Beyond photographs and videos, capturing The Big Day with live sketches is slowly gaining popularity. NT BUZZ features a few artists in Goa who are creating these unique keepsakes
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
The wedding day is usually one of the most important and happiest days of a person’s life. And couples usually go all out to make it a memorable day, often focusing on ways to lend a unique touch to the whole affair. One such unique trend that is gradually emerging in Goa is live wedding sketches where couples engage an artist to either capture in real time, a sketch of them, or do illustrations of the guests. This lends an extra special feel to the wedding, and also ensures that the guests take home keepsakes that they will absolutely love.
In fact, artist Manuela Mendonca Gomes reveals that if she had to choose what she enjoys most about live sketching at weddings, it would be when the guests come to pick up the finished illustration.
“It always puts a smile on my face to see their reactions! Most of the time it’s a laugh and a giggle because the illustrations turn out to be more cartoonish and a bit exaggerated, but despite that, they’re always happy to be a part of the experience!” she reveals.
While Gomes has been in the art field for awhile, her first live sketching gig for a wedding happened last year when an event planner reached out to her with the request. “It was my first time hearing of this concept and I was very excited to try it out,” she recalls. On the day of the wedding, she onboarded her friend and fellow artist, Neha Vaddadi to help her out. Even so, she reveals, the two of them were scrambling to finish each sketch while dealing with the guests and their curiosity . “It was quite a hectic experience, working on one sketch after another in rapid succession,” says Gomes.
Indeed, speed is an important factor to keep in mind while doing live sketches, especially at a wedding.
“While working on this kind of sketching I need to be very aware of the time. Sometimes when people come and engage in conversation with you, you tend to lose focus,” says artist Vaibhav Salgaonkar.
Having dabbled in different styles of art over the years, Salgaonkar reveals that he fell in love with urban sketching in 2023. Post this, he got into the habit of always carrying around, a sketchbook and pen, to sketch wherever he went. It was in this manner that he found himself doing an impromptu sketch of the couple at his friend’s wedding. “While everyone had a partner to dance with, I found myself sitting alone, and that’s when I thought why not sketch the groom and the bride? At the end of the function, I gave the lovely couple their sketch and they loved it,” he shares. Following this, he began receiving a lot of inquiries for live paintings and live caricatures for weddings and birthday parties.
His first official stint was for another friend, to do a live painting at her wedding. “The medium most people use for live paintings are canvas boards and acrylic paints, both of which I had not much experience with,” he says. “I remember panicking a night before the event about whether I would be able to finish the art piece on time or if the people would like the work.”
As it so happened, he was able to complete the piece on time, and present it to the happy couple. “Their reaction was out of this world and it put a big smile on my face. It also gave me a sense of satisfaction and a boost of motivation that I can do more of these in the future,” he says.
Interactions with the guests during the process are also very enjoyable, he adds. “Having people come over and watch me sketch is a different level of joy,” he says.
Raysancia D. Cunha too states that she has come to cherish her interactions with guests while live sketching at weddings. “The smiles on their faces, and words of praise and encouragement keep me going throughout the event. While long hours of dedicated work can be draining, it’s in these moments that I find happiness,” says the artist who first began creating minimalist portraits of wedding guests in February 2024. “It all began when a friend reached out to me for live illustrations at her wedding,” she says, adding that initially, it was quite intimidating. “It still is. The worries and self-doubts before preparing for an event can be overwhelming. However, it’s incredibly rewarding when I see my work completed. Seeing my tiny art reach many households brings me joy,”
she shares.
Smriti Goswami also terms the final painting reveal in front of the couple as, “the best feeling that I can have in this world.”
In her case too, her first live wedding painting happened to be of a friend. “As my best friend was getting married, I thought of giving her a gift that she’ll preserve for her lifetime,” she reveals. With a chemistry background, the artist reveals that she had a lot of self-doubt about doing justice to the painting, but her friend’s encouragement helped her sail through.
Since then, she says, she has learned to trust the process because she knows the result will always be fabulous.
But she does keep a few key things in mind when she is doing a live wedding painting. “First, I focus on capturing the essence and emotion of the moment whether it’s the couple’s first dance, the ceremony, or a candid interaction. I also consider the lighting, the venue’s ambiance, and the couple’s style, so the painting truly reflects their special day,” she says. “Most importantly, I want the final piece to feel timeless and personal for the couple.”
Gomes meanwhile states that while doing live sketching, it is important not to get lost in the details. “Each sketch should not take more than 15-20 minutes! I use watercolours to render the artworks since it is a very quick medium for me to work with. It is something that requires practice and focus,” she says.
Finding the right art materials required to make the piece stand out is also important, adds Salgaonkar.
But it is not always necessary that one finishes all the artworks during the event. “For my current live sketching gigs, I have the photos of the guests clicked and then proceed to illustrate them during the event. Sometimes, if I don’t manage to complete them all during the event, I complete the remaining at home and give the remaining artworks to the couple after a few days. Those definitely turn out better since I have all the time!” says Gomes.
The whole process has also taught the artists valuable lessons. For instance, Salgaonkar states that he has learned not to doubt his abilities with this kind of sketching. “In the end it’s your artwork, and your art style is unique and special in its own way,” he says.
Goswami too has learned to trust her instincts, work under pressure, and adapt quickly to different environments and lighting conditions.” I have also learned to focus on storytelling through art capturing not just what I see, but the emotions and energy of the moment. Every wedding is different, and each one reminds me of the power of art to preserve memories in a deeply personal way,” she says.
And although still a niche area, Goswami states that live wedding painting is becoming increasingly popular. “There’s a growing appreciation for handcrafted experiences, and live painting adds a special kind of magic – it’s both entertainment and a lasting keepsake. I’ve seen demand rise steadily, with bookings happening months or even a year in advance. It’s definitely a niche that’s gaining momentum,” she says.
Cunha too agrees that slowly, more people are developing an appreciation for this form of art, “I’m excited to see how this art form continues to evolve and grow,” she says.
