Vaibhav Salgaonkar

In a quiet studio nestled somewhere in Goa, an artist captures the spirit of the land, not through grandiose strokes, but through honest lines, delicate watercolours, and heartfelt observation. Vaibhav G. Salgaonkar, popularly known as Mr. Bu or Artbybu, is not your conventional illustrator. With a background in Chemistry and Biotechnology and a deep-rooted love for his homeland, Vaibhav’s journey from science to sketching is a narrative as layered and soulful as his art itself.

From Science to Sketches: A Transformational Journey

Vaibhav’s academic path began with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry from St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, followed by a Master’s in Biotechnology from Goa University. Like many during the COVID-19 lockdown, he found himself re-evaluating life and purpose. Confined indoors and grieving the loss of his mother to cancer, he turned to art as both therapy and expression. What began as a pastime evolved into a calling, one that fused creativity with conscience.

His early illustrations during the pandemic addressed pressing social, political, and environmental issues. The Save Mollem movement in 2020 became a pivotal moment in his artistic journey. Through caricatures and vibrant visual protest art, he gained significant traction on social media, using illustration as a powerful tool for activism. This period marked his transition from aesthetic art to purposeful art.

Carving a Niche in Goa’s Cultural Canvas

Over the years, Vaibhav’s work has shifted focus toward Goan culture, heritage, and everyday life. From sketching iconic structures and local festivals to capturing the warmth of a street-side chaiwala, his illustrations have become love letters to Goa’s quieter, often overlooked corners. His art lives on not only in sketchbooks but also on coasters, tote bags, fridge magnets, and keychains, allowing people to carry a piece of Goa wherever they go.

The moniker Artbybu stems from a childhood nickname—“Bu”—a derivative of “Vaibhav” coined by college friends and quickly embraced by family and mentors alike. Today, it represents a brand that stands for sincerity, storytelling, and soulful illustration.

Self-Taught and Emotionally Tuned

While Vaibhav is largely self-taught, his growth has been fueled by persistence, observation, and a love for visual storytelling. As a child, he looked up to his elder brother, an artist himself, who nurtured Vaibhav’s passion by gifting him art supplies, books, and encouragement. Comic book characters like Suppandi, Shikari Shambu, and Tantri the Mantri sparked his interest early on, while legendary figures such as R.K. Laxman and Goan caricaturist Alexyz later shaped his stylistic evolution.

Vaibhav’s signature style is a blend of realism and emotional sketching, bold ink lines, layered textures, and soft washes of watercolour bring life to his subjects. His work is grounded in the raw, real-time emotions of the everyday, blending detailed observation with expressive storytelling.

Mediums and Method

Vaibhav prefers pen and ink for its immediacy and honesty. Watercolours, once intimidating, have now become his favourite medium, especially since joining Urban Sketchers Goa in 2023. The group introduced him to live sketching and deepened his appreciation for capturing fleeting moments on location. He carries a compact sketch kit everywhere, ready to record the world as it unfolds around him.

For realism and portraiture, he leans on digital tools like Procreate. Though he has dabbled in oil painting, his primary comfort zone lies in the fluidity and spontaneity of ink and watercolour.

His creative process begins with immersive observation. Be it an architectural element, a festival, or a human expression, he first captures the subject’s essence in rough lines, then layers it with mood and emotion through colour. The result is often imperfect by design,a conscious reminder that life, like art, is never static.

Projects, Challenges, and the Artist’s Inner Voice

Among his most memorable moments are setting up his first pop-up stall on his birthday in 2022, receiving recognition in local newspapers, and returning to his alma mater, St. Xavier’s College, as a panelist at an intercollegiate event. One of his favourite live sketching memories includes capturing the Stuti Choir performance in real time during the Goa Arts and Literature Festival, a testament to his speed, precision, and deep connection with his subjects.

But the journey has not been without hurdles. One of the most persistent challenges for Vaibhav has been navigating the fine line between passion and practicality. In a place where the art scene is still emerging, earning consistent recognition and livelihood through art remains a constant effort. Self-doubt, artistic rejection, and the pressures of social media metrics have all played their part. Yet, support from friends, family, and kind strangers continues to fuel his resilience and commitment to creating honest work.

Archiving Goa, One Sketch at a Time

Currently, Vaibhav is working on a research-driven art project that documents Goa’s unique oyster shell windows, an architectural feature fading with time. By speaking to locals, sketching on-site, and exploring the stories behind these designs, he hopes to revive awareness and appreciation for this cultural heritage. The project will culminate in a zine blending illustrations, history, and reflections.

Looking forward, Vaibhav dreams of expanding his documentation of Goa into a full-scale illustrated book or exhibition. He’s also eager to travel more, collaborate with fellow artists, and continue sketching stories that connect deeply with people.

Beyond the Sketchbook

Outside of art, Vaibhav finds joy in nature, journaling along the Goan coast, photographing marine life, café-hopping, music, and spontaneous jam sessions with friends. These simple pleasures often translate into inspiration for his pieces, he is, after all, an artist of lived experience.

A Legacy of Feeling

Vaibhav Salgaonkar’s legacy is not one of grand exhibitions or viral reels, but of quiet, persistent archiving—of memories, moods, and moments often forgotten. His illustrated souvenirs are not just merchandise; they are vessels of nostalgia and stories in motion. He wants to be remembered not just for the finesse of his linework, but for the emotion behind every sketch.

As he puts it, “I hope my work becomes a quiet form of archiving, a visual journal of what once was, what still is, and what we risk losing.” Through Artbybu, Vaibhav is not just sketching images, he’s sketching the soul of a place and its people, one heartfelt stroke at a time.