Arti's art -- Life as I see it

More Greens...

2012-01-31T15:35:00.001+05:30

Here are two more studies of leaves and trees...I have been trying to find out how can I paint them most effectively.Trees and leaves look good in loose bold patches of paint ...good for small studies.But what happens when you go Big? Like I did on the top one!It was b-i-g, and I was determined to make it work.I tried watercolor pencils to draw leaves around the doorway.It all looked splendid ...till I dipped my brush in water......and managed to get everything muddled up!
Actually I did not finish the door after I was disappointed with the greenery.It was left as a basic wash.
Thinking of using waterproof indian ink next time....its all experiment, experiment!
watercolor on paper
upper one A3
Lower one postcard size

watercolor Studies

2012-01-29T18:11:00.000+05:30

It has been a long time since I posted here.Have been busy with my animation work lately..
These two tiny studies are what I did this morning.Top one is an old door set in a brick wall surrounded by bushes and vines..I took this snap in the courtyard of the local church building here and have been wanting to paint it for quite some time.The reason of putting it off- all those leaves making me nervous!
This is a postcard size study- just to see if it can be developed into a bigger painting.
Second one is a shot from our neighbourhood park in a bright and beautiful morning light.This was a little challenge- combining the light of sun with the dark of shadows.This one is also on a postcard.
Hope all of you are doing good...its time I paid a visit!
Watercolor on postcards

The Boat

2012-01-17T19:10:00.000+05:30

My resolution for this year is to work more in watercolors. This boat was a new subject for me and I enjoyed painting this.These boats are very popular with the tourists who visit Nainital, a small valley in the foothills of the Himalayas in India; which boasts of many beautiful lakes. Recently one of my friends visited Nainital and I borrowed one of his holiday snaps!
I finished it in three sittings, total time spent; about 4 hours.
Watercolor on paper, A3 sized

Miscellaneous

2012-01-16T14:41:00.005+05:30

This is another practice page from my sketchbook.. my own hand in different positions.I have filled three pages so far.Next, I will be targeting feet!

The cute Birthday Card that my son made for me;complete with a pop-up cake and a funny message inside.I think he more or less made up for his dad,too; who didn't get me any!Anyway it was a great day, lunch with friends and a movie in the evening.Thank you all my friends who sent their wishes.I am so blessed!

And I look so pudgy in this picture that was taken yesterday.....May be its time to start the exercise and Yoga regime again :)

Shoes, Jacket ...and Oranges!

2012-01-15T14:36:00.000+05:30

Days have been sunny, lately-- a real treat in this time of the year.I took some pictures of the jacket and oranges to study the values and tones.The feet, however belong to mu husband and were captured in artificial light...I drew them all together last night while watching TV!Yes, I was 'watching' a movie with a sketchbook in my hands because 'just' sitting and watching TV feels like a waste of time to me :D........... Hubby hates it, of course!He is a TV buff.....I have my vices!!!
Today I celebrate my birthday ( of course, the two guys in my life very conveniently forgot to bring me any cards, flowers or chocolate....I wish I had a daughter!) Later we plan to go out for lunch, it looks like a great day outside.
Happy Sunday!

A Beautiful Start_2012

2012-01-10T15:15:00.000+05:30

This is one of the 12 sketches that appear in the Desk Calendar 2012 of my sister's company 'MediaGuru'. We did it last year,too; with my 'Faith' series. This year she commissioned me to do a series about children, youth and dreams.I have spent two months on this project and I am happy that its finally out! Waiting for my copy, though...will share it with you once I receive it.
This time these calendars have become something like a collector's item; everyone wants one!
Have a Happy New Year, all of you :)

Pencil on paper
A3 sized

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T22:51:00.001+05:30

This is my submission to the DPW's Holiday Cheer Challenge hosted by Carol marine.The challenge was to paint anything that is meaningful to you this holiday season.This pretty girl in her Santa cap seems in tune with the theme.Happiness, joy and hope in her eyes and happy smile on her lips...
Merry Christmas to all of you, my friends.

Grandma Waiting

2011-12-20T15:15:00.001+05:30

Some more practice over the weekend...could this be a lonely grandma waiting for her family to visit her ?

Watercolour on paper, 12"x9"

The portrait

2011-12-14T21:00:00.000+05:30

I would like to call him a 'Sepia Man'...! A small watercolor sketch in monotone colors.

Watercolor Portrait

2011-12-11T15:30:00.001+05:30

One thing I don't like about the watercolors is that you can't "repair" a work if things go wrong.
This is a spontaneous portrait (without much sketching) which I did from a black and white reference photo...
I wanted to use less paint but as it happened, I overdid it again and lost my highlights.I had to use my conte (another experiment) sticks to minimize the damage...or may be it did more damage!?
Its here, after much deliberation.An old lady from India :)

Life Drawing Study

2011-12-09T14:38:00.001+05:30

Nothing much happening right now...got issued the "Life Drawing Class" by Lucy Watson from the library for study purpose, A good one.This drawing was done from a photograph from the book.I have used pastel pencil and conte on black craft paper.Limited palette.
Hope you all have a great weekend...Happy shopping for Christmas :)

Little Boy - Portrait in Pencil

2011-12-05T16:29:00.000+05:30

I am getting more and more confident of doing dark skin tones- and loving it,too!Just a little charcoal in some areas.
A3 size white paper, 2H, B, 4B pencil and willow charcoal stick.

