Raisa D’Souza loves getting hands-on when she makes art. Whether it’s charcoal, watercolours, acrylic or something else, we know that her + art supplies = magic. We got in touch with her to create something for the GVK Jaya He Museum week and she made this. It’s still at the airport:
Now, we wanted to get to know a bit more about who she is, what she does and who inspires her to be a creator. Read on:
On behalf of the community of creatives and design enthusiasts, welcome. Feel free to introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Raisa D’Souza, I’m a software engineer and I like to draw part-time. Mostly, I do portraits and like to mix conceptual art with them.
From Engulfing
Cool. You’re a portrait artist. How did you first discover you were into art?
I always liked art when I was a kid but I admit to having a phase when I didn’t like art much because it became a subject in school. It seemed too tedious but when I was 13, I discovered anime. I started watching The Disney channel around the same time. They had these shows where they would teach the viewer how to draw some of the characters.
I think I started with Kim Possible and then I started really watching anime and I thought, ‘Hey I can draw these characters too.’ So, I started trying and then had another thought, ‘If I’m good at drawing cartoon faces, maybe I can draw actual people as well.’ That’s how it started.
Is there a purpose that your art tries to fulfil and if so, what is it?
There’s no real purpose. Most of my portraits are of the people around me. Some people also commission a portrait of their friend or someone who matters to them. In a way, it’s making people happy and making people feel like, ‘Hey, someone wanted to draw me.’
I guess it feels good to be expressing the emotion seen in the reference picture I get. Most of my conceptual work is when I have things to say or are things that really inspire me.
Can you tell us 3 artists you look up to and why (maybe a new reason for each one)?
Qing Han and Wenqing Yan from back when I started drawing because they have a semi-realistic style that inspired me. Both of them have conceptual portraits as well. Wenqing Yan mixed portraits with poems from Edgar Allan Poe.
Qing Han had these very cool conceptual portraits that reimagined how someone can perceive things we see daily like the sky or hair!
Casey Baugh makes amazing charcoal portraits and I’d love to be that good.
Are there any Indian artists who deserve more appreciation?
There are plenty but off the top of my head…umm… Sameer Hazari.
What are you working on now?
I’ve been working on creating a series of unconventional couples while also trying to incorporate something they both enjoy. It could be anything from a song to a movie or even a quote.
What’s your opinion on IndieFolio?
I love that you’re encouraging the artist community and helping them get jobs.
How can people support your art?
Buy it directly from me. Send me an email. I could do a commission for you. Or buy something from my Cupick page.
What’s the most important piece of advice you can give to artists who want to do what you do?
I learned from the internet by watching YouTube videos, looking at tutorials on DeviantArt and just practising. Always keep learning.
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