Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Raj Chaudhuri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Raj, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Like everything else, Creativity to a large extent is a learned skill. I practice it all the time. Having a process to allow the creativity to flow from me is indeed the key. With painting, I am constantly going out to get the information I want to paint. If I expect it to come to me and sit and wait for it, it is not going to. Collecting reference, designing paintings are all huge efforts and I am constantly doing it. Art is not done in a vacuum. I am studying painters and their works from many centuries. Sketching ideas from the reference; making friends and family pose; hiring models and painting in Plein air (out door painting) are part of my process. As a professional artist, I work on several paintings at a time. So I spend a few days on a painting and then set it aside (as soon as I find I am not making progress on it). I do this with 3-4 paintings. This keeps my eye fresh too! Ultimately, I am trying to find a design first in whatever I am painting and then build on it using abstract concepts, but finishing the painting to the point where most things are clearly recognizable and identifiable.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Art has always been my passion. I found ways to incorporate my artistic abilities in UI design and software development before coming to art full time. To a great extent I find that what like in computer design and now in art is that we are creating abstractions of the real world. There are repeating patterns in how we solve problems in many arenas. The creation of a painting is a technical and visual problem, with many aspects behind the brushstrokes and values. These challenges underlie the thrill of creating a piece that speaks to viewers, to see what we feel and know about the world around us in art.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Surround yourself with other professionals, especially a few that are very established and really good at their craft! Don’t get discouraged, keep working at it. Work hard and engage with the community – in art, there’s professional groups that have competitions and shows. Study what’s been done. Figure out what you love and grow that knowledge. Find your passion!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Having more than 1 mentor is a huge. Each successful artist does it differently. I have had three very big influences in my journey, Dan Sprick, Quang Ho and Mark Daily. Each brought their own approach and what they are most passionate about. That has helped me grow and find my passions.
You want to find teachers that teach you the fundamentals as well how you can search inwards for your sense of design and how you want to paint.
Art is a highly technical field. There’s so much from a visual abstract standpoint that you really need to know – a vocabulary and process to help you succeed in making good paintings.
Work hard at it. Period. Set hours and work on it. For painters the key skill is drawing!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rajchaudhuri.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raj_chaudhuri
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raj.chaudhuri
