Inspiration and Imagination, a Concept Artist’s story!

What do you do when design schools don't seem to work for you? Tanmay Mandal, a Prague based illustrator and concept artist shows us how you can pursue your passion in the creative field, through perseverance and more.

Tanmay  Mandal is a natural artist, however, his professional journey in the field of art began much later. Art being his natural calling, Tanmay finds great satisfaction and joy in his work. He is one of the fortunate few who find motivation and inspiration in the work itself.

Tanmay's vivid art style is a display of hyper-realism, ethnic details, with dramatically created characters. Some of the themes that Tanmay enjoys creating are along the lines of Indian mythology, Egyptian goddesses, DC characters and more.

Being greatly influenced by the Mahabharat and Ramayana series in the '90s, Tanmay's art pieces showcase a recreation of magnanimous mythological characters. The discovery of Shilpa Shastra also played a role in the development of Tanmay's distinct style.

However, what makes Tanmay's art stand out is the play of mysterious dark themes. This is possible only with a deep understanding of principles of art, light, colours, and the emotion of the character. Apart from the foundational knowledge of art, Tanmay believes that one must also understand the personality of the artwork, perhaps in the form of witnessing them in the surroundings or already being familiar with the subject. Thus staying connected to one's roots, helps one recreate familiar scenarios in a new way. This also gives the artist their own unique identity. On the other hand, pushing one's boundaries is just as important, allowing one's imagination to venture without direction.

While Tanmay's art pieces have a distinct taste of hyper-realism to them, he however never really predetermines his style. His art style is ever-evolving, always aiming towards quality and great standards. Thus in his professional work, it takes Tanmay about two to three weeks to complete an illustration. However, his personal work takes longer.

Apart from Adobe Photoshop, Tanmay also relies on Procreate as a digital sketching tool.

Tanmay's experience through his years as a professional artist has taught him that perseverance is key, and the creative hunger should be kept alive.

You can experience Tanmay Mandal's creations at his Artstation portfolio.

And for more exciting behind-the-scenes coverage of other artists & illustrators from around the world be sure to follow Creative Gaga on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.