Fun Day

2011-12-02T20:48:00.000+05:30

This is a small painting, A4 size-- an attempt at figurative painting...But now I think i should have painted on a bigger surface.Painting the face was tough as I had to squint to see what I was doing!Or was it my eyesight?!!
It was a photo of my son, on a sunny day in the park with his football.

watercolour woman

2011-11-28T16:25:00.003+05:30

A watercolour portrait after a long time! I did it from a TV grab.This lady might be a TV actress , I dont know...just liked her face hidden half in shadows as she stands in her kitchen.I did it in two sittings, using layers, unlike my previous portraits which I finish in one go.Striving to get more control.
Watercolour, A4 size cold pressed paper.

Charcoal Portrait on a whim

2011-11-22T21:13:00.001+05:30

A Portrait of my son in charcoal...I did this to experiment some more with charcoal.It has been a dull and rainy day outside...so something to cheer myself up!
Usually I use grid for my pencil portrait but this one was done freehand,without any measurement.
I guess I will be doing more like these, try different paper and see what emerges!
A3 size, willow charcoal on paper

More sketching...Pastel Pencils

2011-11-16T15:14:00.003+05:30

Yesterday when I went to the library, I ran into a small but wonderful group of women who love watercolors, and were there to paint together.I joined them and had a great time...they also told me about an art shop which was very close but which I didn't know about!Later I went there to explore and found all the art material I was looking for- from paper to pencils, all under one roof! I bought some pastel paper and Derwent pastel pencils which I had been wanting to do for quite some time.This drawing is the result of that material combined with the book that I got from the library on human anatomy.I have used a light coloured paper and orange, sienna, dark brown and blue pastel pencils along with white conte stick for highlights.
This is more like the work of Derek Jones ...he is very good at these figure drawings.You can see him in my blog roll.I like his style.
Pastel pencil on tinted paper, A4 size

Sketching

2011-11-15T23:20:00.000+05:30

Two drawings from my little sketchbook that I carry around.Top one was of a gentleman who was busy reading his papers at the library this morning-as I sat behind him with my own books...(A clothed figure- for a change; as I missed my Monday drawing session this week :))
Second one is a bit older...I did it sitting at a picnic table in our neighbourhood park while the sun was still shining.An elderly couple, enjoying the sun and having their snacks at the bench nearby.Later I used ink pen and brush on the drawing.

Pencil Sketch_A little Girl

2011-11-12T18:21:00.000+05:30

This is the first time I have attempted to draw a dark skinned person in pencil.Its sure tough to create dark skin tones and not go overboard! For her hair I have used willow charcoal sticks, which were quite soft and smooth...Cross hatching in the background was later added to emphasis the light falling on her head.Though I must confess I am unsure about the background,Does it look good?What do you think?
Pencil and charcoal on paper
16"x12"

Figure Drawing Session

2011-11-08T17:18:00.003+05:30

At yesterday's figure drawing session, my attempt at black paper and chalk failed miserably.Lack of contrast being one reason-- the only light that we had was reflected greyish daylight coming from the big windows coupled with two or three overhead fluorescent lights. Not really dramatic!....I switched to a more versatile medium, my colour pencils.And last two sketches were done in these- about 30 minutes each.

You are right about this being a tough job for these guys who pose for us.This guy is probably new to the job; not really used to it.He has a cute face;looks like' Hagrid' of Harry Potter because of his size and wavy long hair.He does seem a bit shy, keeps shifting, can't hold a pose comfortably for more than 15 minutes.The skinny guy in my last pose was a pro.He gave poses without prompting, sat through them in a very relax manner and even came to each of us, checking our progress - time to time...It takes guts! :)

Figure Drawing at Art Club

2011-11-07T14:36:00.001+05:30

Some of the sketches I have been doing in my Figure Drawing sessions.As you can see, model P (plump) was more fun to draw than model S ( skinny).I have been doing these in pencil so far, but in today's session I am taking black craft paper and some colored chalk.I hope the results would be good enough for sharing here.So watch out for this space tomorrow for something new!
Have a good day

Sold _Portrait of Sherry

2011-11-04T17:03:00.001+05:30

I am so excited to announce my first sale through this blog!This is a portrait of my blogger friend Sherry Massey -I did it some months ago- Sherry liked it very much and today she has bought this from me.
Thank you Sherry!

