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".

Fun with Portraits...

I love doing portraits. I have been trying different paintings lately and felt like doing a portrait. It's just that feel for it that made me do this one. I feel like I am home when I do portraits; don't know why.

It's an enjoyable experience watching the natural flow of colors into the water onto the paper...and portraits is always fun ;)

Happy Painting!

Materials 

Mediums: Watercolors
Surface: Strathmore Watercolor Paper 400 Series, 140lb 300 g/m2
Size: 8" x 10" (21 cm x 26 cm)

Paints: Grumbacher - Violet, Winsor & Newton - Cotman Turquoise Aquarelle, Cobalt blue, Cadmium orange, Light red

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

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

Proud of you Sachin...

Sachin created an unforgettable era in the world of Cricket.

The entire nation of India is proud of him.

Hats off to this Master Blaster!

In remembrance,

I do celebrate this moment

with this sketch

as

A Tribute to Sachin!

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

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"

Old Fashioned Portrait...

It's been awhile since I did a portrait. I love working in Black and White. This is just a simple attempt of an Old style Black and White Portrait with only black watercolor paint on a paper which is not even good for a  watercolor painting.

 Materials 

Surface: Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper 

Paints: Grumbacher - Academy Ivory black

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

Mediums: Water

Size: 11" x 14" (27.9 cm x 35.6 cm)

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)

Logo for a Lego League...

It's this year's Robotics season with Kids again. Once again, we decided to have our own group T-Shirts with our own Logo for this years Kids' First lego League (FLL) Challenge. This year's FLL challenge is Nature's Fury. The idea that I depicted in this logo is a Robot protecting a house during a storm. Initially, I did another idea very similar to this but with Robot arms around the house. But, with kids suggestion I changed it to a Robot holding a sword and a shield, indicating that it is ready to fight any force that tries to destroy the house. Kids always have innovative ideas ;)

Of course, Category 6 is our Team's name and Masters of Disasters is the tag line chosen by kids.

I also did one for our team at last year's FLL Senior Solutions Challenge. Check it out in the Gallery.

Media: Ink Pen on paper (8" x 11")

Keep Sharpening your Skills...

Everyone has some skill or other. Some recognize it early and take it as their profession; they are the ones who truly enjoy their profession and take their skill to new levels to put themselves on the top. Others keep it as a hobby, using once in a while, dreaming in their little hobby world, and using their skill when they feel like or when some kind of inspiration suddenly strikes them. Knowingly or unknowingly these are the people who don't know how to sharpen their skills like professionals do.

Like in life- there is no substitute for hard work, in Arts- there is no substitute for practice. I have been trying to follow lately "The Best Ever Advice" for hobbyists by the most admired Telugu Artist Sri Bapu. When asked for an advice, he always says...keep drawing everything you see around you, make paper cuttings of pictures you come across in newspapers, keep those cuttings and make an album of  your reference for drawings and illustrations, and more than anything practice, practice and practice. What more one can do other than this to sharpen skills?

Life never gives what we want. It only gives what it had already decided to give. "I don't have time for doing it", we all hear this everyday from many. That's very true, we don't have time for doing anything that we truly want to do. That's how life always goes on. But, if we won't do it, we don't know what we are capable of doing. Even if we do it once in a while, we don't know if we need to improve it any further, and we end up there thinking- that's all I can do. No...one can always do more and can always do even better. One should keep on doing it, practicing it more and more and more. Take practice as a never-ending journey. One day when we look back where and how we started, sure- we get surprised with how sharp our skills have become.

Lately, I have started sharpening my drawing skills by putting them into a constant practice-- an essential foundation in Art. I started to use my daily morning and evening commute time for doing it. With this I don't need to keep any special time aside, it is already set aside for me.

Now, I can say, I found what I wanted, within what life had decided and had given me. No more complaints and no more saying "I don't have time for sharpening my skills" ;) I would rather prefer saying to myself, " I should always find time..."

It's your skill. Keep sharpening it!
Happy sketching ;)

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

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 ;)