Pratuang's eight-year service as commercial artist earned him acceptance from the advertising business. His income was quite considerable, but it did not make him complacent nor ended his quest for new experience. He looked towards his future and saw the deplorable end of such a common job. Once a piece of work, done for money and dependent on the conditions of the employer, is over, so is its value. The artist's imagination and creativity is not forever cherished. All his acquired knowledge about arts had opened his eyes to another type of creative work which belongs to a dedicated artist. It is the type of work that ennobles human character and refines human senses. He then asked himself a question: Would he remain in this conditioned career all his life: The answer came straight from his heart: one was born only once, therefore one should choose a career that one loves and that makes life worthwhile. The answer was like a seed from which sprang up a new life. He was also inspired by a movie he saw at that time. It was "Lust for Life", a biography of the Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh. Therefore, in 1962, his life took a new turn. He became a free-lance artist.

Modern art in Thailand was in its early stage then, and not yet gained proper recognition from society. He set off on a long, rough, and obstacles-strewn path. His life changed completely. For almost ten years he could not sell a single painting. His family was impoverished and always in poor health. Despite all problems,

Pratuang never despaired. His will never wavered and he was prepared to fight all obstacles in order to reach his goal, which was to create artistic values in works of art and to be recognized in the world of art. For him, the way to that goal was to lead a simple life. He opened a small corner coffee shop in the neighborhood to earn his living and sustain his family. This gave him time to practice more. Since his family was quite large, his income was hardly sufficient. Contributions from his brother and friends helped make life less hard. Meanwhile, Pratuang's only thought was to acquire knowledge and skill to create artistic works. The problems of fighting for survival never troubled him. He and his family faced the difficulties together undauntedly.

Fortunately, he was not alone in his new quest. He met four men who had the same faith in arts and pursed the same goal. they plodded along together, giving one another mutual support. His four friends were Tang Chang, Somchai Hathakitkosol, Suchart Vachanadilok, and Somkiat Panasirisilpa. Pratuang and his four fellow students of art belonged to no art institutions. Apart from the knowledge acquired from books and art exhibitions, their greatest teacher and source of endless ideas was Nature. The five men used their inspiration in art as their lead in their quest of knowledge. They were positive influence to one another. Everybody devoted all their time to their learning. After they reached their goal, they all went their chosen ways.

As for Pratuang, the early phase of his creative art reflected the destiny of his contemporaries. The big violent event of the time was the second Vietnam War. His own miseries made him understand the sufferings of other human beings under the scourge of war. His early artistic works, therefore, portrayed human agony and anti-war campaigns. Besides, western artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, namely the Impressionists, the Post-Impressionists, and the Dadas, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gaugain, Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, etc. who had presented works of art that reflected the stories of wars and human miseries, also had influence on the concepts and art forms of his early art.