'Contemplative'- pencil portrait

2011-10-31T14:51:00.001+05:30

I have been working on pencil more and more lately, preparing for coming new years' calendar, for my sister and her husband's firm.This portrait was initially planned for the calendar, but later they changed their minds about the theme...now it has no takers- still it feels good to share it with you all.
This sketch was based on my friend Vikram's photo.Thanks, Vikram.
16"x12", pencil on acid free cartridge, 200gsm

Vivacious

2011-10-23T00:06:00.000+05:30

A pencil portrait of my friend Harmeet, who has wanted one for a long time! She is a beautiful and self confident woman with a vivacious personality; a teacher by profession.I hope these traits reflect in this portrait.
The photo was provided by Vikram who happens to be my friend, and her husband :)
Pencil on paper, 16"x12"1

Watercolors Again

2011-10-04T20:28:00.000+05:30

Back to colors...A practice sketch in watercolor.Still struggling with darker tones,though.
12"x9" watercolor on paper

Dreams_Pencil Portrait

2011-09-30T13:22:00.002+05:30

The exhibit is still going on, I thank you all for your whole hearted support.To see some pics, CLICK HERE.
I haven't been sitting idle,though .I have drawn two more portraits, again the reference were provided by my photographer friend Vikram. Sharing first one here,You may find it a bit different than my previous works; the reason being a new,smoother paper resulting in smoother skin tones, and use of charcoal for darker areas.
I do hop,that you like the 'new look'!
Have a nice day.
Pencil and charcoal, A3 sized 200 gsm acid free cartridge paper.

The Exhibition

2011-09-15T22:18:00.001+05:30

My exhibition starts from Monday, September 19th and runs for three weeks. Mostly, pencil portraits are on display and a few watercolors,too.I am hoping the that the local people like the artwork.Basingstoke is a small town and its great to be recognized here.Wish me luck, and do pop in if you are nearby.
Venue: Fairfields Art Centre, Council Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire UK.
To see some pics, click here.

Exhibition Time!

2011-09-07T17:39:00.001+05:30

I have not mentioned it so far, but I am going to have a little exhibition of my pencil portraits in September, in Fairfields Art Centre, Basingstoke.The director of the centre is an FB friend ( whom I found when I moved here) and he invited me to have this exhibition. Isn't that great!........
There will be about a dozen portraits -this is another one which will be added to the show.
The woman in this portrait is the mom of a friend.She also taught him and my husband in high school where they went together. She is a strong willed and self assured woman- the traits which I have tried to capture in this portrait.She is also a warm and lovely person to be with.
P.S. I have been really busy in last few weeks.. have been ignoring my blogger friends, I know! Please bear with me for some time :)
Pencil on paper 16"x12"

Grandma

2011-08-18T21:37:00.003+05:30

This is a portrait of the granny of my friend Vikram.She has a beautiful face and is quite vivacious for her age!It was drawn from a photo taken by him. Her flowing white hair made this imade a perfect choice for a black and white sketch.I did it more like 'negative sketching'...the hair strands were created by erasing only.
Graphite pencil on A3 paper

Sun Kissed

2011-07-31T12:59:00.001+05:30

A new pencil portrait of a friend.
This one was a tough call - I was all tangled up in her hair and those sunglasses were a first,too...never sketched reflections in pencil before. Keeping away the thoughts of abandoning it midway I kept going after it -- and completed it in after about 10 hours of work!I am proud of it !
Have a great Sunday :)
16"x12" 4B and 0.5 mechanical pencil on paper

Youth

2011-07-12T17:59:00.001+05:30

Watercolor portrait of my niece.It was a bit overcast and I could not get the desired light on her face; yet her expression makes it all worthwhile.
Watercolor on paper, 12"x9"

Love

2011-06-18T14:13:00.000+05:30

Pencil Portrait of my favorite subjects- my son with his little cousin.I would call this one a "hasty job" as I finished it in two days' span, instead of my usual 7-8 days..I hadn't worked in pencil for long time and I worked on it -like there s no tomorrow! Could have done better with a little patience, I know :)
16"x12" mechanical pencil 0.3 and 0.7

Pristine_Portrait of a Little Girl

2011-06-05T19:17:00.000+05:30

A leisurely Sunday, I had some time to spend with my paper and colors,finally!This cute little girl is painted from a photo of Vikram, my photographer friend.I have tried to paint in two sittings, this one- instead of my usual 'at one go' style..
watercolor on paper, 12" x9"

Entwined

2011-05-23T15:58:00.000+05:30

Painted after what feels like a long gap! Entwined tree trunks- with a touch a abstract...Hope you enjoy it.
I certainly enjoyed painting this one:)
watercolor on cold pressed paper 140 lb
12"x9"

Buoyant

2011-05-15T00:53:00.000+05:30

A portrait of a happy looking village woman from India, in her traditional attire- saree; covering her head.This beautiful image was captured by a friend Vikram, who is a very talented photographer.
Watercolor 9"x 12"

Pretty Picture

2011-05-08T17:22:00.000+05:30

I have been a little busy with life in past two weeks or so..not been able to paint at all. Posting here today is a sketch I did sometime ago, and was not so happy about --(it didn't come out as I had wanted)
But it might inspire me to paint again, I hope!
Have a Great Day!

