Vibrant Digital Illustrations by Muhammed Sajid Evoke Memories of the Artist’s Hometown

A colorful digital illustration of a woman in ornate Indian dress, surrounded by decorations like elephants, ducks, and architectural elements.

All images © Muhammed Sajid, shared with permission

“The two things I love the most are observing people and playing with colours,” says Bangalore, India-based artist Muhammed Sajid, whose vivid digital illustrations highlight personalities, garments, and visual culture inspired by his home state of Kerala. Ornate fabrics and objects surround figures who gaze directly at the viewer or interact with flora and fauna, and symbolic references to vernacular architecture and art fill each vibrant composition.

Sajid was inspired to start making portraits while he was in college, and over time, he honed his interest in portraying people and their surroundings. Initially, he worked in watercolor and poster paints, but found it difficult to achieve the saturated hues he was drawn to. “In the digital era, things are entirely different, and I started using different types of colours,” he says, exploring the full spectrum and building bold contrasts.

In his Folks from Kerala series, Sajid draws from memories and renders subjects who are reminiscent of people he would see around his childhood town. “Some of the pieces that I had done in that series show people who are familiar folks and faces from the village,” he says. “I felt that no one gave much attention to how simple and beautiful their lives were.” He continues to build on these initial explorations, combining elements of pop culture, fashion, and landscape.

Later this year, Sajid will show a couple of new pieces with Galerie Kurokama in Paris, which focuses on contemporary Asian art. Find more of the artsit’s work on Behance and Instagram.

A colorful digital illustration of a woman in ornate Indian dress, surrounded by various vessels, food, and other objects.

A colorful digital illustration of a woman in in a floral dress, wearing red earrings, and standing in front of a blue sky with bold clouds.

A colorful digital illustration of a woman's head in profile in an abstract stack of items including a TV, a hand holding playing cards, a bowl of oranges, flowers, and more.