Bangalore-based artist, Sonali Zohra, who goes by the alias, Dangercat, is one of the city’s most prolific. Her signature style is fresh, whimsical, gripping and easily identifiable, whether it’s in a children’s book or on a poster for a metal gig in the city.
We reached out to her to find out what drives her, what her main inspiration is and her take on the arts. Read on to find out more:
1) Tell us a little about yourself, and your work
I’m an illustrator, photographer, born and brought up in Bangalore. My work is inspired by nature.
2) Can you describe the time when you first realized that art was something you absolutely had to do?
I’ve been drawing all my life. But I knew I wanted to pursue art as a career when I was in the 9th grade.
3) Which of the pieces or projects you’ve worked on is your favourite? And why?
The poster illustration for a band called Shepherd. It was my first big poster and I learnt quite a lot in the process.
4) What does “being creative” mean to you? How do you explore your creativity?
It is an extension of who you are, rather than what you do. One way to explore creativity is to work with your hands. It could be anything – drawing, writing or building something.
5) You recently worked on illustrations for ‘The Ramayana for Children’ which are gorgeous and striking, and a little dark. How did you approach conceptualizing the illustrations for this larger-than-life story, but adapted for children?
For starters I read the book a few times. It is quite descriptive and beautifully written, so it really wasn’t hard to visualize. I sketched and read simultaneously. I used silhouettes and bold colours to simplify the compositions.
Juggernaut books also had a list of the keys scenes in the book that they asked me to concentrate on and add any I wished would help the narrative.
6)What role does your cat Rafi play in your life and work?
He gives me company and is a constant source of entertainment!
Zohra’s current work includes beautiful watercolour vignettes set in the Nilgiris and she also posts illustrations on her neighbourhood cats and photos of her studio. To stay updated on Zohra’s work – and you should! – follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Featured image source: Firstpost
Written by Nikhil Srinivas