For You, Sherry!

2011-04-27T18:40:00.000+05:30

Its a portrait of Sherry, a fellow blogger and a dear friend :)
The reference pictures that she sent didn't reveal much of her character, each one of them being different- so I relied on my instinct and painted her as I perceived her!
I do hope you like it, and you recognise yourself in this portrait, Sherry! Enjoy :)

Midnight Rose

2011-04-21T20:05:00.002+05:30

Here I have been trying to create an artwork combining both- the abstract and the realistic approach...(without much success, it seems!) I have also used some negative painting here.
The experiment with darks still continues...I am posting it here even if I am not happy about it - keeps life from getting boring :)
watercolor on paper
12" x 9"

Radiant

2011-04-12T21:44:00.000+05:30

A watercolor study of a friend -- beautiful, young, and vivacious.The reference photo was taken recently at Bournemouth beach, UK.
Watercolor on cold pressed paper, 9"x12"

The Intense Gaze

2011-04-08T21:12:00.002+05:30

I have been working on this sketch during past few days. I guess total time involved was around 10-12 hours.

This lady happens to be a devotee who was busy reading her holy book at the 'Ganga Ghaat'( At the shores of the Ganges) in Rishikesh.She looked up when my husband clicked her picture but didn't mind much! Her gaze was intense and deep, so I was fascinated by her face.
Hope you enjoy this.
Pencil on paper, 16"x12"

Coconut Water

2011-03-15T20:09:00.000+05:30

I have been missing doing portraits..so first thing I did when I sat to paint, was this boy :) - its an old reference photo taken from the net..(just a practice painting) He is enjoying coconut water straight from a green Coconut, as it is popularly done in southern parts of India.
The paper is 90 lb and it didn't take the washes very well ; just soaked up all paint I applied on it...
watercolor 9"x12"

Arrived...

2011-03-05T22:07:00.001+05:30

I have arrived and in process of settling down in United Kingdom..The weather has been beautiful here in Basingstoke since my arrival on Thursday.The town is pretty, the view is very nice from my seventh floor apartment and I am loving it here!
The picture above was painted a few months back; just thought it would be nice to share it again; more so,as it shows my current state of mind--looking out for new avenues and adventures!
I have been missing you all and I hope I will have something new to post here soon :)

Waiting - Portrait of a Young Woman

2011-01-21T10:12:00.000+05:30

A watercolor study ..this one is more refined, added some details..wonder if its a good thing or bad!
12"x 9"

Blues..Once In a While

2010-12-06T18:28:00.002+05:30

.
watercolor on paper , 12"x9"

Mates

2010-11-27T21:38:00.000+05:30

Some more of my work from yesterday's session...
A watercolor study, about 12"x 9"

At the Farm

2010-11-26T22:54:00.000+05:30

A study of a cockerel ...I have been watching Jean Haines paint so many of them and I used to think, what's so special about these cockerels? But painting one myself was a revelation! I did this one and then went on to paint another set immediately afterwards....there's something about them-I loved splashing color all around ( In case you are squinting to find some here,wait for my next post!)
BTW, I took this one after a photo of Sandy, another blogger friend. But for the second, I didn't need a reference.I guess that's what I loved about this subject!

Waves

2010-11-17T21:00:00.000+05:30

A fun painting of my nephew. I took this photo on the Lido beach at HongKong,as the little one watched the waves rush to his feet.
I have been away from my colors for long time, so I did this painting just to get my brushes wet again-- but I guess it turned out well enough to share with all of you!
Watercolor on paper, 12"x16"

Autumn- The sketch of mom

2010-10-15T08:58:00.001+05:30

This is my mom...the sketch was sitting on my drawing board when I left for my vacation. I can say my hands were itching to complete it - and that's what I did last night! Although the 'finishing up' took more than five hours....I am generally happy with it.What do you think?
Pencil on paper 30cm X40 cm

The Sketch

2010-09-24T15:39:00.002+05:30

A practice sketch - I have used a light weight paper for this one and completed it in about half an hour.
I was trying to see if the quality / thickness of the paper made any difference...My conclusion? Once you master your trade, paper will cease to matter - till then, its practice, practice, practice!
14"X10" 110 lb watercolor paper

Little Girl and the Butterfly

2010-09-13T20:05:00.001+05:30

This is my niece, a chirpy ten year old. She has a shy smile that I love to bring out on paper.I have tried working in layers on her face this time, hoping to achieve the right skin tone-but the choice of colors for the butterfly went wrong, as it now seems merged with the wall...should have used lighter colors on it :(

watercolor on paper, 16"x12"

