Meet Diana Sanasam, Self-Taught Sketch Artist From Imphal, Manipur

“Before I knew ABCD…XYZ, I was drawing apples and everything I could draw”, says Diana Sanasam. Hailing from Imphal, she spent her childhood trying to sketch the images she saw in children’s books and has never lost touch with it since then!

Working as an assistant manager, she comes home to work on a few sketches to relieve her stress and that is how she keeps improving and gaining more love for sketching. We had a talk with Diana as she tells us what inspired her and how she honed her skill of sketching.

Diana Sanasam

Hi Diana. Please introduce yourself.

Hello, I am Diana Sanasam from Imphal, Manipur. I am the eldest and only daughter of three siblings. I love travelling and sports. And sometimes I SKETCH. I did my engineering in Electrical and Electronics from Chennai and completed my post-graduation from Anna University, Chennai.

Introduce us to your work. What got you started?

I am self-taught and I mostly sketch portraits using graphite medium. But I am eager to explore other mediums and digital art too. Actually I did some digital illustrations but still a long way to go.

Day of the ningols

I feel my journey actually started after I joined office. I use to sketch after returning from work. It helped me relax after a long tiring day. This was like meditation. So, whenever I find time, I’ll start sketching portraits. Also it taught me to have patience and observe things more clearly. During this time, I came across Instagram and just casually started posting my artwork. That’s how it started.

What initially sparked your interest in this field?

I have always loved drawing and sketching but when I joined Instagram, I saw so many amazing artists putting out their heart & soul in their artwork, I was intrigued by that. I started watching online videos, tutorials and practicing more religiously. We are really fortunate that we live in an era where you can learn almost anything online. That’s how I learnt.

Arya Stark from GoT

How has your upbringing influenced your work or working style?

Growing up was adventurous and fun. Before I knew ABCD…XYZ, I was drawing apple and everything I could draw. My parents used to get me and my brothers so many children books and encyclopedias. Those pictures and illustrations influenced me.

What do you do full-time? If part-time, how do you manage to indulge in your hobby?

I work as an Assistant Manager in the State Electricity Dept., Manipur. Having a full time job and a passion for art is not always easy, sometimes it leaves me frustrated. But this taught me how to manage my time and energy. Nevertheless, I am grateful that I am financially independent and following my passion too.

What’s your work philosophy – where do you take inspiration from?

It is never too late to start anything that you are truly passionate about. That’s my mantra. All you need is to just start. Learning is a never ending process, I am still learning. So just go for it.

My inspiration comes from all the love and support that I got from so many people, known and unknown. It motivates me to be better at what I do. Also, the amazingly talented artists out there inspire me.

What do you hope people take away from your Art?

I hope my art inspires people to work towards their goal. When I started sketching, I knew almost nothing. Little by little with practise and hard work, I reached where I am now. There is no particular age, no particular time to learn. I want to motivate others to not give up on their dreams.

Tell us about your latest work

I am working on few commissioned artworks. My recent work was for a client who is abroad and he wanted to gift his family who are in India. I feel really humbled and blessed that my artwork could bring people and connect families. It gives me immense joy.