[7][8] He also illustrated Lore and Legends of Kerala, the English translation of Aithihyamala, published by Oxford University Press.

[3] He died in Kochi on 14 December 2013, at the age of 73, succumbing to cardiac failure following a brief period of illness.

[4] One of the first assignments Karunakaran undertook after returning to Kerala from Chennai was the restoration of murals at Guruvayur temple.

[4] He participated in several exhibitions, both group and solo, at various places in India and abroad, including the Embassy of India in Washington, Asian Art Gallery, Virginia, Brazilian cities like Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, São Paulo and Brasília, Asian Art Gallery, Vienna and Kuwait City.

[13] The next year, when K. R. Mohanan made his debut film, Ashwadhamavu, Karunakaran started his career as an art director,[14] in which he also played a small part.

[15] He went on to work for four more films, Akkare (1984) of K. N. Sasidharan, Purushartham (1986) of K. R. Mohanan, Ore Thooval Pakshikal (1988) of Chintha Ravi and Alicinte Anveshanam (1989) of T. V.

[18] Artist Sathypal, the former chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi,[19] has published a book, Mythic Imagination: Art of C.N.