Another World _ Landscape in Watercolor

I could have called it "A Figment of My Imagination" also!Its a small landscape, my baby steps- you could say. I started with the sky.Then added the horizon line and a little house with some green dropped in wet in wet. As I worked the horizontal line turned into a nice slope, makes it all more interesting.What do you think?
Watercolor 10"x7"

Watercolor Answers

Yesterday's visit to local library proved exceptionally fruitful...I was in a hurry and picked two watercolor books randomly'without even looking at the contents. But later that evening when I started flipping pages of  "The Watercolor Answer Book" by seasoned artist Catherine Anderson , I couldn't put it down before I finished reading every chapter.

Usually I am not a big fan of books as learning source, they are just the step-by-step demonstration of how an artist arrived at a particular result...but this book was different.It was like- a real person was answering all your question and clearing your doubts.This was a 1999 addition, I am sure she must have written more by now.I have to look.But I must confess that her book inspired me enough to try my hand at landscapes- I have been petrified of them-not knowing how to approach the subject.Lets hope something good comes out of this.
Working on a commissioned painting.A friend in Basingstoke has asked me to paint her husband with her two twin boys as a birthday gift.Its coming along well ; I believe I can share it with you tomorrow ( she is not a follower of my blog, so there should not be any issues!)
Have a lovely day, all of you!

Dusk and Dawn

"Dusk and Dawn"

Watercolor on 300 gsm watercolor paper

14"x10"

Last evening's work.Horses are such magnificent animals- powerful, yet gentle; a joy to paint.

Deer, Deer....

"Deer,Deer"

14"x10"

Watercolor on cold pressed watercolor paper

More splashing of colors...

Little Lamb

"Little Lamb"

12"x9"

watercolor on paper

A happy little lamb...hope you like him!

Buying Ice Cream

"Buying Ice Cream"

Pencil on Smooth Paper

12"x16"

Last evening I completed this pencil piece.The picture is not that great because of overcast skies here, I hope you can see the details.I will try to take another picture which shows the details later....
Have a great Sunday.

Manu _ Revisited

I have been into 'experiment mode' lately.Usually I like my watercolors to be quick and spontaneous, but I was wondering if I was missing something. May be working more patiently and with layers would produce better results? So I gave it a try.Susan Harrison does realistic watercolors and she suggests a method that involves working in sections and 'priming' the paper every time."Priming' here means giving a double wash of clear water everytime you put a color wash in an area.Then letting the paper dry completely before putting colors in it again..Well the task was daunting to me, being an impatient one, but I wanted to see if the colors are absorbed more in this way, as Susan suggests.
I found out that going the whole way was not possible for me as I lost patience after putting two washes on her face.Than I reverted back to my own style to create details in her face, wet in wet.I painted the hair in my style, in one go, combining wet and dry brush.
Results? The colors do get absorbed more of you prime the paper again and again.It wont be lifted easily.But really I can't wait for the paper to dry after every wash! I think its better to combine both methods and create a new one :)
This is my niece Manu, an old photo of her.I have painted it before; even made a pencil portrait of it.But she is so beautiful,I am never tired of painting her!
Watercolor 14"x10"

On My Drawing Board

This is a complex piece which has been sitting on my drawing board since last week.In fact I think I have already put in about 8-10 hours on it and its still 40-45% complete!
It was a picture that I had taken in the local park's ice cream kiosk on one of the Sundays last month.This group of four boys huddled together near the stall, deciding which ice creams to buy- they looked so cute, I immediately knew it would make a great painting....but since the kiosk was under a shade , painting this scene in watercolors did not look promising...so I compromised on a drawing.
I have not been doing much pencil work lately - prime reason being the issue of 'creativity'.Is creating a sketch from a reference photo can be called "art"? I can't decide.When I looks at the works of some really good pencil artists, it does excite! But I do get disheartened when people say 'well ..its good, but its not original art '!
Well I am doing it because I love doing it - is that reason enough? :)
Graphite pencil on smooth paper A3 size

Different Strokes

 A lazy weekend......it was raining outside so we all just lazed around.Both guys being home, not much scope for my painting.But Arjun had a project involving art and he hates to draw - so the drawing part was outsourced to me while he did the coloring , eventually :) We made a Totem Pole for his RE class project.
Here he poses proudly with his Totem....

