter in India. Miranda who is trained in animation (National Institute of Design, India) worked in the animation industry in Canada before quitting his job to pursue something more ‘satisfying’. Ever since, he has been painting with vigour, and has illustrated several books, magazines and television shows.
I have long admired the fluidity that Miranda exhibits in his work, and was hoping to pick up a few tricks during the workshop! I watch Prashant teach kids about handling this wayward medium, showing them techniques like colour interaction and washes, a skill he puts to use while illustrating his books.
While he has published several titles like ‘If there was one place I could be’ and ‘If I lived in a treehouse’, I can’t wait to get my hands on ‘What can you do with Red, Yellow and Blue’, slated to be published in two months. He shows us the draft version, which still smells of glue. It’s beautiful!
As kids get busy, Miranda chats with me about his recent sojourn to his hometowns – Manapad and Tuticorin, the two villages in Tamil Nadu (India) from where his grandparents hailed. I take a peek at his sketchbook, which visually captures his travels.
He shows me his cartographer’s bag, which like my ‘baby’s blankie’, accompanies him wherever he goes. The leather satchel is stuffed with everything he needs to make those delightful washes on paper – from pens, ink to his Pelican watercolour set.
Truly, creativity oozes out of every part of Miranda. You can tell when you see the fashionable Ikat pants he wore for the workshop, crafted from his sister’s old curtains (smiles). I guess some people can make anything look beautiful!
To know more about Prashant Miranda check out his blog: http://prashart.blogspot.in
{Photos by Nitya Rao for My Red Palette. Nitya Rao is a multimedia journalist, specializing in documentary and wedding photojournalism. She holds a Masters degree in photojournalism from Boston University. Nitya spends her time between Boston and Bangalore}
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