Beyond the
Spoken and Written.

Bhavya Desai Illustrations studio, with over 11 years of experience, has been working with leading brands to celebrate the unique culture of India through illustrations.

Our work is inspired by the vibrant landscapes, the quaint details, and the everyday beauty of Indian life.

Let's connect

150+

clients

12782

drawing hours

2039

cups of coffee

Why illustrations?

Don't Just Tell Your Story, Illustrate It!

Stand out with illustrations that infuse Indianness and humor, turning your brand's story into a visual experience.

Services

Services Offered

Product Packaging

Packaging that speaks volumes without saying a word. Quite literally!

How a Feature Wall can change the look of your office by Bhavya Desai Illustrations

Feature Walls & Signage

Custom-designed visuals that spark conversations and uplift your environment.

Personalized Illustration

Celebrate life's milestones with personalized art that captures the essence of your event.

Marketing

Illustrations that capture your brand's story, engage your audience, and drive action.

Merchandise

Unique lifestyle products that spark joy and express your individuality.

Children's Book & Graphic Novel

Original illustrations that breathe life into your narratives, resonating with a broad audience and setting your book apart.

From individuals to enterprises, we bring your stories to life with quirky, character-rich illustrations.

See work

Trusted by Industry Leaders

Be a part of the community that believes in and has experienced the power of our creative solutions.

Amar chita katha by Bhavya Desai Illustrations

Feature wall illustration for DHL Chennai

Lamborghini Customer Gratification campaign

Festive Campaign for Caratlane by Bhavya Desai Illustrations

Illustrator for Harper Collins Publication

Design Illustrated Information content for Children - Client proejct Velammal International School

Chirpy Clients and Journalists

“His artworks are a reflection of Chennai's people. From working on relatable series to finding color inspiration in the spice boxes, to showcasing the chaotic train journey, to showcasing old heritage eateries, we love how this Chennai artist is illustrating and finding art in small little things!”

Gowri S.

Journalist, The Hindu

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Join us behind the scenes for a glimpse into my artistic process, from concept to completion.

Find us on socials

Approved by the highest order, His Royal Whiskers.
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We’ve finally got a great range of meals coming up for your dogs! 🐶 (Not that the dogs dislike our cat meals, quite a few I know live on them! 😄)

The packaging for these was treated a little differently from our other ranges. Barkkins leans toward clean layouts, lots of white space, and accent colours that help distinguish each meal. What fun!

Tomorrow, I hand this over to the rest of the team so it can reach you sooner than you think.

Hard to believe this illustration is already two years old. Still one of my absolute favourites from the book.
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#childrensbookart
#kidlitart
#picturebookillustration
#kidsbookillustrator
#kidlitartist

I pack light for Mumbai mostly to make room for all the Colaba T-shirts 🙃
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[ Mumbai colaba travels ]

Peddar Rd, Mumbai.
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#urbansketch #mumbai

Morning walk for a Royal IndieCat🐱
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. #indiecat #royal #cats_of_instagram

When I signed up for this commissioned project, I was asked if I had ever worked on something of this scale before.
 My response was simple: scale doesn’t intimidate me. When I sit down to draw on my iPad, no matter how large the final output, it feels like just another canvas opening up in front of me.

Truth be told, I was shitting bricks on the inside, but I couldn’t let it show.

For this feature wall, I proposed an isometric approach. It allowed every department and section to be seen clearly while providing a comprehensive view of the layout. In terms of color, I suggested leaving ample white space. At such a monumental scale, too many colors would make the wall feel heavy and overwhelming
#featurewall #chennai #project
The process was incredibly smooth. The artwork went through just one minor round of revisions before it was approved for print. From start to finish, it was one of the fastest turnarounds I’ve experienced. just one week to complete the entire illustration and three days for the printing vendor to bring it to life.

1,512 sqft | Mahabalipuram | Medical College

Working on this 1512 sqft feature wall was a great opportunity for me.
The client brief was simple: he wanted me to capture a medical student’s journey through the years on the wall, highlighting the various departments and subjects they go through along the way.

To get this rolling, I had complete access to Chettinad Hospital and the college. I spent the day sitting through surgeries in the OT, visiting different departments and labs, and even encountering bodies in the dissection hall, which completely took away my appetite for the day, and I almost fainted when I came close to one.

