A colour for every mood

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”

Pablo Picasso’s words resonate with Mihika Kapoor, a Class 7 student, who is one of the youngest illustrators of a published children’s art book — Farmyard Tales.

“Do you know Disney princesses?” she asks while talking about how she began painting. “I was always obsessed with them, I loved sketching and colouring their dresses, which eventually pushed me to draw,” says Mihika, who first held a paint brush at the age of four, and never looked back. 

In 2016, Mango Books contacted Mihika through a family friend’s recommendation. The publishers were impressed by her sample manuscript, and the next thing she knew, Mihika ended up signing a contract to create illustrations for Farmyard Tales, which she finished in 10 weeks.  “They gave me the freedom to choose my favourite sketching style. My illustrations were inspired by the Gond and Madhubani styles of Indian Folk Art,” says Kapoor, who has been attending painting classes for five years now.

Channelling her emotions 

Kapoor expresses herself through colour. Her paintings and emotions are interconnected. When she’s happy, she uses a lighter colour palette, and a darker one when furious.  

“Painting helps me channel my emotions. When I am unable to vent, I just paint. This calms me down,” shares Mihika, a student of Ascend International School, who looks up to Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Twang, and  F. O. C. Darley for inspiration. “I don’t paint as much as I used to. I paint only when I feel like, it when I feel there’s something worthy to paint,” she adds.

After school, Mihika finishes her homework and spends some time writing short stories based on her daily life. However, she adds a spin to them by changing the characters and the era. “I am into medieval fantasy, so I always try imagining that space,” says Mihika. At times, her paintings are connected to what she writes, so whoever knows her, can guess what she was thinking then.

Competitions and courses 

Of the several competitions that she’s participated in, she has won seven — four at the intra-school level and the Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF) and Camlin competitions.  But, she doesn’t like participating in competitions anymore. “I personally feel it isn’t nice for someone to decide if one person’s art is better than others,” says Mihika. 

Her work has been displayed at  annual art exhibitions in Dhirubhai Ambani International School, her former school, and some paintings were even retained by them. In fact, she was offered Art as a core subject, a course meant for students who show special talent in that area.

In 2016, Mihika became one of the youngest participants to be accepted for a pre-college academy summer course at the Indian School of Design and Innovation, which is meant for students who clear Class 10.  Talking about the course, Mihika says, “It was good exposure; a way to understand the application of art.” Her current book finds pride of place in her school’s library and art studio.

Future plans

“From wanting to be a pet groomer to a ballerina, my dreams keep changing. However, I always want to keep painting,” she says. Her work can be seen on her Facebook page, Mihika’s Art. She has also been toying with the idea of becoming a lawyer as she believes in justice for all.

For now, she wishes to do a small auction for charity and wants to raise money for animal welfare, a cause close to her heart.