P S Babu, Uncovering treasures in old photographs

Satya Babu Palem (diminutively called PS Babu) has been my friend for thirty years. His age might surpass mine by nearly twenty five years. PS Babu is a pure, pristine Andhraite and one of the treasures from Nellore soil. He lived in my neighborhood in Saligramam, Chennai.

He is often regarded as an equally successful and skillful commercial artist in the artists' circle. In the pre-digital era, perhaps three decades ago, hand-drawn illustrations dominated several industries, including advertising, publishing, periodicals, newspaper companies, and even film production. Babu is versatile and has worked in all of these genres.

The magnitude of a commercial artist's creativity generally remains anonymous, hidden by employers. Their physical and mental abilities are unacknowledged, and they are rarely the beneficiaries of any honor.

Satya Babu abhors the limelight, has relinquished city life, yet keeps himself busy doing commissioned illustrations, especially in the children's book sector these days. He creates bespoke children's illustrations for several authors and publishers. He is well-equipped with gadgets and would be willing to accept any kind of work, whether in a metro or a sleepy village. His knowledge and skills can defy those of 21st-century design professionals trained in reputed institutes. He is a great conversationalist and generously shares nuggets of wisdom with younger folks. His two sons also inherit his profession and considered top notch in their domains.

Another feather in his cap is his recent passion for digitally restoring old photographs that have been damaged, particularly those affected by the vagaries of time and more recently by image generation loss. All the samples presented below this write-up are his recreations, evidently from bad quality sources. He is open to accepting commissions from you at an affordable price. His contact number is as follows: +91 91825 21436

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