More stories on how I went about this project are coming up in the next posts.
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#FeatureWall #MuralArt #HospitalArt#publicart

The core team of Pets of Paradise finally met in person after two whole years!

While we had plenty of other meetings lined up, the four of us took out time to focus on what truly matters in pop and figuring out our next steps and vision for PoP.

It’s one thing to know your art and the difference it brings to the industry, but a whole other challenge to run the show, scale it with clarity, and build momentum.

The first part comes naturally, the second… I’m still learning, making mistakes along the way, and slowly figuring out what it really takes to keep it all moving forward.

Grateful to my fellow co-founders for showing up, bringing their best, and walking this journey together.

1,512 sqft | Mahabalipuram | Medical College
 A couple of days ago, I wrapped up one of my largest feature walls yet and it still feels surreal!

This post captures just how massive this project was. Trying to imagine or draw this scale on an iPad screen felt almost impossible.

More details, stories, and behind-the-scenes from this project coming up in the next few posts.
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#MedicalCollege #Mahabalipuram #IndianArtist #featurewall

When the workload piles up, it’s easy for quality to slip.
I tell my team the goal isn’t to avoid pressure, but to balance it and still bring our best.
These phases test our limits but they also prove that even under pressure, we can deliver work we’re proud of.
Packed and pressed, but still our best ☀️

I am building a range of paper stationary products.
I will be sharing glimpses of them till they hit our warehouses first, then stores near you.
✏️

#excited

While airborne, just as the pilots announced our descent and the seat belt sign lit up, the passenger next to me leaned over and asked how to buckle his seat belt.

He had clearly missed two important things: the cabin crew’s demo and the safety card right in front of him.
I picked up the card and thought if I added my own spin to it, what would it look like?

Over the years, I’ve found that a touch of humour often helps people remember serious information.
The visuals stick, and the message does its job.

With about an hour left before landing and before being reminded to shut my tray table, I quickly sketched one section of the card.

This is what I came up with. I’ll keep building on the rest of the safety instructions as part of a series called: Fly Safe with Ranga.

Next time you fly, maybe you’ll think of it 😀

When I was ideating on IndieCat Royal, our upcoming premium range of cat meals, I realized I already had two little royals sitting right at home as reference 😺

I spent 12 days in Rishikesh a few months ago. One of the main reasons was that I could sense a burnout coming. Over the last few years, I’ve learned to spot it in advance.

So instead of waiting to hit that phase and then figuring out how to recover, I decided to take a break beforehand.
The trip was all about ideating on fresh concepts, sketching in a new environment, and soaking in a different region to spark newer ideas.

As an illustrator, stepping out is essential. Even if it’s just a walk down your street, it still counts.

I’ve realized how important it is to start my mornings right.

Even losing an hour here or there throws off my entire day, leaving me scrambling to catch up and staying up late.

Can’t believe I dug up these photos from 2016. Nine years ago feels like another lifetime. I was still at an architecture firm then, waiting on SketchUp Vray to finish spitting out an interior render. Most likely an interior view. I was pretty good at making them look realistic… the only problem was each render took four hours or more.

By the time one finished, I’d already had multiple tea breaks, distracting colleagues, and wondered why I wasn’t doing something more with my life. Upgrading my office PC required endless convincing of the management, so long rendering hours became routine.

In those long waits, my mind would wander. I’d imagine working for myself, building something of my own instead of rendering buildings designed by others.

Somewhere in that haze, the first version of the IndieCat showbox was born. Just a scrap of paper from the printing room and two pens from the stationery drawer.That’s all I had. But with those, I drew the first outline of what would one day become our box.

I had no idea then that those scribbles would be appreciated by so many pet parents, or that they’d help set a new standard for packaging at Pets of Paradise.

Indie dogs must be here, it’s their home as much as ours.

#SafeWithStrays

Illustrated a series for Tata AMC over a year ago for their internal communication handbook. It was one of those projects that needed comics to bring life into a very text-heavy guidebook.

Comics have a way of making even the most serious spaces more engaging, relatable, and easy to understand.
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[ internal communications, Handbook, Illustrations ]

Nibble Nest’s hungry blue bird mascot, blissfully aathufying a cup of filter coffee

Meet the blue hungry bird!
The Nibble Nest Café’s lovable mascot was born over a year ago. This cheerful little character now greets you from every corner of the café.

