Peacock...

Watercolors on Paper 10" x 12"   

Sometimes, Painting is very frustrating and painful. I am trying to convince and compromise myself with this Paper Arches that I bought in bulk. It's not my friendly paper. I put this back in my todo list for an Oil Painting. :(

"Frustration, although quite painful at times, is a very positive and essential part of success."

~ Bo Bennett

Details 

Inspiration: My Todo list

Mediums: Watercolors

Size: 10" x 12" (25 cm x 30 cm)

Surface: Arches Watercolor Paper, Cold Press, 140 LB

Lonely Bird...

Lonely Bird - GIFTED

An unplanned and casual Painting of a Lonely Bird.

Practice never goes waste...keep practicing!

Happy Painting!

Details

Mediums: Watercolors
Title: Lonely Bird
Category: Nature- Birds
Inspiration:

Size: 12" x 18" (30 cm x 46 cm)

Toolkit
Surface: Arches Watercolor Block, smooth surface, 140 lb Cold Press,

Paints: All colors form my Palette

Brushes: Da Vinci Kolinsky Round Size 1, 3 and 5

Baby Chick...

Baby Chick

A quick one-hour watercolor painting. Keep Practicing!

Happy Painting! ;)

Details

Title: Baby Chick
Category: Nature
Mediums: Watercolors
Inspiration: A photograph

Size: 11" x 15" (28 cm x 38 cm)

Toolkit
Surface: Saunders Watercolor Paper Rough, 140 lb Cold Press

Paints: Winsor & Newton Cadmium Lemon, Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Violet and Neutral Tint

Singing of Colors...

Singing Birds

Gifted

Every painting is nothing but an experience of a series of brush strokes. When I started watercolor painting an year ago, I was bit tight on holding the brush and used to have my face even very close to the paper. Some Artists would call it- Painting with the Nose. I still do that little bit when I get to the details of certain portions of the painting. But majority of my paintings these days are done very loosely. Painting with freedom is more important, and then only, one can truly experience the Joy of Painting.

This Singing Birds is based on a photograph that I came across recently. To me, the birds look like they are singing in joy. I added my own singing of colors to the painting around the joyfully singing birds.

Sing along with the colors while painting, it makes it a joyful and enjoyable experience.

Enjoy Painting and Keep Practicing ;)

Details

Mediums: Watercolors
Title: Singing Birds
Category: Nature
Inspiration: A photograph by Debashis Das on Facebook

Size: 15" x 22" (38 cm x 55 cm)

Toolkit
Surface: Saunders Watercolor Paper Rough, 140 lb Cold Press

Paints: Winsor & Newton Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Violet, Neutral Tint

Brushes: Da Vinci Kolinsky Round Size 1, 3 and Raphail 8

On the Top...

On the Top

Keep Painting and Keep Practicing ;)

Details

Mediums: Watercolors
Title: On the Top
Category: Nature
Inspiration: A photograph came across on Facebook

Size: 11" x 15" (28 cm x 38 cm)

Toolkit
Surface: Saunders Watercolor Paper Rough, 140 lb Cold Press

Paints: Winsor & Newton Burnt Sienna, Opera Rose, Ultramarine Violet, Cobalt Blue, Hookers Green and Olive Green

Brushes: Da Vinci Kolinsky Round Size 1, 3 and 5

Heartful Goodbye to an Artful year - 2013…

Yet, another year has gone by and as the year 2013 soon becoming "the past", I look back into it recollecting all my (he)artful memories of this year.

The year for me started with Art, working with a small group of Indian Artists (Kalakruti MA) in and around our town, Sharon and preparing for the BigHelp Pongal-Republic Day celebrations. I can’t forget how much of a fun it was for us choosing our own Art works for display at this event. Also, the moments of- all the brain-storming, planning, discussions and preparations that we had gone through for getting our Art works turned into bookmarks, coasters and greeting-cards for sale at the event in raising funds for BigHelp- are still fresh in my heart. In addition, it was a delightful and challenging experience at the event to be part of the Judges Panel, judging Kids’ Art works.

