Book Illustration
for 'Nava Durga; The Nine Forms of the Goddess', written by Nalini Ramachandran
Published by Published by Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House India
Client: Penguin Random House India | 2020
This book, beautifully penned by Nalini, talks about the stories of 9 forms of Goddess Durga and the different ways of celebrating Navaratri.
The process of illustrating this book involved a lot of research and attention to detail. Deities and festivals are very close to the hearts of our people and it was our top priority to work keeping that in mind. The idea was to represent the gods and goddesses in newer and more approachable ways.
I am super grateful to Nalini, Antra Khurana and the team at Penguin for very active help in the research and for supporting the idea of including body and color positivity in the way we portrayed the visuals. This book was art directed by Antra Khurana.
Above: rough to final!
'Seeing Priyanka’s artworks evolve from the initial sketches to their final forms is like watching an ornate garden bloom in slow motion. Her colour sense is strong and soothing at once, drawing you into the image instantly. She creates every mood with flair—from curiosity and cuteness to celebration and serenity. Her attention to detail is so remarkable that it makes the work seem too real. Most importantly, Priyanka is unafraid of experimentation and breaking stereotypical moulds. Her art is indeed a reflection of the artist in her—beautiful, bright, and bold.'
-Nalini Ramachandran
Author, Editor, and Storyteller
Above: Hanuman Swaroop, Punjab and Haryana; Reference* vs Illustration
*Reference from Google
Above: Bathukamma Panduga, Telangana; Reference* vs Illustration
*Reference from Google
Above: Gangaur, Rajasthan; Reference* vs Illustration
*Reference from Google
Above: Rough to final illustration
Check out this project and more on my Instagram here!