KAURTOON – PAINTING THE WORLD HAPPY
Life is better when you are laughing. And the one who can make you laugh is the best person to have around – God’s gift to mankind. Helping you look at the brighter side of life, and painting the town funny, quirky and happy, one face at a time is Daljeet Kaur Sandhu – a caricaturist par excellence.
At some stage of our college or school life, we’ve all ‘cartooned’ away our boredom during long lectures, but those were usually left forgotten once the school bell rang. Daljeet, unlike most of us, never put that pencil down and went on to sketch satirical cartoons for renowned publications and some very big names like Hindustan Times, Design Boxed, social promotional cartoons for Midnight Chef and also creatives for a Punjabi movie.
An exceptionally gifted artist, she worked with The Hindustan Times from 2010 to 2020 as a visual producer wherein she chronicled umpteen momentous milestones and moments of Punjab politics through her cartoons. Daljeet Kaur Sandhu played an instrumental role in creating and launching “Kaurtoon”, a weekly special column on Punjab politics as well as regional buzz, where the cartoons were used as an aid to substantiate the news. She got immense recognition and received heartfelt accolades from readers as well as political leaders. “My job was taking a stab at the reality of the society and politics through my cartoons and getting away with it!”, she says with a smirk. Almost all politicians have been her muses at some point or the other. Witty and sarcastic but never venomous, her cartoons represented the outlook of the common man and always managed bringing a genuine smile on the common man’s face. For that matter, that of the politicos too!
Her expressive caricatures adorn the walls of the CM office. The illustration on the famous Fauja Singh was shared by Gul Panag and further re-tweeted by hordes of her followers. Only yesterday, her caricature was re-tweeted by the ‘King of People’s Hearts’, Sonu Sood. Daljeet has always brought to the fore the good, bad and ugly side of life with her pencil. Whatever the situation be, her cartoons have always managed bringing smiles on faces. That, is the uniqueness & rarity of her line of work; something that not everyone can do.
A Masters in Visual Arts and armed with a digital diploma, this young girl has come a long way. A bright student throughout her school and college days, she achieved the Roll of Honour, College Colour and University Colour, the Best student title at the Punjabi University, her list of accomplishments is endless as is the list of cartoons done by her. As someone who believes in self-learning and deriving inspiration from the surroundings, Daljeet cannot even recall the number of cartoons she’s made till date. “Only a handful of art schools teach cartooning or caricature as a major part of curriculum, so it’s hard to find instruction on how to do it. I guess it’s inherent”, shares Daljeet. Her husband Joban Sandhu, who is a popular singer has been a support and catalyst throughout!
Daljeet also specialises in customized caricatures which have been a super duper hit ever since she launched them. The brandname “Kaurtoons” is as unique as the talent of its founder. Her sketches capture the personality of a person in a fun yet flattering manner making sure that you become the most charming version of yourself! Be it individual portraits, family pictures, birthday gifts with a special message, there’s absolutely nothing that her prowess cannot do justice to. So, if you cannot think of a way to surprise your BAE or parents, but want them to cherish a present forever, you might want to explore what this bundle of talent can do for you. Her intricately drawn caricatures are absolutely loved and spread a lot of cheer and happiness. Much needed in these times, isn’t it! Whether you’re looking for a comical caricature or a family portrait to put up on your wall, Daljeet can do a remarkable job of it and ensure that you gift not just a portrait but ripples of smiles and laughter! And of course, you can have a good laugh before you decide to hang it up on your wall.
This outstanding artist’s clients are not just from India but all over the globe; some from as far as Australia, Canada and the U.S. Her acumen and artistic streak have helped many couples and families immortalize their special milestones and memorable moments with these caricature masterpieces. “People give these as retirement gifts, house warming gifts, Rakhi gifts. Afterall, gifting laughter is something you cannot go wrong with”, says Daljeet wearing a rather winsome smile. Lately, she’s also been taking online classes, successfully imparting her skill to young, budding artists.
Punjab is so proud to call her its very own!
Daljeet’s work can be seen on her Instagram page Kaurtoons and for orders, she can be contacted on order@kaurtoon.com or daljeetkaurSandhuht@gmail.com
Written by – Adarsh Gill Brar
