Hi, I'm Akhila Naram, a self-taught artist. My journey started very early; ever since I was little, I've felt the need to create. I've tried and experimented with new mediums throughout my life and will continue to do so. After continuous practice and long breaks, I can say that I've gotten to a point where I consistently practice art. I love working with graphite pencils, charcoal, and pens for my comics and other drawing work, and I mainly use acrylics while painting.

Throughout the years, I've had many sources of inspiration. Archie comics were among the first physical sets of comics I owned, and I took a lot of inspiration from them. Other series such as Asterix and Tinkle encouraged me to start making my own short comic strips. After a while, I started reading Ultimate Spider-Man and more superhero comics, finding something good in each style. Artists like Todd McFarlane and Mark Bagley impacted my journey. Manga artists like Junji Ito, Q Hayashida, and Makoto Yukimura were some I looked up to. These artists' attention to detail, rugged lines, and grungy atmosphere were things I loved to see on paper—it enhanced the stories and allowed me to immerse myself in the worlds they built.

Though I love to draw, painting holds a special place in my heart. Impressionist artists like Monet, Berthe Morisot, Amrita Sher-Gil, and Edouard Manet helped me fall in love with painting. I love Impressionist artwork because I believe it captures life as it is, rather than what it ideally should be. Another artist who heavily inspired my work is Hayao Miyazaki—Studio Ghibli's philosophy, style, charm, and stories truly altered my thought process and passion for the arts.

If you're someone like me and love art, feel free to browse through my sketchbook and originals to see my art process and style.