Dikshaa N Pawaskar's passion for children's illustration began with a love for visual storytelling. From her early fascination with books to a successful career as an illustrator, she shares insights into her creative journey and challenges.
Diksha, can you start by telling us a bit about your studies and personal and professional background? How did you enter this field, and what was the beginning of your career like?
As a child, I found inspiration in children’s books like 'Olivia' and 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.' The illustrations in these books captivated me, bringing characters to life and sparking my passion for drawing. I often sketched these characters in my notebook, dreaming of telling my own stories one day. This love for visual storytelling and experimenting with colours led me to pursue a degree in Applied Art from Rachana Sansad College of Applied Art and Craft, from which I graduated in 2022. My time at college truly shaped my enthusiasm for storytelling, laying the foundation for my career path and continuing to influence my work today.
What inspired you to focus on illustrating for children? Can you share the moment or experience that led to this decision?
During college, we had a wide range of assignments covering typography to communication design. As I explored these different areas, I discovered a strong interest in painting, particularly in children’s illustration. Creating sequences through page turns and bringing cheerful, adorable characters to life was extremely fulfilling for me.
One important college project was creating a children’s book, and this experience strengthened my passion for illustrating for children. It revealed to me the enchantment of storytelling through images, and I knew that this was the career path I wanted to follow.
From those early days in college to now, my journey has been about collecting stories and expressing them through vibrant, playful artwork. It’s been a wonderful adventure, and I am excited to continue creating and sharing stories through my illustrations.
Illustrating for children can be challenging, especially when it comes to capturing right expressions, choosing colours and the essence of the subject etc. What specific challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
Indeed, illustrating for children comes with a lot of challenges. When I first started, I struggled with drawing children accurately. My characters often looked either too young or too old, with disproportionately large heads. To overcome this, I focused on improving my sketching skills through constant observation and practice.
Another significant challenge was meeting deadlines. Initially, I had no idea how the publishing industry worked, which made it difficult to manage my time effectively. However, as I gained more experience, I learned how to balance my personal and professional life better and developed strategies to keep up with the demands of the client.
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