Just shake those off...

Each day takes us through many moods: good and bad, happy and sad, best and worst, bright and gloomy... Good, best, happy and bright moods don't need any special care. They are just so special and they take care of themselves. The other face of the moods are those that need some special care. If we get stuck with those that need a special care, with giving no care, the day gets ruined. Any day gone bad is mere waste of precious time of a short-life.

One should shake those off when caught up in such bad moods. I am glad that I have my sketch book and a pen as my best companions and meditation tools; that go with me and are with me all the time. A 25 minute heads-down soul-meditation in my sketch book certainly turns my any given gloomy day into a bright one.

A day gone with not letting one to do what one wants to do is like a day never given at all.

Media: Pen (Uni-ball Deluxe Micro Pen), Ink and Watercolors on paper (8" x 11")

Making Deers with Palm Tree Leaves...

I am glad that I took a walk around the Santa Clara Convention Center after a 3 long days of SpringOne 2GX Conference. It was so beautiful, the weather was so nice and I couldn't lock myself boringly indoors in my Hotel room doing nothing but watching TV.

As I was walking, enjoying the nice sunny beautiful afternoon, there were couple of short palm trees close to the side walk. I had a Ha-Ha moment reaching those trees. I plucked few leaves.

It's been several years since I made a deer with leaves like this. What a perfect afternoon to relax!

I came back to the hotel room with a bunch of leaves and went back to my childhood days thinking of my Dad from whom I learned this art of "Making Deer". Actually, I only had observed him making this many times for me but never actually learnt how to make it. One fine evening he started showing me how to make it and I only learned the back legs portion of it. Then I had to run to play as my friends started calling me from outside.

Palm Tree 

I never got a chance to complete the remaining of my learning. I only attempted to do it after my Dad passed away. To my surprise, I could do it in my first attempt and then made it several times.

In India we used to make it with the leaves of Dates trees.

It's been so many years since I made one and first time in U.S, I found a leaf that is similar to Date Tree leaf and my Ha-Ha moment came in for me.

You just need 2 leaves to change those into a deer.

Stage-1
Two leaves (peeled into half)

 Stage-1 

  Make the leaves into half vertically; it's easy using the thumb nail.

Stage 2

 Stage-2 

 Again vertically, make each into half, keeping the bottom part connected.

Stage

 Stage-3 

Stage 4

 Connect them as shown.

 Stage-4 

 Start weaving both.

Stage 5

 Stage-5

 Continue as shown.

All Done

Done

My New Pal(ette)...

I have a new Pal now that I am going to spend my holy hours with; My brand new Palette for Watercolors.

I never knew anything about setting up a palette, or even color wheel that (m)any Art Book explains in the very first chapter itself. I always used to squeeze some paints from the tubes that I wanted to use for my Painting and then used to mix them here and there on the Palette and start Painting. Lately, I learned that many professional Artists have their Palettes setup and loaded with colors in a particular order that they prefer.

I organized and loaded my Palette with colors, ordered in some way; at least, all warms together and cools together, if not the perfect order.

The following is the order I preferred:

TOP - Left to Right 

Grumbacher Academy Artist's - Light Red (English Red)
Rowney Georgian - Burnt Sienna
Winsor & Newton Series 1 - Raw Sienna
Grumbacher Academy - Cadmium Red
Winsor & Newton Cotman Series 1 - Cadmium Orange Hue
Grumbacher Academy - Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue
Winsor & Newton Cotman Series 1 - Sap Green
Winsor & Newton Cotman Series 1A - 654 (no name of this color on the tube; surprising ...)

BOTTOM - Left to Right 

Grumbacher Academy - Violet (Thalo purple)
Grumbacher Academy - Cobalt Blue Hue
Rowney Georgian - Prussian Blue
Rowney Georgian - Ultra Marine Blue

MIDDLE 

Grumbacher Academy - Chinese White

I had no place for white, I stopped using white anyway after learning that the paper itself gives natural and better white for watercolors. Of course, also learned that there is no need for Black and hence Black has no place at all and I am not going to use it anyway.

So, is it right if I call it now - My perfect Palette?
Ha has...I don't know ;)
We will see what Beautiful Paintings my new Pal takes me into ;)