A cartoonist in making

Even after all the children vacated the venue of the art camp at Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya Creative Art Stage in Pilikula, there was this boy brimming with enthusiasm and was taking cartoon tips from the popular cartoonist John Chandran.

John Chnadran was patiently answering all his questions and told Deccan Herald that the boy will be a great cartoonist one day. Karthik P K, a quiet and soft spoken lad from Hassan has come to Pilikula to take part in the Bal Bharath Srujanotsav-2012. On the second day of the programme the boy was happy that he could take part in the art camp specially the cartoon workshop, which he always wished to attend. What made the boy happy was the fact that he could meet and speak to one of his idols, John Chandran.

Karthik, a ninth standard student of Government Boys PU College, Hassan hails from a poor family which cannot support art activities. Having lost his father at a tender age, he and his younger sister are dependent on their mother who makes both ends meet by stitching bike covers. Yet, his love for drawing cartoons has not stopped him from moving towards his goal.

Today, at the age of 15 this boy has the credit of publishing several cartoons in the local newspapers like Prachodaya and Janamitra.

Speaking to Deccan Herald he said that he developed interest towards cartooning after attending an art camp when he was young.

“There was a teacher in the camp who encouraged me to draw cartoons and that is how I learnt the basics. Initially I used to copy the cartoons of other cartoonists and later tried to be creative and attempted to draw on my own,” he says.

Now, despite the academic pressure he makes sure that he draws at least one cartoon a day and sends it to one or the other newspapers. “Cartooning gives me relief and I enjoy doing it,” he says.

Appreciating his work John Chandran said that he would do his best to promote this boy’s talent. “I was surprised to see him drawing sketches so quickly. I got my cartoon published in a newspaper when I was in the college, but this boy is in school, yet he has to his credit so many cartoons,” said John.

Ask Karthik who are his favourite cartoonists and he says P Mohammad (cartoonist of Deccan Herald-Prajavani) and John Chandran because of his cartoons on Thenali Rama. He aspires to take up animation course in future and become an animator.

Long live the dreams of this boy who is a cartoonist in the making despite the absence of any support and guidance.