The Smiling face

2010-09-04T11:23:00.004+05:30

Experimenting with darks here- I have been avoiding darker values in past, due to the unwanted muddy effect I get when I use more than two washes. This paper is different from what I have been using so far, and it held the washes well; more than I expected.So I used the washes quite liberally here, and was generally happy with the results.
Still, it could have been better if I was patient enough to let the painting dry completely in between! I finished it in one sitting, as I always do with my watercolors..in about an hour.
It was sketched freehand and the child looks a bit older than I intended her to be!
In future, I am going to try to give these paintings more time, and see if it makes any difference :)

Faith 2- Old Man Offering Prayers

2010-08-29T12:02:00.007+05:30

Its the same old man whose sketch appeared on my blog sometime ago.This is another image, here he is offering sacred water to the SunGod, standing on the steps of the Ganga river. This ritual is observed by many devotees in Hindu religion.It comprises worshipping the rising sun with water from the Ganga, flowers and other holy items like kumkum, chandan and dhoop.One can See hundreds of people going through this ritual in the spiritual towns like Haridwar, Rishikesh and Varanasi.

This drawing was done on full sheet, my first in this size.Thus it took a bit of time- I couldn't calculate the hours ; I would say it took me about 7-8 days to finish. ..And lots of work:)
The photo is not very good as the paper I used had a yellowish tinge, it was to big, and there is very little sunlight today.Sorry about that!

Graphic pencil on paper, 30"x22"

The Brown Horse in watercolors

2010-08-09T16:17:00.004+05:30

I painted big this time...30"x20" to be precise.My elbow is hurting again and I am not spending much time on my computer these days.I have seen some very beautiful posts by you all in last few days but am yet to comment on them.My apologies.

Thank you all for responding so positively on this horse painting;I have decided to add some more to this post...Recently I visited a renowned artist of Delhi and asked his advise and opinion on my work.I have started thinking about putting up an exhibition in near future- and I need all the help I can get!...He liked my work but he also advised me to paint on a bigger canvas.As I have been mostly painting on 16"x12" or lesser sizes, I decided to paint this one on a full sheet. And judging by your response, it was a good move!
His other advise was to pay more attention to my pencil art, he liked the pencil artwork very much. I am thinking about it- an exhibition of my pencil artwork...sounds great!Lets see how things evolve.

I like horses, they make such fine subjects.White, black, brown..they are all so beautiful.I am thinking of drawing one in pencil, too.

watercolor on paper, 30"X 20"

Koi

2010-08-05T13:03:00.003+05:30

Always wanted to paint Koi fish someday!I enjoyed this painting immensely.It was created using 'wet on wet' technique and I was happy with the results.Took me about an hour to concieve, draw and paint it.No reference photo here.
Hope you like it too.
20"x14", on 140 lb cold pressed watercolor paper

The Couple

2010-07-19T11:36:00.005+05:30

This watercolor is based on a photo by my friend Fred Walsh who is a brilliant wildlife photographer and an avid bird enthusiast. Those are Great Egrets and you can see the original picture here. I loved this photo very much and tried to give it another dimension. Thanks Fred, for letting me use this image.

Watercolor 16"x12"

From my Balcony

2010-07-14T22:19:00.004+05:30

'The world looks beautiful from here'--This painting is based on my son's photo while he looked down happily at something from the balcony -though I cropped it too close, and lost a portion of the railing in the process! Still, the mood is happy and I love painting happy faces :)

Watercolors on paper 14"x10"

Grace

2010-07-09T17:07:00.003+05:30

Head study of a woman with a beautifully weathered face...I saw the image somewhere on the net and it stayed with me.
watercolor, 8"x6"

sunflower

2010-07-02T11:13:00.005+05:30

June has been a lousy month as far as my painting is concerned! Only one post in entire month- that's pathetic, I know! Reasons have been many..most prominent being my health. I had developed a nagging pain in my right arm and when I went to see a doc ( after ignoring it for more than two weeks) he told me I had ' Tennis Elbow'! -Never played a game of tennis in my life, ha ha! May be I bumped my elbow somewhere...(I have a poor balance- keep bumping into things :D ) Well , it was quite painful and the doc advised me to rest the hand as much as I could; not to put strain on wrist or elbow.But it was my right hand, remember? I had to do the housework-cooking and cleaning! So the painting and typing took a backseat in the days to come.
Feeling a bit better today, I spent a good hour posting comments on my friends' blogs and so far I've covered only half on my list! Meanwhile, this sunflower was my attempt at negative painting..posting it as it is, would have to see when I finish it!

Heron

2010-06-17T12:54:00.005+05:30

I am back after a considerably long absence. Missed you all!
This is a watercolor on a postcard , the heron captured in soft sunlight of mid-morning.
I have been reading a lot about the oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. I have always hated man's interference with nature and this is a glaring example of what this could result into!

I am adding this painting to Suzanne McDermot's spirit-of-gulf-challenge. as suggested by some blogger friends.

I am So Happy!

