Engineering graduate transforms dreams and anxiety into art

What began as random scribbles to unburden the mind during sleepless nights has now evolved into beautiful works of art. But these are not just ordinary scribbles — they are a unique path discovered by Amal Ned (Amal J Nedumpuram), an engineering graduate, to overcome his mental conflicts. Today, Amal reflects the inner battles of solitude through his artworks and conducts exhibitions under the name The Untolds.

Amal says that he turned to art during times of extreme anxiety, when he had no one to open up to. Although he sat down to write something to relieve his mind, words didn’t come out. He began scribbling over his own Instagram writings during sleepless nights. In those moments of frustration, when things didn’t turn out as he wished, he would scribble over them. That’s when he realized — those scribbles spoke more intensely than anything else.

“What I couldn’t express through words, those lazy scribbles conveyed. I saw many things emerge between those lines — things I had never consciously known before. My mind felt free through the scribbles layered on top of my words. They transformed my words into something unreadable — even to me — yet completely released my thoughts. Despite pouring everything out, I didn’t have to be anxious about any of it afterward. That’s when, on one such night, The Untolds was born,” says Amal.

The artworks exhibited at an expo

Over time, it became a habit for Amal to seek refuge in Instagram’s brush tools whenever sleepless nights gave way to racing thoughts. His emotions, thoughts, and words all turned into scribbles. They were, in his own words, “the handwriting of my soul.”

Amal admits he never approached this field seriously at first. It was a deeply personal method to unload negative thoughts and mental burdens. But the method he had adopted purely for survival gradually, knowingly or unknowingly, transformed into an art form.

Dreams Taking Shape as Visuals

Most people dream. But many can’t recall or describe those dreams clearly. Amal, however, captures his dreams in visual form before they fade. The idea of transforming dreams into visuals struck him when a friend narrated a dream like a story. After completing that first dream illustration, Amal regretted not doing it sooner. That moment inspired him to begin turning his own dreams into visual art.

Amal began noting down everything he could remember about his dreams as soon as he woke up — sometimes they were clear, sometimes fragmented. These dream-inspired creations are what he now presents under the name Unseens.

“They are sights not seen by the eyes but by the mind,” says Amal.

“When I began drawing my dreams, they became more meaningful than the dream itself. They could be clear, abstract, imaginative, or surreal. Some revealed vivid visuals, others depicted unfamiliar moments I had never lived, and a few felt like scenes from a life continuing in a realm beyond my conscious mind.” Amal adds.

From Engineering to Art

Amal Ned’s journey from an engineering graduate to the world of art happened quite unexpectedly. His exposure to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, international projects, and collaboration with institutions like the William Morris Gallery (UK) deeply influenced his path in the arts.

As the founder of Amal Ned Art, he now works across various contemporary art domains — including digital, fine, and visual arts, custom artworks, creative direction, branding, graphic design, web design, as well as architectural and spatial design.

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