Also, this is the year I started blogging on my Arts again, by posting the very special Art work that I did specially for the BigHelp event.

Much of my commuting-time to work was very well spent, sitting on the train with my heads down and sketching in my sketchbook. I had even finished a whole sketchbook and started a new one. Gone were the very few days with me not opening my sketchbook. Back home after work, I even spent many pleasant evenings, sitting on our deck and coloring some of the sketches I had done on the train. Many times, I felt like- "I found my way of finding time for Art, no more regrets!"

I continued the tradition that I adopted few years ago, the tradition of making Lord Ganesha out of a clay block for the festival "Vinayaka Chavithi". Of course, it only got better, year after year.

Besides those Art works that I did for myself, I designed a Logo for my kids Robotics team, second year in a row. I also did few art works for a friend of mine for his science research paper on DNA, soon to be published.

Friends, Artist-friends of Kalakruti MA, Sharon Public Library, Books, Art magazines, Nature and Face book have all been the sources of inspirations for me.

The year 2013, is another year that I remember as a year that took me into Arts and filled my (he)art with many unforgettable memories.

By remembering all the fine moments, truly spent with my "soul", I say my heartfelt "Goodbye to an Artful Year, 2013".

Learn from failures...

Peacock

Gifted

Not every attempt to paint will be a success. Sometimes, we have to paint for the bin too. The ones that end up in the bin are the ones that we learn the most from.

After a couple of my recent attempts ended up in the bin, this one has managed to stay out. Of course, every attempt is a learning; success or failure.

Peacock has been in my wish-list for a long time. More attempts of this beautiful bird are yet to come in coming years...

Happy painting ;)

 Materials 

Title: Peacock
Mediums: Watercolors
Surface: Arches Watercolor Paper 12" x 16" (30 cm x 40 cm)

Paints: Grumbacher - Cadmium Yellow, Violet, Winsor & Newton - Cotman Turquoise Aquarelle, Cobalt blue

Brushes: 10 round sable, 00 synthetic Winsor & Newton, and 000 Sable synthetic blend

F(ol)lowing through Colors...

Rooster - Watercolors on Paper

TAKEN: $175

When harmony and rhythm flows through colors, a beautiful Painting starts taking shape. Oftentimes, I decide what to do, well in advance, when it comes to painting. But today has been different; I didn't know what to start, but I felt like doing some painting in watercolors. My mind started flashing through my long-pending wish-list of items. The weaver bird that I did recently came to my mind taking me again back to my childhood days. Suddenly, I felt like doing another bird. There comes my Rooster, Yes...My Rooster...my own childhood pet that grew in my hands which I used to take care of when I was 6 years old.

There is always something learning in everything we do. This is one of the paintings that I fully enjoyed in recent times, playing with colors as they were flowing on the paper. I was creating ways for colors to flow easily and even following through the flow with brushes, finding the rhythm and harmony in colors.

In music, the outcome of following harmony and rhythm of musical notes could be a melody. In painting, the outcome of f(ol)lowing through the harmony and rhythm of colors is a beautiful piece of life-long satisfaction.

Happy Painting ;)

 Materials 

Surface: Strathmore Watercolor Paper 140lb/300gsm; Stretched
Technique: Wet on wet

Paints: Grumbacher - Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, Grumbacher Academy - Cadmium Red, Winsor & Newton Series 1A Blue 654, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Grubacher Academy Violet (Thalo Purple)

Brushes: 10 round sable, 00 synthetic Winsor & Newton, and 000 Sable synthetic blend

Mediums: water

Size: 11" x 14"

Nature's ho-NEST-y...

There is no wonder greater than Nature in the universe. It's always pure, honest and beautiful! Art is nothing but a creation of natural things around us in some form or other with Artist's ideas added to it.

