Baltimore-based illustrator Sudesna Samantha specializes in works based on themes of nostalgia, children's stories and travel.And thanks to her excellent eye for color, she can infuse a sense of happiness into everything she creates.Sudesna Samantha's work spans from book design to branding, social communication and caricatures.As a graphic design graduate from Unitedworld Institute of Design near Ahmedabad, he has developed eye-catching techniques and tiny hands that make his illustrations pop off the page.Like many artists, Sudesna's creative story can be traced back to her childhood.“I was always a distracted kid in class who would draw in her notebook,” she tells Creative Boom.From a young age she felt she was not destined for a serious career, rather she wanted to have fun with work and be able to express herself in the process.One day my mother suggested I explore options for a design degree,” she adds.“I didn't know much about it at that time, but I chose graphic design as my main subject for my graduation, with illustration also being a subject.Through that class I achieved my goal. That's when I knew this was what I wanted to do."During her studies, Sudesna discovered the work of Chhaya Prabhat, whose vibrant and expressive use of colors became one of her greatest artistic inspirations.However, many of his influences come from beyond the creative world. "My biggest inspirations are honestly my friends, family, and everyday life," she explains.Most of what I create is inspired by what I feel and what I come across often.Sudeshna keeps an eye on things around her so that she doesn't miss any interesting information.In recent months, I've developed a drawing habit from one of my favorite classes in graduate school – Drawing for Nonfiction, she says.I started taking sketch notes while traveling, talking to people and listening to their stories.This approach is different from my usual approach, where I picture myself sitting idle in my room, trying to cook something, or spraining my ankle.It gives me great pleasure to do this.Instead of painting just for personal enjoyment, Sudesna takes it further by purposefully using vibrant colors in her paintings.She adds, “The colors I use in my work are very simple.It completely depends on how I feel about a particular piece or how I want my audience to feel after seeing them.Also, I have synesthesia, and I think about colors." Along with using colors, Sudesna also likes to incorporate the rich cultural heritage of her diverse country in her art.I feel like I can bring a lot from my roots into my art,” she says.I'm happy with my progress, but at the same time, I also want to remember and honor where I came from.Sudesna's exhibition work Aiburo Bhaat reflects his life experiences in his art.This short animation is one of his proudest creations, and it tells the story of a tradition where a bride celebrates her last meal of virginity.It felt like I had brought a part of my home to a new country,she says.Also, it was a frame-by-frame animation.I am proud to have completed it on time along with other ongoing projects.Apart from dazzling her audience with colors and bringing her culture to a wider audience, Sudesna's favorite part of being a painter is the gift of expressing herself to people in a fun and interesting way.I'm grateful to have been able to develop this skill. There's a lot of joy that I can express in my work.When she's not working on client work, creating new unique characters, or creating interesting-looking people in the world around her, Sudesna likes to work on personal projects.Right now, I'm working on a visual illustration of a little girl, a dog and a bird spending time on a hill,she concludes.I might consider animating it.