2010-05-28T22:35:00.003+05:30

This is Honey, the bubbly daughter of a friend...two sittings, four hours. It was an outdoor photo with direct sunlight falling over her head.The shades on her face were quite tough to capture-but I have tried my best!
Watercolor on 16"x12" paper

Flying Colors

2010-05-12T14:31:00.004+05:30

A butterfly for James! This is my submission for James' Windows to the Words' art blog's May theme. For me, these tiny insects can be more tough to paint than a human face ! What you see is my second attempt...threw the first one away:D
Watercolor on postcard

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T12:27:00.004+05:30

Me and my mom...my gift to her on mother's day.
Watercolor on paper, 12"x16"

Cherry Blossoms

2010-05-05T09:56:00.004+05:30

Another Alla-prima in oils. It took about 40 minutes to complete. I think the only way that I can stop myself from overdoing a piece in oils is to finish it in one go!...
I always wanted to paint white flowers...these cherry blossoms were an obvious choice!I have used a bit of knife on petals, for creating light.
Oil on canvas board, 8"x10"

Back to Aquarelle

2010-04-29T08:46:00.002+05:30

I have tried to achieve the vibrancy of oils through watercolors in this painting.
watercolor on paper, 16"x12"

Amused

2010-04-21T13:15:00.000+05:30

Started out as a portrait of my nephew, but I hurried up the drawing and he ended up looking like someone else! I am treating it as a practice drawing now.Experimented with darker background.
watercolor on paper, 12"x9"

Happy and Carefree

2010-04-16T17:42:00.000+05:30

A little girl happily throwing pebbles in the sea- one from my archive. It was having this image for a long time, about a year, since I last visited Brighton's pebble beach in UK. It was a cloudy day, no sunshine at all! But this little girl was thoroughly enjoying her day out, oblivious to the weather - while we adults fretted and complained about how bad it was! Teaches us something?!
waterclor on paper 22"x15"

Red, Green and Violet

2010-04-13T13:46:00.002+05:30

In my opinion, its some variety of coleus plant.The one that I am having at my home is red with narrow green edges.This one is more green.But one thing is for sure, I love this plant! It has most beautiful leaves I have ever seen.
This is perhaps my first serious attempt at leaves, and it was intimidating..Leaves are tough creatures to handle and I am yet to be friends wih them:)
I was contemplating whether it was good enough to post, than I decided to leave the judgement to you!
Leaves, Watercolor on paper 22"x15"

White Rose in Pencil

2010-04-08T17:48:00.000+05:30

The rose is beautiful in any form, so I though it would look good in pencil drawing,too! Started this drawing about two months ago, than abandoned it halfway (too much work, and my patience was thinning!) But finally decided to push it - and here it is!The background has multiple layers of grapic pencils, so that the flower stands out.Pencil art is a lot of hard work and I am finding it more and more tough to handle since I started watercolors--as watercolors are instantly gratifying .
.....Anyway, pencil drawing has its own charm, and like a mother of two, I can't really say which one is my favourite:) I can't recall how many hours were spent on this piece- may be 20 or more!
16"x12" Graphic pencil on cartrige paper

Sun and Surf

2010-04-06T16:14:00.000+05:30

Trying out different paper...it has been quite sometime since I painted and I am finding it hard to get a grip!Just a quick sketch.

Daddy's Day Out

2010-03-19T21:48:00.000+05:30

Based on a photo of a friend enjoying a sunny day with his daughter, at Lake District, UK.
Watercolors 15"x22"

A Day's Wait

2010-03-17T16:30:00.000+05:30

I am not sure if this one qualifies as 'self portrait', but its me!The photo was taken by my husband when I wasn't looking- but liked it when I saw it later.I have tried my hand at bigger workspace this time and it wasn't so hard, after all!
Watercolors on waterford coldpressed 300 gsm 22"x15"

Blazing

2010-03-15T16:29:00.000+05:30

These Poppies were swaying majestically in our neighbourhood park...couldn't resist them, even though I am not a natural with flowers.
Watercolor on cold pressed paper 16"x12"

2010-03-12T23:21:00.000+05:30

Trying to get back into the groove...this is a quick sketch of a mother with a baby on her hip and a toddler alongside...looked kind of sweet trio!
lewatercolor on hot pressed paper 9"x12"

Sea Turtle

2010-02-26T18:04:00.000+05:30

After yellow, I have turned to blue.I was trying to find new subjects, and a sea turtle in its aqua habitat looked like a good subject!..I have used white oil pastel to keep all those lines on his skin..it also gives some texture to it.
Due to some family obligations, I haven't been painting much lately...and the trend will continue for some more time; but I sure miss you all, and will be back as soon as I can manage!Till then , Happy Painting!

Watercolor on paper, 16"x12"

Spring is Here!

2010-02-20T16:03:00.001+05:30

The most cherished season of all, The Spring is here finally.Its also the shortest- it will last till April only.The flowers are blooming everywhere, so a sunflower looked like an appropriate subject.I haven't painted a sunflower before...it used to look so intimidating with its double row of petals and almost perfect looks!I am still in awe of this particular flower.