Birds are such an innocent creatures on the earth and their feelings always symbolize honesty and innocence. A beautiful landscape painting is never complete without having birds in it. Birds naturally belong in nature.

Weaver Bird's Nest has been one of the things in my wish-list of sketches/paintings. In my childhood, I used to very closely observe the nests that these birds weave and build on the Toddy palm trees seen all over the rice fields in my village Damaramadugu in Nellore, AP, India. Every nest that I could touch with my hands was a wonder to me, wondering how nicely and patiently those birds would go around in search of a little grass strip and bring it back to weave it into the nest. Some nests used to have multiple chambers ranging from one to four. I used to think the nests that have more chambers have more children. Also, by noticing the progress of those nests day after day, I always used to wonder- if a human ever had to weave such a nest, how long would it take.

I tried to recall and recollect my childhood memories from my Heart into my Art through this "Nest of a Weaver Bird" sketch.

Now, honestly- I can say, I have experienced the patience of Building a Nest in my (He)art. ;)

Title: Nest of a Weaver Bird
Media: Pen (Uni-ball Deluxe Micro Pen), Ink and Watercolors
Surface: Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper 11" x 17" (27.9 cm x 43.2 cm)

Two birds in one shot...

Birds are such a pretty little creatures with beautiful colors. It is almost impossible to make any beautiful landscape painting or take a perfect picture of nature without having birds in it.

Birds have been in my wish list of dream paintings for many years and will remain in the list for many more years to come. Sometimes, unexpected things strike the inspiration to paint. The two little picture frames that we bought a while ago and simply have been lying around unopened, inspired me to do two little birds just right for that size. Thus these two cute birds in one shot were born; not killed ;)

 Materials 

Surface: Winsor & Newton Cotman 140lb/300gsm water Color paper

Paints: Burnt Sienna (Rowney Georgian), Grumbacher - Violet, Cadmium Yellow, Winsor & Newton - Cotman Turquoise, Sap Green, Cobalt blue, 

Brushes: 10 round sable, 00 synthetic Winsor & Newton, and 000 Jaina synthetic

Mediums: water

Size: 4" x 6"

Telugu Version

ఒకే దెబ్బకు రెండు పిట్టలు

పక్షులు అందమైన రంగుల్లో మనకి కనిపించే చిన్ని చిన్ని మూగ జీవాలు.  పక్షులు లేని ప్రకృతి ని ఒక మంచి పెయింటింగ్ లోనో లేదా ఒక చక్కన ఛాయా చిత్రంలోనో బంధించాలంటే కష్టతరమే.

ఎంతో కాలంగా పక్షులు నేను వేయాలనుకున్న పెయింటింగ్ లిస్ట్ లో ఉండిపోయాయి, ఇంకా ఎంతో కాలంగా ఉంటూనే ఉంటాయి. ఒక్కొకసారి ఊహించనివి కొన్ని స్ఫూర్తిని కలిగిస్తుంటాయి. ఎప్పుడో కొన్నా ఓపన్ చెయ్యని ఈ రెండు ఫొటో ఫ్రేములూ ఈ రెండు పక్షులని వెయ్యటానికి స్ఫూర్తి అయ్యాయి. అలా ఒకే దెబ్బకు ముద్దులొలికే ఈ రెండు పిట్టలు పుట్టాయి, కొట్టాను అననివ్వకుండా ;)

Sketching - Animals and Birds...

Sketching Animals and Birds is somewhat easier than sketching human beings as there is more room for errors. Some errors can easily be corrected or adjusted without any noticeable differences on the overall sketch.

As they can't show many feelings in their faces like humans, their gesture and action show their feelings instead. The Bird in the middle looks more relaxed than the Zebra or Monkey. Flamingos in flight, the walking Dog and the hanging Tree Frog, Swan...all their actions show their feelings.

Here is today's page in my sketchbook, I tried to capture some of their feelings.

Media: Pen (Pilot PRECISE V5 Rolling Ball - extra fine) and Ink on Paper (6" x 8")