For adults who work full time jobs or manage homes and kids, hobbies that interest them and are sustainable can be hard to find. Some hobbies might get boring quickly, some might require too many resources, or some simply, like Japanese professional organiser Marie Kondo would say, might not “spark joy”.
But, if you’re interested in learning about different forms of arts, a new book series helmed by Rooftop, a leading online platform for live art workshops and professionally curated art courses, could be your novel escape. The online platform has launched a series of art books under the banner of ‘Artventure’, which come in three levels — elementary, essentials, and expert books. Kartik Gaggar, Rooftop app’s CEO and author of the series, says, “Our mission is to make art accessible and engaging for everyone while nurturing a global community of passionate artists and art lovers. Rooftop’s Artventures series draws from the firsthand artistic and cultural expertise imparted by master artists from across India.”
Rooted in Indian art forms, the series has seven different chapters of educational art books. The first is the ‘Artventures of Warli’ series which features the traditional art form from Maharashtra, which is known for its minimalist stick figures and simple elements of nature. The book breaks down the process of creating Warli art step by step, explaining the motifs, the rituals it is usually made for, and the tales and themes associated with it.
What’s also fascinating is that the book series features the work of master artists in specific art forms. For instance, the Warli art books have been designed using the works of famed Warli artists Sadashiv Mhase, Vijay Mhase, and Pravin Mhase—all of whom are torchbearers in their field.
The second book series is the ‘Artventures of Mata ni Pachedi’ which features the art of Gujarat’s Vaghari community. Through the books, the works of artists Chandrakant Chitara, Kiran Chitara, Vikram Chitara, and Vinod Chitara help explain the mythological characters and designs that dominate the art form.
The third book series is the ‘Artventures of Gond’ which profiles the art form from central Madhya Pradesh through the work of artist Venkat Raman Singh Shyam.
The series also travels to Rajasthan’s Mewar in the ‘Artventures of Phad’ and narrates how the art form, first designed by people of the Chhipa caste, came to be. Through the work of artist Kalyan Joshi, whose entire lineage (dating back at least to the 13th century) have been Phad painters, the book takes you through the intricacies of the art form’s usual themes.
In Rajasthan, another book series also finds its home — the ‘Artventures of Pichwai’. Through the work of master artist Rajaram Sharma, the books delve into the art form that has been central to the reverence of Hindu god Krishna.
The DIY art books also have versions for learning Cheriyal, the traditional scroll painting art from Telangana, and Bhil, the tribal art form from central India.
Each of the seven book series comes with an introduction to the art form, nuggets of interesting facts about it, in-depth chapters on how the art form can be to what it is today, patterns that can be traced, and pages where the learner can practice and (hopefully) master the art form.
