Wildlife artist · Ranthambore
Vijay Kumawat “Tigerwala”
Vijay Kumawat, popularly known as Tigerwala, is a wildlife artist, photographer, naturalist, and conservation enthusiast closely associated with Ranthambore, Rajasthan. His creative journey is shaped by the forests, wildlife, culture, and landscapes of Rajasthan, most of all by Ranthambore, one of India's most iconic tiger habitats.
An Artist Rooted in Ranthambore
Through his wildlife paintings and photography, Vijay captures the beauty, strength, emotion, and natural behaviour of tigers and other wild animals.
His work goes beyond visual representation, using wildlife as a medium to speak about conservation, environmental protection, and coexistence between people and nature.
Art as a Tool for Conservation
As an artist and curator, Vijay has been involved in art camps, exhibitions, and collaborative cultural initiatives that bring artists together to build awareness around wildlife and the environment. These initiatives connect art, nature, heritage, and conservation, creating a platform for artists to express their relationship with the natural world and encouraging audiences to see wildlife art as a call to protect it.
Why “Tigerwala”
The name Tigerwala reflects Vijay's deep artistic and personal connection with the tiger, the animal that has become central to his creative identity. Through this identity, his work carries a consistent message: that art can inspire people to understand, respect, and protect nature.
A Signature Technique: Soot and Newspaper
Vijay Kumawat is known for experimenting with the traditional soot medium, using a folded newspaper as a unique drawing nib. This distinctive, hand-developed technique lets him build expressive lines, layered textures, and subtle tonal variation, giving his wildlife artworks a raw, organic character that is unmistakably his own.
Four-step illustrative process
These AI-assisted editorial visualisations illustrate the technique described by Studio Tigerwala; they are not documentary photographs of Vijay or his studio.
Preparing the soot medium
The soot medium is prepared before the first marks are made.
Folding the newspaper nib
A small piece of newspaper is folded into a firm, narrow edge that can act as the drawing nib.
Building lines and tones
The folded edge builds expressive lines, layered texture, and gradual tonal variation.
Refining the finished work
The developing image is brought together through controlled adjustments to line, texture and contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
01Who is Vijay Kumawat “Tigerwala”?
Vijay Kumawat, known as Tigerwala, is a wildlife artist, photographer, naturalist, and conservation enthusiast based in Ranthambore, Rajasthan. His work includes paintings and photography of tigers and other wildlife.
02Why is Vijay Kumawat called “Tigerwala”?
The name reflects his strong personal and artistic connection to the tiger, which has become the central symbol of his creative identity.
03What medium is Vijay Kumawat known for?
He is known for working in soot, using a folded newspaper as a drawing nib to create expressive lines, textures, and tonal variation in his wildlife artworks.
04What is the focus of Vijay Kumawat's art?
His art focuses on the beauty, strength, emotion, and natural behaviour of tigers and other wildlife, using these subjects to communicate messages of conservation, environmental protection, and coexistence.
05Where is Vijay Kumawat based?
He is closely associated with Ranthambore, Rajasthan, and his work is deeply inspired by its forests, wildlife, culture, and landscapes.
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