Happy Anniversary and Happy New Year 2010!

Happy anniversary to my blog.When I uploaded the first post a year back, I wasn't really sure how far I would go with my painting. But its been a very fulfilling year. The thrill of painting a canvas and then the excitement of hosting it on the blog kept me going. Without this blog, I would not have learnt about the subject of Art. It helped me connect to other people in the art world and also to other blogs.All in all, its been a great learning experience!Here's wishing a Very Happy New Year 2010 to all who visit my blog and also to another year of great painting to myself!

Trapped! Oil- 8 x 10 cm

This painting is based on the life of a friend of mine.Is it better outside..or is it better to be trapped inside.? The plight of many an Indian woman!

A composition

"Through happy or sad times
Through stress or strife
Find bliss and solace
In The Colours Of Life"


These lines are composed for my blog by my friend and Ex-Colleague Ajoy. He has his own blog on humourous four liners .Well thanks Ajoy..you said it right!Please follow the following link www.sublimerhyme.wordpress.com

Konkan green-Oil on canvas-18" x 20"

This is painted from a snap of the Konkan, given by a friend of mine.

Kakinada- watercolour

On one my recent work trips to Kakinada, a small town in Andhra Paradesh...the place was looking very beautiful. The air was fresh, and the coconut trees were lush and the paddy fields were green. I cannot do justice to the natural beauty of the place in my painting, but this is a representation of the scenes I saw . Water colours are not my scene...but they at least help me recreate quick paintings of things and places I connect to artistically.The huts are very different, made out of dried coconut and palm leaves .

" Field day "- water colour

My mind is seeking quieter "pastures".I painted this today from memory.I pass these paddy fields on the way to work . I saw something exactly like this today , on the way from my office bus. It was such a stark contrast to the busy traffic on the highway parallel to these fields. I don't know where my painting will lead me but as of now, it has surely become a weapon against stress! My own Yoga substitute!

Lake- break

Nothing as serene as a lake of water to quieten the mind.Took a break from an eventful evening by painting this

Wall of fame-water colour

These days am painting to kill stress. This is inspired by a wall of Bougainvillea flowers I pass by on my way to work .

Sketches

I did these two sketches today (copies from newspaper photos) today. I enjoyed the experience and feel relaxed now. Art is meditative!

"Village visions"- water colour practice

Am facing two challenges with water colours..A) Am not not able to get the vibrancy in colours

B) Am not able to blend and make colours "wash" into each other naturally...But try and try till you succeed is my motto!

" Lonely at the top" Water Colour Practice

Water colour painting is Tough!

Seasoned out

This is a water colour painting I made out of memory , of a tree I pass every day while going to work. The tree has seen better days and stands out among its other greener friends. Guess Its on its last leg. Nevertheless, it stands tall in its own beauty!

Random reflections

dAnother one of my attempts at water colours...out of imagination.guess I'll have to do a few more to get a hang of the technique!

"Two Souls"- practice water colours

I have been trying to read up a bit on art and different mediums. Water colours is a different ball game all together.This is a water colour painting I tried to do out of imagination. The challenge is in trying to get the act together at one go...so unlike the oils I am used to doing. But this was a real nice experience. I guess , I got lost while trying to blend the colours as well while drawing the shrubs on the right hand side.

Practice Water Colour

This is a copy of an original, which was in oil.Trying to get a hang of water colours . However, I couldn't get the technique right I guess. My close friend, who is a violin artist herself took it to frame and hang it in her music room

WaterColour practice

This post is kind of emotional. A close friend of mine, who has been through my ups and downs, empathises with my interest for art and constant struggle to make time for it and learn more. This Dussehra (Indian festival), I got a huge art book home delivered from this friend, with Saraswati (Indian Goddess of Learning and arts) Puja (Indian religious ritual) done on it and encouraging compliments wishing me a future of great art!I was touched beyond words. The book is named " Women Artists", by Margaret Barlow.It comprises works of women artists over the world. This is a practice water painting done from one of the paintings from the book by Katherine Cameron.Water colour is a new medium for me and I am trying to learn the nuances. I must say this was a really really tough painting.

