Jyotirmayee Patra – also known as JP – is India’s leading artist for custom lettering, creating work that’s bold and playful. It’s filled with beautifully rendered flowers, bright foliage, graphic shapes and lively textures.
Based in Rourkela, art came naturally to JP when she was growing up and she pursued an education in graphic design. This was supplemented with a passion for calligraphy, which soon led to a career in illustrative lettering. Her striking creations set the tone and generate atmosphere for a whole range of clients online and in print, within India and abroad.
As her artwork would suggest, JP is inspired by botanical drawings, organic patterns and colourful abstract works by artists like Jessi Raulet. She’s a hoarder of unique stationery and pens, loves fairy lights and is a yoga practitioner who is interested in cosmic energy, astral projection and conscious manifestation. “Joining IllustrationWeb was one of my manifestation goals not so long ago, so I believe I have decent manifestation skills!” she says.
Training
JP studied graphic design at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India’s leading design institute. She learned professional calligraphy from Harvest Crittenden, and has taught copperplate calligraphy workshops.Approach
Most of JP’s calligraphic or typographic pieces begin with an inspiring quote, or copy relating to the brief. She forms this and then creates illustrations to surround it, mixing detailed flowers, characters and foliage, and playing with the composition until it strikes the right balance. Her illustrations are built up in much the same way. Beginning with the central character, she adds and tweaks the supporting elements to create the overall visual.
JP uses Procreate to explore, and renders her digital illustrations in Adobe Photoshop. For some vector-based projects she uses Adobe Illustrator.Styles
JP’s type and illustrations are infused with nature, with bold letter forms often softened by decorative, whimsical detail. Her style developed first through type-based illustrations in black and white, while her newer work dazzles with its bright colours.Awards
Winner – INDIAFRICA: A Shared Future Poster Awards – 2012