Zen and the Art of Ink Pen Illustrations

To most people, the word ‘meditation’ brings to mind images of someone sitting in the padmasana on a yoga mat, and chanting Om. But to Namrata Tiwari, it means something else altogether. An apparel and lifestyle accessory designer by day, Namrata started doodling and sketching to get in touch with the inner workings of her mind. The result? A series of quirky Instagram-worthy illustrations that calms her and inspires hundreds of others.

“To create is to meditate. It cuts me off from the world, and from all the stress, anxiety and negativity. I started the series simply for these reasons and labelled it State of Mind, because that’s what I was pouring onto paper every day,” says Namrata.

Inspired by her own life experiences, Namrata’s illustrations have helped her put a positive spin to a personal life crisis and find a silver living. “Everyone has a story that reflects their experiences, their journey. Mine too. Nothing inspires me more than people who turn adversities into opportunities,” she says.

Despite her growing following on Instagram and her career as a designer, though, Namrata refuses to let people label her an artist. A firm believer in the democracy of art, Namrata is of the opinion that absolutely anyone can create, and therefore it doesn’t warrant a special status.

Apart from illustrating, Namrata is also working with the weaver communities of northeast India, and plans to launch her pilot project It’s All Folk soon. Given what we’ve seen of her, we can’t wait for what’s next!