Fisherman's boat -Oil on canvas..20 cm x 25 cm

This is a painting of a fisherman's boat, in a stage of dismantle near Madh Island beach. It seemed this boat was getting constructed for fishing and was tied to shape with various ropes . I am not sure if I am done with this painting. Will wait for a few days and see if I need to make some more touches to enhance the effect.

Sai Baba

This is an acryllic on Oil Paper that I made for my Mom, who is his devotee.I am not familiar with acryllic paints. However, I am fast realising that it is good for quick paintings, though nothing can beat the authenticity of oils.

Banyan Tree in building-Acrylic on paper

This Banyan tree stands right in the middle of the front portion of our building. I love its refreshing greens. Creepers fall out like fronds of hair , as if trying to rush out of place, just in time to be held back by the big tree itself!This is a free hand brush sketch with acrylic on paper.

Daily free hand painting

Acrylic Colours

Ferry on the beach -18''x20'' -Oil on Stretched Canvas

This is a small ferry which was parked on the Ferry ghat of one of the beaches in Mumbai. It was freshly painted, left out in the sun to dry. The small garland of Marigolds hung from one corner, signifying that the auspicious Puja was over, and the boat was ready for sailing!This painting was one of my toughest works till now.I had painted this from a snap that I had clicked and wasn't sure what to phase out and what to keep in the painting.Ultimately this is what I have.

Some daily free hand brush sketches

The first one is done with acrylic paints, the second with brush using acrylic paints and the third is a crayon sketch.

Daily Free hand paintings

Over the months I have fallen into the routine of doing some kind of art everyday.I mean I may be doing something a little involving with oil, but on the side, I have started doing a sketch everyday with some other medium. Currently, am working on an oil of a boat parked on a beach and its been pretty tedious. I did these two free hand paintings with acrylic & ceramic paints.The first one is a bench outside my building where the ladies mostly sit and gossip.I love sitting there but mostly miss out on it due to my work timings.however, I do retreat sometimes late evening when i wanna switch off from the world.I just love the benches with the creepers on the walls behind.The second is a view from my balcony of a car parked under a huge tree.

Birthday Bouquet

These flowers were given to me as a Birthday celebration held in office.I put the flowers in a vase and painted them with ceramic paints.However, more than that this painting is special because firstly, it gave me a lot of pleasure while I was painting it and then I gifted it to an artist friend of mine as a token.

Balance

A water colour sketch ..preparing Rahi for an art competetion

Flower Power- Single blooms

Sunflower, Dahlia and Hibiscus. The hibiscus needs some finishing touches. Waiting for the weekend.

Pansies in a vase

Happy Couple Sketches

Happy Couple Sketches

Painter's Block

Got a new canvas on my easel but am looking for something inspiring to click. Looking for the right thing but somehow not being able to zero down on something which really gives me the pleasure of having put it onto the canvas. I was looking through all my paintings. I realise I haven't painted any of couples. Thats' what am going to try tomorrow...a painting of a couple!Oh am excited now.

Pensive

Her

Reflection

Rahi & Me

2nd cut.Will need a final touch

Rahi & Me

An attempt at drawing a portrait of Rahi and me.This is the first cut. Planning to give a few finishing touches

House in the woods

Incomplete_ Day on the beach

I began this with great passion but got horribly stuck in the middle. Giving it some rest now. Will work on it after some days to see how I can rectify it.

Confused sky-A view from my balcony

Is it going to rain? is it not?
The sky was fooling us every day for the past few days. This a view from my balcony at 6 o' clock in the morning on 12th June 2009.Finished it by 6. 30 am. I had given an alarm on my phone so I could wake up and paint it . There's a hint of blue, a hint of dark cloud, and also a pale hint of yellow creeping in, as if saying, hey..the sun's on its way!

Village Belle Sketch

I used OIl pastels to make this quick sketch on art paper. I think I should do a few more sketches of portraits to up my learning curve

TRying my hand at Water Painting

Just tried the first water painting of my life. Borrowed Rahi's paints and brushes and made this painting