Mumbai-based visual artist and illustrator Anand Radhakrishnan won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award last week. The Indian artist won the Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art) award for his work in UK-based author Ram V’s graphic novel Blue In Green. Radhakrishnan shared the award with another UK-based colourist John Pearson.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Radhakrishnan said that receiving the award feels “really nice.” Talking about his work, the 32-year-old artist said that he got done with the book around this time last year and he tends to disengage from his projects as soon as they are done. The only time Radhakrishnan revisits them is a few years later to self-critique. But the artist said that it feels nice to be validated by such a big organisation.
Known as the Oscars of the comic field, the awards are named after graphic novel legend Will Eisner. The American cartoonist is known for his seminal works such as The Spirit and A Contract with God. The awards consist of 32 categories ranging from Best Writer to Best Lettering as well as a Spirit of Comics Retailer Award. During the Eisner Awards, the winners of the Eisner Hall of Fame and the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award are also announced. The Humanitarian Award is named after Clampett of Looney Toons fame.
Describing his latest award-winning work, Ramakrishnan said that the protagonist of Blue In Green thinks of himself as a failed musician. The comic depicts a story where one has to give up something to be able to achieve greater things.
Radhakrishnan told the publication that he and Ram have been long-term collaborators, and have worked on other projects as well. The artist mentioned that their careers kick started around the same time.
Radhakrishnan had done the cover for his first self-published book called Black Mumbai, after which, the duo did another book called Graffity’s Wall, which was again based in Bombay. The theme of both the projects was focused around music.
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