The Students Get Crafty During Pandemic series aims to share the various artworks individuals have been working on during these unprecedented times.

Pritha Anand, Class of 2022, has always been interested in art and her talent never fails to impress. Here are some pieces she worked on over the summer:

If Anand had to describe these bookmarks in one word, it would be “Clasp.”

Like most of Anand’s other work, these bookmarks were inspired by Ghibli movies by director Hayao Miyazaki.

During summer break, Anand had friends coming over and she wanted to make them something. Anand thought that bookmarks would be a useful and creative present.

These were inspired by a post on Instagram which really caught her eye. Her deliberate use of colour and intricate details in each bookmark set them apart.

“There isn’t a particular message behind this painting; it’s mostly just a combination of different objects and main ideas in each movie that I portrayed on each bookmark,” she said.

Anand used pencil to outline the drawings on the pieces of watercolour paper and then used a thin brush to paint the inside.

She wants these bookmarks to evoke happiness and calmness in the viewer. 

“Movement” is the word Anand used to describe this painting.

This was inspired by the Ghibli movie, Spirited Away— one of her all-time favourites. The idea derived from Pinterest while she was looking at different animated drawings that show movement and detail of fantasy creatures.

“I wanted to recreate it as I found this very interesting,” Anand commented.

The message she communicates through this piece is to sometimes “let go”.

“In the movie, Haku, the Dragon is portrayed as a brave person who has forgotten his name due to the rule of an evil woman. In the end, a girl helps him find out his name and he remembers his true self and reminisces about his past,” she said.

The media Anand used for this painting was pencil and watercolour.

She wants her audience to connect with this message and observe the complex details. She also encourages her audience to watch Haku if they haven’t yet. 

According to Anand, “absolute” is the perfect word to describe this painting.

“This was a picture that instantly made me want to draw it,” she remembered.

Like most of her other work, Anand was inspired by an Instagram post to paint this. She usually browses social media for a while and then saves some pictures that catch her eye. When she saw this, she stopped looking for more and started drawing immediately. What really stood out in this painting for her were the bold colours and the way all the objects from the film Spirited Away are shown simultaneously.

“The original creator made use of an iconic scene in the movie and altered the background which was a brilliant idea,” Anand commented.

There is no specific message behind this painting, but instills a sense of nostalgia in Anand. Her favourite thing about this piece is that she can see all her preferred characters in a creative way.

Anand uses watercolour, and pencil for the lighter areas while also outlining bolder objects with a black pen.

She wants her viewers to feel at peace since the composition of colours and placement is very soothing.

“Even if they haven’t watched this film, I want them to be able to see the details and understand the character’s role,” Anand said.

“Mask” is the word Anand uses to describe this painting.

This picture was inspired by another animated series called Demon Slayer.

A lot of her artwork that she enjoys creating comes from animated films or series that are popular. The character shown in the painting is from one of Anand’s most relished series.

“This character was always wise and helped the protagonist in many ways. He believed in never give[ing] up and trying harder. I really liked his character and so I want my audience to also believe in what he said,” Anand said.

Anand used pencil and watercolour for this painting.

She wants her audience to feel motivated to achieve their goals, therefore, uses light colours while making sure to bring out the details.

Ira Ahuja is the A&E editor.

Edited by Aadya Aryal