Leisure

2010-02-18T10:19:00.005+05:30

I have been studying some great watercolorists in past few days...Nick Simmons , Thomas Schaller and Anders Andersson being few of them .There is a long list still pending, I have so much to learn!

I was impressed by the big, bold and imaginative watercolors by Nick, while Anders dazzled me with his control over his wide brushes even on tiny pieces of paper! Thomas is considered the 'architect of watercolors' - he paints the building beautifully. Even if I find myself lacking in this department, I will continue to study..someday I might be able to paint whatever I want, not just be a portrait painter!

I tried this wet on wet- all wet -style myself, ( disastrous results!But its a beginning at least)...I am beginning to believe that waterolors should lose some inhibitions and fly free!They are meant to be.

This street dog was sprawled leisurely on the stoned floor of Ganga Ghat ( Banks of Ganges).Looked like a good subject.I spoiled the water and the bridge in background ,though!Couldn't get the desired results. There is always 'next time'!

Portrait of a Friend

2010-02-14T08:58:00.004+05:30

This is a watercolor portrait of a dear friend Fred Walsh, a resident of Canada; whom I met on blogosphere last year.Fred is a talented guy - he sings very well, and is a great guitarist as well as a wonderful wild life photographer! You an see his photos on his blog --http://www.fredwalshphotos.blogspot.com/

The Secret is Out!

2010-02-13T18:16:00.008+05:30

For all those who participated in this ' secret challenge', here is my take on Karin Jurick's portrait.For those who didn't, this was the brainwave of Jill Polsby, to have Karin's portrait painted by more than a hundred artists ...you can read more about it on her blog http://jillpolsby.blogspot.com/ I am not very good at writing lengthy reviews!
All I can say is that its a real treat for eyes to watch so many portraits, so many styles, so many visions of different artist of a single subject; on the same page.
Click on this link to have a look- Picasa Album

Kids and Pets

2010-02-09T16:12:00.004+05:30

You can see this on James Parker's blog 'Windows to the Words Art', too. Its a submission for the current month's theme- 'Kids and their pets- matching sets'! It was tough painting the dog in watercolors , as it had very rich and dark chocolate hue...so I used dry brush technique on him...dry on wet, dry on dry, whatever worked!Little girl had a clean, fair skin so I didn't put too many washes on her.In fact she now looks a bit pale in comparison to her pet!
James liked it :) and I hope you do the same!
Thank you for you good wishes, I am still sore but hope to be alright soon. ( I did this painting in bed!)

Just Colors

2010-02-05T20:57:00.005+05:30

I am painting the flute player in oils now, started it today only. It will be a bit different from the watercolor one I presume. Meanwhile, posting this small work. I was testing the fluidity of various pigments and their merging pattern, and this image took shape. I added hookers green to create some negative shapes and it looks like a flower bush now:)

The Flute Player

2010-02-02T13:40:00.004+05:30

One thing or another has been keeping me away from my art since last week...Did this painting today, determined to set the ball rolling again! Took me about one and half hour. I have used a little amount of white oil pastel color in his hair and beard to create texture.
Watercolor /mixed media on cold pressed 140 lb paper.

Praying

2010-01-26T09:10:00.005+05:30

As everone of you is of opinion that I shouldn't meddle with this anymore, I respect your wishes and posting it again after just adding some darker shades to her!

Happy Days!

2010-01-12T18:15:00.003+05:30

Watercolor study of a nine year old- my niece, actually- but I changed the color of hair and eyes to make her look..well; .global! She could be any child from any place on this planet. Just a happy child!
I am trying to minimise the use of pencil in my watercolors.This one had no drawing at all.
I just started with a brush.And my usual palette!
watercolor, 7"x 5"

DSDF Update- my portrait

2010-01-06T18:46:00.004+05:30

This is my portrait painted by a fellow artist Linda Edwards , for the face off on Karin Jurick's blog 'Different Strokes from Different Folks'.That means, she is the bubbly lady I had painted earlier.I found it only yesterday on Karin's blog.I tried to contact Linda to thank her for this beautiful portrait, but couldn't do that as she hasn't updated her blog since 12 months ;neither was there any email address. But I want to say that she is an amazing artist and she has captured me so well , even without knowing me at all! I hope I find a way to reach her.

Melody

2009-12-29T20:24:00.004+05:30

I hope all of you had a great Christmas..as I send out my heartiest wishes for the coming new year to all my blogger friends,I couldn't resist adding a bit of color to it! I did it some days ago--not planned, I just let the colors flow on the paper.I could see many imperfections in this and wasn't sure I wanted to post this but it always gives me a warm feeling when I share an artwork with you and on this new year , I certainly want to feel all warm and fuzzy!
Lets usher in this new year with the sweetest thoughts, lots of love and happiness for all.

