--- title: "Custom Hand-Painted Portraits and Digital Art in Bangalore" description: "Get bespoke digital art, custom caricatures, and realistic portraits by Varun Rao. Hand-painted on iPad with an artist's touch for your unique memories." canonical: https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/featured last_updated: 2025-09-04 --- # My Featured Work and Artistic Style Tribe Verified · Bengaluru-based, hand-painted digital artist. By [Varun N Rao](https://mytribe.in/vartoons) · Based in Bengaluru; Service available online · ₹1,900 Per Person / Subject (estimate) Part of [Digital Art & Illustration](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/gallery) A look at the different sides of my art, from digital caricatures and portraits to detailed narrative illustrations, all hand-painted on my iPad. ## Photos and videos - [Video: This timelapse shows exactly how I bring a fun family caricature to life. Starting from a blank screen on my iPad, I hand-draw every detail to capture the joy and personality of the family, turning them into a sweet ice cream cone memory.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/55931b48-bacd-4744-b958-2c6c03e7db3c) - ![A finished digital portrait of the legendary Ratan Tata, painted with rich colors against the backdrop of the Indian flag. This style is perfect for creating a powerful and timeless tribute or a personal keepsake with a realistic feel.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/26e3b02b-4cd7-4de7-9f8a-24b8eb9734d8) - ![A perfect gift for couples, this digital caricature captures a happy moment with a fun, quirky twist. I worked from their photos to create this personalized scene, complete with their car and a beach background, ready for them to print and frame.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/9bfcdf45-2340-4967-9fe0-3a6b58dc87f1) - ![This is an example of my pen-on-paper caricatures, created for a corporate client to recognize their "Office Einstein." My unique hatch-line style gives it a classic, hand-drawn feel, and I can create these in bulk for team awards or events.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/09d8f019-1aba-4297-8231-154f5858c5f5) - ![This acrylic on canvas piece was a commission to illustrate the story of the 'Six Blind Men and an Elephant.' It shows how I can take a complex concept and translate it into a single, thought-provoking image, perfect for storytelling projects.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c29c1ada-55ab-4b85-a4a9-502f920f2116) - [Video: Watch as a simple sketch transforms into a fully colored and shaded digital caricature. This timelapse reveals the step-by-step process I use in Procreate, layering colors and details to create a vibrant and expressive final portrait.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a21638a8-5339-445e-87b3-8707580c8682) - ![A classic black-and-white digital sketch paying tribute to the tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain. This style has a timeless, charcoal-on-paper feel and is great for capturing emotion and character in a more subtle way.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a5950ad3-42ea-45e2-ae77-31e1381cb768) - ![A humorous watercolor series capturing the unique quirks of Bengaluru's auto-rickshaw drivers. This shows my ability to tell a relatable story through a series of illustrations, perfect for editorial content or a personal project with local flavor.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/c032289e-f1b3-4996-9fb4-0da375a462ad) - [Video: I was honored to be featured as 'Artist of the Week' where my work and story were shared. This video includes a wonderful testimonial from a client who appreciated my journey from engineer to artist and the light-and-shadow effects in my portraits.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/7454a9b0-bf89-49da-af05-d9d117cd24b0) - [Video: This is a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of my Ratan Tata portrait. You can see the digital painting come together layer by layer, from the initial outline to the final detailed rendering, all hand-painted on my iPad.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/ab90bd1b-0eef-448c-b164-d2f596be523e) ## About Featured I don't just work from photos; I work to capture a story. Every caricature, portrait, or illustration I create is hand-painted digitally. I also include a timelapse video with every project, so you can see exactly how I bring your idea to life from a blank screen to the final detail. My work comes from a place where engineering precision meets creative expression. Whether I am sketching a fun caricature of a colleague or painting a realistic tribute, I use Procreate on my iPad to ensure the final file is high-resolution and print-ready. I handle a variety of styles: * **Custom Caricatures:** These are not just exaggerated faces. I add props and themes that reflect your personality, work life, or hobbies. They are great for team awards, gifts, or profile pictures. * **Realistic Portraits:** Using light and shadow, I create semi-realistic paintings that look like traditional art but with the flexibility of a digital file. * **Narrative Illustrations:** If you have a story to tell—for a book, a website, or a personal memory—I can create full-scene illustrations with custom backgrounds and environments. I believe in transparency throughout the process. We start with a consultation, and for larger projects, I share initial sketches before adding color. This ensures the final piece is exactly what you envisioned. I am based in Bengaluru and work with clients across the city and beyond to turn their concepts into art. If you have an idea in mind, let’s discuss how we can make it happen. ## About Varun N Rao I'm Varun, an engineer who swapped the calculator for a sketchbook. I hand-paint every portrait and caricature on my iPad, focusing on the story and personality behind the face rather than just the features. [See all of Varun N Rao's services](https://mytribe.in/vartoons) ## More from Digital Art & Illustration by Varun N Rao - [Fun Custom Caricatures](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/fun-custom-caricatures) - [Hand-Painted Digital Portraits](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/hand-painted-digital-portraits) - [Illustrations for Stories & Concepts](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/illustrations-for-stories-concepts) - [My Process & Events](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/digital-art-illustration/my-process-events) ## More services by Varun N Rao - [Custom Portraits](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/custom-portraits) - [Custom Paintings](https://mytribe.in/vartoons/custom-paintings) ## Similar work from other experts - [Featured Caricatures and Digital Art Portfolio](https://mytribe.in/cartoonistmanojsinha/custom-caricatures-illustrations/featured) by Manoj Kumar Sinha · Custom Caricatures & Illustrations · Available online and across India; Visit studio in Sector 30, Faridabad - [Custom Art Commissions & Personalized Portraits](https://mytribe.in/digitalartbyyashika/custom-artwork-commissions/featured) by Yashika Khattar · Custom Artwork Commissions · Available online - [Featured Digital Caricatures and Custom Portraits](https://mytribe.in/sir_j___/custom-digital-illustrations-caricatures/featured) by Shubham Jinde · Custom Digital Illustrations & Caricatures · Available online; Studio in Kasba Peth, Pune - [Hand-Drawn Portraits and Custom Art Commissions](https://mytribe.in/artistparvesh/stylized-digital-portraits/featured) by Parvesh Goswami · Stylized Digital Portraits · Available online - [Custom Caricature Art and Digital Illustrations](https://mytribe.in/caricature_giftart/custom-illustrated-invitations/featured) by Sreeni · Custom Illustrated Invitations · Based in Bengaluru; Available online across India - [Featured Digital Caricatures and Character Designs](https://mytribe.in/ravi_l_pujari/character-design-for-brands/featured) by Ravi · Character Design for Brands · Available online; Serves clients across India ## Book To book Varun N Rao, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%20Varun%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20featured%20work%20on%20mytribe.%20I'm%20interested%20in%20getting%20a%20custom%20illustration%20done.%20Can%20we%20discuss%20this%3F)