Many wish to make a living out of their hobbies but only a few can actually live the dream. With a few doodles and sketches here and there, Sneha Koirala of Studio Sarcastic started creating comical characters on her notebook. Many are hesitant to laugh at themselves, but Sneha made doodles based on her life as well as of things around her that were interesting, and mixed it with witty lines.  

“For a really long time my parents thought it was just a hobby. Now, they want me to take this ‘more seriously’ and have been a support as well as a driving force to me. They even look for excuses to promote the studio, especially my Baba. It is a great feeling to be appreciated and loved for your work. People know me because my work stands out. Few have even come up to me and ‘informed’ me about my brand, recommending me to try them. That was a huge encouragement,” shared Sneha.

Studio Sarcastic is an instagram sensation these days. Though it started with Sneha’s passion for comics, it shaped to a bigger project as time passed by. The Studio went full-fledged commercial on November last year. She slowly started designing a range of posters, bookmarks, notebooks and planners, extending it to mugs and shot-glasses. Studio Sarcastic got registered in September this year has added creative coasters, phone-covers, bags, tees, tumblers, and greeting cards, to their range of products. 

“I have always been a big fan of comics. But there are not many Nepali comics without political humor. I also love developing one-liner comics. On top of that, I always had the urge to own creative products while surfing the internet. But I could never realize my wishes in Nepal. So, I started making products that I enjoyed owning and that represented me as well as many others like me,” she said. 

Sneha added, “Hence, I started with comics and posters that I’d otherwise paste on the walls of my room. I started with the posters of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’, ‘Sherlock’ and ‘Harry Potter’. I got my very first customer after sharing the ‘Harry Potter’ artwork on Potterheads Nepal.”

After motivation from her close friend Sunil Chaudhary to take control of her own life and do what she loves, she started working to expand her sales. Sunil even invested in the production, and has been a great support to Sneha. With him handling the marketing part, Sneha said she was able to create more designs and products. They have also designed logos (Paradygm TV), brand identities, merchandise and menus, among others.

Studio Sarcastic offers products that highlight a quirky lifestyle blended with humor and a bit of Nepali touch. The products are inspired from mass culture and pop culture trends around the globe. “Rather than going for clichés or attracting only a niche population where ‘art is for a selected few’, Studio Sarcastic believes in creating a quirky balance between these two and making products that are relatable to the customers,” said Sneha.

Studio Sarcastic products are currently available at Timro Concept Store, Jhamsikhel. But they are also planning to open a store as well as an online portal in the next couple of months. They have been working on their website, and will soon be available for deliveries too. 

Sneha recently came with new and added products for the New Year. But she said getting raw materials was the biggest challenge. “You have to labor even for simple things like paper, and at times you don’t even get them as required. It is difficult to import raw materials from other countries. Nepal has a plenty of road-blocks for budding businesses, and it is not easy to reach out to a global customer base,” she said.