Hyderabad: Eight years over sixty is the age when one thinks of pampering oneself after a hectic life of career and cares. But not for S.R. Kolluri who began exploring his right brain after retirement to satiate his creative urge. The end result is ?Ramayana?, a repetition of the epic story in a refreshed format.
Displayed at the recently-inaugurated Hyderabad Book Fair, Mr. Kolluri'swork contains in each page, digitally created images along with a brief explanation. At an age which is not conducive even to understand the basics of computer operation, this sexagenarian used virtual painting software along with digital imaging technology to achieve the result.
?I used Wacom Tablet with electronic pen to draw the individual images. Then I used Adobe Photoshop to merge them and created the required setting,? he explained.
A petroleum geologist by profession, Mr. Kolluri worked with ONGC initially and later with Bahrain Petroleum Company. Also a dabbler with water colours and acrylics, he did not struggle hard to decide what he would do after retirement.
?My mother, an ardent devotee of Rama, would often ask me to paint Ramayana. But it would be an enormous task if I started doing it in colours and canvas. Instead, I chose the digital medium to express myself,? Mr. Kolluri said.
He depicted 110 scenes from the epic, about 18 to 20 for each kanda. These he displayed at an exhibition in State Gallery of Art in April this year. Turnout at the exhibition encouraged him to come out with a book with these images. However, his mother did not live to see her dream realising.
The premium edition of the book is priced at Rs. 450, while it is on offer for Rs. 350 at the exhibition. Mr. Kolluri says he will donate the sale proceeds to Sankuratri Foundation at Kakinada, to be used for their education and health initiatives.
(Courtesy: The Hindu)
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