[ Cafe, Chennai , Branding ]

A quick reset in Rishikesh was all that was needed to come back with more energy, a clearer mind and a momentum in full swing.
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[ reset, Rishikesh, workcation ]

To all the humans owned by cats!
Happy International Cat Day!
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[ cats, pet parents, international cat day ]

@adobefresco has been my go-to tool lately. I’ve been using it for almost everything!
The massive feature wall is being made on it and now our new IndieCat Royal too!
It’s a fun vector app that you can pick up in a day.

(Not a sponsored post..just genuinely love it!)

Back by popular demand!
This was my third Ganga Aarti, first in Rishikesh 10 years ago then Varanasi earlier this year and now here.
Have you witnessed a Ganga Aarti?
[ Rishikesh, Ganges, Illustration, Solo travel ]

Working on my biggest Feature Wall project ever! 1625 sq ft in progress.
A 4-storey giant inside the atrium of a medical college.
Just a few days left to hand over the final artwork.
I cant wait to share it here with you all ☀️
[ feature wall, illustration, vector, medical ]

I carried our beautiful IndieCat meals with me to share them with a few Mumbai street cats who probably never imagined having clean, wholesome food. The ones I fed were so content, you should’ve seen the look on their faces!

[ Cat meals, IndieCat, Mumbai ]

Rishikesh | Ganga Aarti

I visited the Ganga Aarti on the first day of my trip to Rishikesh. While I was still getting familiar with my surroundings, I met some very warm people who eased me into the place and as it turned out, they happened to be around for the rest of my days there too.
This was my third visit to a Ganga Aarti: the first was in Rishikesh 10 years ago, the second in Varanasi earlier this year, and now this one.
Since I was on a budget trip and didn’t really want to pay “donations” just to get a front-row view, I mostly caught glimpses of the Poojaris performing their rituals. The rest I left to my imagination to fill in.

[ rishikesh, Ganga, adventure ]

Groceries on a String | Location Scribble

Groceries on a String | Outline + Shadow

Groceries on a String | Tardeo, Mumbai
A retired Parsi gentleman pulls up his morning groceries with a rope tied to the bag handle, straight through his window.
With most old buildings in Tardeo lacking lifts, this remains the quickest way to get things to your doorstep or in this case, your windowsill.

[ Mumbai illustration lifestyle ]

Mid-month and some fun ideas are brewing, just like this cup of tea.

[ creativity, productivity, growth ]

A city with cats snoozing in every corner is my kind of place.
I’m usually ready to head home after four days, but this trip’s been longer and a lot more tiring.
Still, I know all the running around will be worth it once everything comes together.

Productivity-themed illustrations (if I can even call them that!) are a new space I’ve been exploring.

It’s still early days, but I love the idea of mixing everyday moments with a bit of motivation.
Lots to figure out but here’s where it begins.

[ productivity, notebooks, illustrations, quirky ]

A few weeks ago, I gave my study space a little makeover.
The guest room wasn’t really getting any guests, so I turned it into my home studio.
I may have gone slightly overboard covering it with my illustrations, but seeing my past work around me keeps me forever inspired.

[ home office, studio, bhavya Desai, illustrator, Chennai ]

Rishikesh | 2025
After a long day of finding inner peace, even the babas can’t say no to a good wood-fired pizza.

[ rishikesh, travel, illustration, journal, work, mountains, Himalayas, art ]

2+ years of building Pets of Paradise, and I think my left brain finally knows it has a job.
The right side’s been running the show for over a decade drawing, dreaming, doodling. But with POP and everything else I’ve been building, the left’s finally catching up 😆

It only makes me believe more and maybe obsess a little when people around me build things with my illustration style at the core.

A 5 sec summary of how yesterday was at the HQ with @srilucreates .

My characters are definitely more flexible than I am, so they’ve decided to show off their asanas as coasters!

The Caffeinated Yoga Series is now available in sets of 2 and 6.
You can grab yours from my store (link in bio)

No matter how routine flying becomes, we still say
“Text me when you land.”

There is a subtle sense of relief that words cannot convey when the notification “Landed,” arrives.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected.

