The Artist Behind the Art: Advaita’s Gorgeous Gouache Landscapes

"I'm always drawn to art that can transport you to another place and time, and I'm always trying to capture that experience with my own pieces." - Advaita Raut, on her vision and direction for her artwork. 

A gouache painting of a sunset sky over an ocean

Wild Dusk by Advaita

If art had a name, it would be synonymous with "Advaita." Born with a penchant for painting, this girl from Mumbai, India, is a personification of all the best parts of art itself: talent, skill, hard work, and discipline. 

Since her early years, art has held a special place in her heart, but discouragement from art teachers dampened her childhood aspirations of becoming an artist. Nonetheless, fate had something marvelous in store, and we are grateful for that because the world has been blessed with her masterpieces! 

"When I turned 16, I became enamored with fashion art and naively believed I could excel as a designer, so I impulsively enrolled in a fashion design course. But school and exams took precedence, and art was pushed to the sidelines once more. 
After more than a decade, just a few months before the pandemic took over our lives, I sought to renew my passion for art by practicing watercolors. I watched YouTube watercolor artists on loop, diligently bought beginner artist supplies, and dedicated my weekends to honing my artistic skills. This time, I was determined to learn at my own pace. Despite my busy schedule, I made it a point to sit down and practice a little every day."

It is said that when you are meant for something, life always finds a way of putting you on the right path. For Advaita, no matter how many obstacles were put in her way, she was always destined for a life of creating.  

A gouache painting of the sky on watercolor paper

One Summer Evening by Advaita

"Somewhere between a series of meaningless splotches and frustrating painting attempts, I got better. I began to study more artists and found myself drawn to themes that evoked feelings of comfort, nostalgia, and fantasy. IMO, nature-inspired paintings captured these themes in the best way. They were alive with movement but had a quality that brought you calm and peace. I wanted to capture all that, and more, in my art."

The beauty of nature, the allure of painting, and her unbridled passion for art called out to her and made her pursue art more fervently. This kind of resilience is admirable and is a true trademark that tells us Advaita is on her way to being one of the greats of her time. 

"Today, my art captures themes of serenity, nature's fluid movements, and its fleeting moments. Some common subjects in my own work include meadows, sunsets, skies, seascapes, and other natural landscapes."

Inspiration for Advaita's captivating artworks lies in the most unexpected places. Traveling helps her weave a tapestry of motivation, but it is in mundane scenes like leisurely walks and enchanting sunsets from her window during cooking that stirs her to find real, raw beauty. For her, the natural appeal of everyday life as it is pushing her to be creative. 

If you view her artwork, you'd be able to appreciate the beauty of life's fleeting moments, too - she is so fluent in speaking the language of her brush and paint!  

While she is influenced by the Impressionist masters like Monet, Cezanne, Berthe Morisot, and Van Gogh, Advaita's art is a unique expression of her own inner world. The ability to convey wistful sentiments and the impermanence of nature's prettiest moments resonate deeply with her creative vision - resulting in breathtaking, serene landscapes.

A beautiful red sunset sky

Rapture by Advaita

Of course, every artist falls in love with certain mediums, and for Advaita, she has struck quite a successful relationship with gouache paints. 

"I personally feel that gouache is a more versatile medium. When I first started with gouache, it gave me the flexibility to develop my own painting style. I like that I can experiment with brushstrokes more easily with gouache, making them as flat or expressive as I want. 
Gouache is also a forgiving medium in that it allows you to correct any mistakes you make as a newbie artist. It gives you the option to change your mind if you decide that you want your artwork to go in a different direction. Not to mention that it has a soft, buttery texture that is ideal for the type of artwork I enjoy creating.  
Finally, it is the only media that comes close to the effect of oil paint, which I adore but cannot work with because I'm allergic to paint fumes!"
A gouache painting collage of beautiful skyscapes and landscapes

With such discerning words, we asked Advaita to give us advice for gouache painting as a beginner. These are her golden tips: 

"Beginners who want to attempt gouache should first try using poster paint (which has a similar quality to gouache) to see if they like painting with it. Because gouache is a somewhat pricey medium, it's wise to do a trial run before fully committing to it. 

Also, please be patient and persevere! Spend a significant amount of time mixing paint, understanding color theory, and achieving the proper gouache consistency to get the most out of your painting experience. Try to practice every day, even if only for 20 minutes. I'd also like to tell beginners that painting with gouache means going through multiple "ugly" stages in your art, where you may feel like the painting isn't shaping up to be the way you'd envisioned. Please push through that emotion! It almost always does get better." 

We love how Advaita recognizes the struggle for mastery! Too often, we find ourselves discouraged by the results as beginners, but as Advaita so eloquently puts it, first experiences with art often need to be revised. After all, even the most beautiful butterfly started as a mere caterpillar! 

"My first experience with creating art was extremely annoying and not at all what I had expected! I realized that while I have a natural talent for painting, I will need to practice and devote a lot of time to it to perfect this skill – something I'm still working on!" 

Overall, Advaita's art is a testament to the power of perseverance and following one's heart. From dreamy skies to dashing landscapes, her creativity knows no bounds. 

A Claude Monet inspired gouache painting of flowers in bloom

Flowers in Bloom by Advaita

With every brushstroke, she paints a vivid portrait of the world's beauty, capturing fleeting moments of serenity for eternity. As she continues to flourish, we eagerly await the next chapter of her artistic journey! If you'd like to hear more from Advaita, then you're in luck because we'll soon be featuring more of her works and tutorials on our blog, so be on the lookout! 

Get Inspired by Advaita’s Admirable Art!

You can follow Advaita on her Instagram, and check out other works on her website.   

Stay tuned for more inspiration from other artists like yourself! If you want to be featured on our blog, please send irick@altenew.com a message via email. 

Our blog is a platform for artists and creative individuals to showcase their talents and share their experiences with others. We believe that everyone has a unique and exciting story to tell. So don't hesitate - send us an email today and let us know about your fantastic work and journey! We can't wait to hear from you!


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