Pencil Art by Binte Yousuf

by Zainab Nasir
(Karachi)

Binte Yousuf is a venture that offers pencil art sketches, type letter art and water/oil paintings for all.

Venture: Binte Yousuf
Owners: Kanza and Juweria Yousuf-Owners of Bint-e-Yousuf
Location: Karachi, Pakistan

Pencil Art by Binte Yousuf-Interview

Q. What drives you? (What makes you so passionate about your work)

A. The depth – of everything! It has always amazed me how there’s always a new dimension and another perspective to everything. It this penchant to delve into fine details and intricacies of everything that makes me want to explore more and reflect my findings through brush strokes. Art, to me, is an outlet – for expression. For others, it might just be about picking up the palette and painting on a canvas. To me, it is a whole process, driven from within. The very feel of your fingers weaving magic with each stroke and instilling life into each stretch – to me, it is about being in the moment, and transgressing oneself to self-attunement.

Q. How did you get here and how long have you been in this profession (or been doing what you do)?

A. It all started naturally and dawned over with our ages. Most kids, if not all, are naturally drawn towards colours, shapes and patterns even before they begin to read or write. We had the same start, dipping finger pores in the small little bowls of paint, drawing and colouring together on sheets, sometimes on the wall and loved the feel of moulding wet sand into shapes and amateur caricatures, whenever my father took us to the beachside, people used to appreciate us as they walked by. The talent we were born with refined with age and reflected through the strength of strokes and the intricate attention to details.

By now, we have gotten well-versed with oil paints and especially in sketches, giving it a wow by using the technique of stippling. Which is now becoming our speciality, bagging praises and encouragement from people encouraged us to pursue this passion further. Our work matured as we progressed through time. It introduced us to whole new perspectives and dimensions of art, and allowed us to establish my forte Bint.e.Yousuf.

Q. A word of advice you would like to pass on to other women struggling with their start-ups?

A. Thanks to technology, the world has become our oyster. With cyber sphere, and more particularly, the mighty social media, it has become way more convenient for talent to gain recognition on a broader market spectrum, rather than catering to a limited local niche. It has made it possible for art to step into business domain and has made it convenient for one to convert their passion into profession. Of course, there is struggle, but then, isn’t it what art is all about? Had it been a cake walk, everyone would have been an artist. So, if you too, are a budding artist, striving to make your mark, play smart and stay resilient. Stay abreast of the current trends and keep an eye out for what’s coming next. Innovation is the key and so is proactiveness.

Connect with Binte Yousuf on Facebook