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Rumi Gupta (‘25): I was forced to go to art class when I was four, and then I started drawing on my own when I was nine. Once I started branching out into different mediums, like watercolor, I did gouache, oil. Then I started to put more effort into it to hone my skills more and just get better at it overall. Like watching YouTube videos online, tutorials, because I only had art classes on the weekends. And so every day after that, it wasn’t just me talking to a teacher. I was literally searching up things online with tutorials just to learn by myself.

When you copy from an image, it’s very line by line. You don’t really know what you’re drawing, but you’re just trying to draw as best as you possibly can from the image. But after I started learning more anatomy in a sense, how the face works or how body proportions are, then it became easier to draw from memory or without a reference. I think after that I started to draw my own characters, design a bit more. That was when I was a teenager, so a couple years ago.

And now I really like drawing sculptures, and I don’t know why, but I just think it’s really amazing, the sculpture, the marble, it’s so cold and hard but people like Michelangelo can sculpt it into something so soft like a human face or a leg or just the body in general. In drawing the face or with shadows, it’s honestly not just about that one thing that you’re trying to draw, like that one eye or a nose. It’s about how the whole thing comes together which I think it’s really nice. It kind of also shows you have to look at the bigger perspective, don’t just focus or nitpick on the smaller ones.

So I think it kind of teaches me that you don’t have to copy exactly, you don’t have to strive for perfection every time. But it does have to be your own, whatever you draw has to be your own, and you have to make it smooth together with how you think of it, not ‘Oh, I want to copy that other person.’

Samhita Parupudi (‘25): I think Rumi is a very genuine, comfortable person to be around. You can always be yourself around her. You can always tell her anything and she’ll match your energy and then she’ll also give some herself. She’s a very reciprocal person. 

Rumi: I think giving art especially is something really meaningful to me. Like just drawing things for people for Christmas or their birthday and just seeing how they light up in that fact. Or when I give them something because I remember ‘Oh, they like this thing or they like this TV show,’ and I draw them something and I give it to them. And I guess just seeing how they’re happy that I caught on to that part and made it meaningful for them, it just makes me really happy.

I think it’s something where I know if all else fails or if things don’t work out at least I can make something with my hands. I can make something that’s my own. And I think that’s nice to be able to do that. It gives me confidence to do other things as well. I started posting on social media my art. And when people I didn’t even know obviously around the world, when they started commenting and kind of sharing their interest, I thought that made me want to draw more, just being able to connect with people in that way. Honestly it does mean a lot because it’s a place when I know I can be authentic and genuine and there will be people there to connect with that part of me. So it’s nice to be able to know that the hours I put into drawing can lead me somewhere and can make a difference in other people’s lives. 

Melody Yin (‘25): I think one of the things that I admire about her is how hardworking and passionate she is. She’s always constantly drawing something or asking when we hang out, ‘Hey, do you want to draw with me?’ so that we can hang out a little more, and it’s just so inspiring to see. 

Rumi: I think a lot of people think drawing takes years and years and years of dedication. ‘Oh, you just draw every single day,’ like force yourself to draw. I really wouldn’t say that’s the case. I know people say this is kind of cliche, but you pick up a pencil and make something that’s already art. You don’t have to say ‘Oh, I got 13 years under my belt.’ Like there’s nothing like that with art. It’s just creating what you love and you will find people that love it as well. So I would encourage everyone to draw. It’s a good de-stressor and making something you love there’s never any harm in doing that.