In Black & White

2009-12-20T10:50:00.005+05:30

I started this sketch because I wanted to draw someone beautiful...but soon realized my mistake of not choosing the 'right' subject! ( She is Alicia Silverstone, but I did not work on the likeness factor very much, here-- so you may not recognise her!) The problem was that her face did not have any shades..no gradients to work upon - so it got a little boring and I decided to speed up things and get over with it!
I hate leaving something unfinished, so I did complete this sketch, but honestly, not much time was spent on this one. About 2 hours.I think I need to find better paper...this cartridge paper shows through so much that dark tones are spoiled. I can't achieve the desired smoothness...
Any suggestions?

DSDF swaping portraits challenge

2009-12-15T13:20:00.008+05:30

Here is the portrait that I submitted to DSDF challenge this year.I don't know the name of this elegant lady, but she is a fellow artist and blogger, and she will paint my portrait in turn; which you can see at Karin's blog Different Strokes from Different Folks.

There are many, many of them to come! Have a nice Day!

Lily for the weekend

2009-12-11T11:33:00.003+05:30

I won't be painting much in next 2-3 days so this lily will be with you till I come back!
Happy weekend...
watercolor on paper

Finished version

2009-12-07T10:54:00.003+05:30

Spent another two hours on this one as I was not satisfied with the first take. Background needed darker finish and face also needed some tweaking...I feel its better now.What's your take?

Happy Birthday Sis

2009-11-20T11:28:00.003+05:30

A watercolor of my sister Deepti, who celebrates her birthday today. Its tough to capture people in lines and colors if you know them closely , but I have given it a try...Just hope she likes it!
The tilt of head is her 'trademark' trait:) so is her smile.
Happy Birthday, Sis!

The Veil

2009-11-16T12:09:00.003+05:30

One of my not-so-good efforts...I am posting it here because I need to post regularly, to keep in touch with all of you--and I dont have anything else today!So here it goes, watercolor sketch of a rustic Indian woman . Not the usual 'youthful beauty' but she has an elegence about her.

Spiritual_2

2009-11-12T12:48:00.001+05:30

Another portrait in Rishikesh series..a sanyasi basking in the winter morning sun ....
watercolor 16"x12"

Glorious

2009-11-09T17:53:00.002+05:30

I have been neglecting my blog for quite some time. Distractions!... I did this magenta beauty in watercolors his morning...might help me to get back into the groove again.

watercolor, 16"X12"; cold pressed paper

Spiritual

2009-10-28T13:55:00.005+05:30

This was done from a photo that my husband took on our recent trip to Rishikesh, a spiritual Indian town, also my birth place and hometown. My husband took a lot of pictures here , in the early morning sun.It was a time for prayers and meditation. This lady was also busy reading her holy book. She is wearing sffron robs, a color of spirituality, sacrifice and salvation.

The scene around here in the early morning looks very serene with lots of sadhus meditating and praying .
I always love quietly sitting on the ghats or roaming at the riverbank ; its immensely peaceful here. Ganga , or the Ganges, as it is globally called; is purest at this juncture, just flowing down from hills of Himalaya.

watercolor on 16"x10" paper

Joy Ride

2009-10-09T15:40:00.003+05:30

A moment to cherish -- father-son duo enjoy a walk in nature. Childhood is fun, isn't it!
Watercolor, 7"x10"

Youth

2009-10-05T08:46:00.009+05:30

This is Meghna, younger sister of my husband.Very vivacious, very charming, always ready to help! She is very fond of posing and loves being clicked....So last time she visited, I took this picture and promised her that I would paint her portrait very soon....I am going to give it to her on Diwali! I think it would make her happy!

I am a little worried about likeness factor..what's your take?

Water colors A3 ( 42cmX30cm) cold pressed 140 lb paper

Kenzie

2009-10-01T09:19:00.003+05:30

This is the grand daughter of a dear fellow blogger Sandy . You can see the original photo at her blog.The girl is beautiful and looks like an angel...so I asked Sandy if I could paint her and she agreed --that was very nice of her....So here it goes.I hope Sandy likes it!
Water colors on 200lb paper
10"X14"

Years

2009-09-24T17:08:00.001+05:30

Watercolor study of an aging man; 10"x 7"

She

2009-09-22T16:52:00.003+05:30

A watercolor study of female face..12"x9"

Threesome....

2009-09-20T11:19:00.004+05:30

Water color painting of Poppies, we artists just love them! The shape, the colors -- aren't they beautiful!...... Pity that I overdid the background to death, here! Hopefully, next time I would know where I am going!....
Water color on cold pressed paper, A3 size.

Hues

2009-09-14T12:29:00.003+05:30

This is again a semi abstract style of painting with lots of colors and hues ( I like it that way!) I intend to put it on my room's wall...These are watercolors, by the way, but I used them with less water, making textures like I would do with acrylics...However, I used a bit of white acrylic in some places.
14"X12" watercolors on cold pressed paper 140 lb.