The usual Breakfast crowd | Rishikesh

If you stay long enough in Rishikesh especially on the other side of Tapovan, your breakfast companions might not all be human.
Cows, dogs, crows, cats, and the occasional Himalayan langur kept me company most mornings.
Uninvited, but very regular company.
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[illustration, rishikesh, ghatscene, urbanobservation, travelart, indianartist, yogalife, spiritualtourism, sketchbookstories, desidoodle, inkandpaper, everydayindia, streetyoga, touristlife,travelillustration, peoplewatching, artobservations, visualjournal]

When we were creating our mascot Milo, I couldn’t stop laughing at how many times he got into trouble with @harishankar.sp in a single day.
Every time he got yelled at, he’d put on that “Who, me?” face like he was just passing by.

I learnt a lot from him ever since I first saw him as a puppy! You can’t sketch a little rascal like him with stiff lines. It just wouldn’t work :)

[mascotdesign, characterillustration, illustratedmascot, designwithpersonality, brandcharacter, creativebranding, storytellingthroughdesign]

IndieCat | Cat Meals

When we started IndieCat, we knew the food had to be good. That part was obvious.
But we also wanted to make something that made people smile before they even opened the box.

The meals are made for your cat, of course. But the box is for all of you.
I know someone who uses it as a pen stand now.

if your cat leaves the bowl spotless, we know we’ve done something right.
👉 www.petsofparadise.store

[catmeals, catfoodindia, healthycatfood, petsofparadise, indiecat, cleanlabelpets, petnutrition, catapproved, catbrandsindia]

The Hop-On Bhaiya | Rishikesh

If you’re not comfortable riding a two-wheeler, the quickest way to get around town is to hop on behind one of these local bike guys.

At first, it might feel a bit odd when they approach offering a ride, but give it a minute.

Most of them are warm, easy to talk to, and might even help you plan your day better than Google Maps.
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#rishikesh #thegreathimalayas

Meet the ghat dogs of Rishikesh.

If you’re ever around the area, chances are you’ll cross paths with this charming trio.

Masala is the hyper, super-social pup. Everyone’s favourite.
You’ll spot him trotting into cafés like he owns the place.

Chaudhry Sahib is the old soul of the group, usually found napping peacefully on the steps of Jeoy’s.

And then there’s Shama, who spends most of her day keeping the langurs (a.k.a. jungle bums) in check with fierce barks.
Locals know them. Visitors remember them. I had the pleasure of sketching them.
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[ghatdogs, rishikesh, indianstreetdogs, desidogs, animalillustration, indianartist, sketchbookstories, travelart, langurs, streetdogsofindia, riversidevibes, dogsandart, urbanwildlife, illustratedindia, indieart, dogswhoroam, handdrawnlife, inkandpaper, everydayindia]

Enjoy The Golden Hour Rush at Rishikesh timelapse.Though in real time, this illustration took me a couple of days to finish.
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[illustration, timelapseart, rishikesh, goldenhour, travelart, sketchbookstories, indianartist, streetillustration, artistprocess, urbanvibes, chaianddraw, riversideviews, inkandpaper, slowmadeart, desivibes]

The Golden Hour Rush | Rishikesh
 I spent a solid 10 days in Rishikesh, mostly on the Laxman Jhula side, the hippier stretch full of character and quirks. Tapovan on the other hand, felt like it was slowly turning into just another hill station town.

Across the river, things felt different. That side had layers of people.Pilgrims, travellers, seekers, wanderers to name a few.

It had personality. I stayed mostly in the background, playing the role of a quiet spectator.

A lot of my time went into people watching, sketching in silence, and just letting the place function around me.

Evenings brought their own kind of energy. As the shops and cafés began to shut early, the streets would suddenly get noisy, everyone scrambling for a last bite or to get back home.

Ten days were enough to take in the routines, the everyday rushes, and all the patterns that I had identified.
They inspired the ideas behind my illustrations.
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[illustration, rishikesh, urbanobservation, indianartist, travelart, sketchbookstories, visualdiary, streetstudy, artistsoninstagram, slowtravel, creativejourney, everydayindia, goldenhour, desivibes, riversideviews, artinspiredbytravel, inkandpaper, artisticobservation, laxmanjhula, peoplewatching]

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Beyond the Spoken and Written.