 I painted this piece on Friday, though. Wanted to paint  a woman with a hat, so here it goes...not much detail, all rounded up within an hour!

Brian

This is a watercolor portrait of Brian.Brian is no more in this world, sadly; having passed away some six years ago at the age of just 22.His mom Kim commissioned his portrait after seeing the kids' portrait I recently did for my dear  friend Sherry,as they both work together.
I have shipped the portrait today and hope that Kim feels at peace to see her beloved son looking down at her whenever she looks at this.

Anita RIP

Yesterday I came to hear the sad news that Anita, the wife of an old colleague and friend, passed away on last Friday due to cancer.She was my age and had two kids.My heart goes out to her family and makes me ponder over the fragility of life.... I met her about 18 years ago when  life was just beginning for us. Her husband was my colleague and we were neighbors too.I had made a pencil portrait of her back then -she loved it and had kept it with her for all these years.
Yesterday her husband wrote to me and requested to make another portrait of her for him.I feel honored to do this portrait of a beautiful woman, a mother and a wife.Goodbye, Anita.

Everyday Art_7

Some more play with color.
I know, this cockerel looks like Jean Hainse cockerels.I must say I like her work and I like to paint in the same way! But this was not an intended copy; I was using my imagination and this happened :)
Watercolor on paper A4 size

Sydney

Some more practice...this is Sydney- the beautiful little daughter of my husband's friend; looking happy as she sits in her pillow bunker surrounded by countless pillows!.. Incidentally, Sydney is expecting a baby brother very soon, and I will be having a new model - depends on whether her mom likes this portrait !
Watercolour on paper, 14"x10"

Mates

 "Mates" completed.But as I said earlier, I don't know if its better or worse :) I let the first layer dry for a day before working more all over the painting.It was scary... I was afraid of spoiling it all, yet I wanted to finish it.
So, here it is- a bit darker than I would have liked but not bad...what do you think?
Watercolor on 14"x10" paper block

Mates WIP

The painting I have been working on recently.Horses are my second favorite subject after people.I guess it because of huge possibilities and potential.One can dabble endlessly on them and they still look good!:)
I am not sure if this painting will go for better or worse from here.....wait and see!
Watercolor on 14"x10" cold pressed Langton Block. I liked these gummed pads as they provide ready to use surface, without any fuss of stretching the paper first.

Demure ...again

  A print of this pencil sketch was sold yesterday on Fine Art America! This piece is among my most liked artworks...but the credit also goes to the photographer ( Mr. Mostafa Moftah)on whose image it was based.I loved this shot and Mr Moftah was very kind to allow me to use this for my sketching practice!I had no idea at that time that it was going to be popular in itself one day.I hope he doesn't mind now  :)

Out of Shadows

Another painting in my favorite colors..I was just pushing paint on paper when the face started to emerge.I followed it and the result is now for you all to see.'Wet in wet' technique used here.

ArtEveryday_6

I know I am very much off-target! No paintings in whole week that has gone by.Actually I did some dabbling but nothing was good enough to post.Plus I had an animation assignment which took up most of my time.The quick watercolor sketch above is of Adora.I can call it a commissioned portrait as her father asked to me to do it for her blog .He got her at the age of 56 and now he has devoted and entire blog to put her daily portraits done by various artists in their individual styles! You can check out this blog to get the whole story!my theme was 'Adora in Indian Saree' and the dad likes it very much!He will be posting is soon.
So this is my work of yesterday, now I am going to splash some paint again ( having spent a small fortune on my art supplies this morning)
Have a great weekend, you all....

Art Everyday_5

Today's work.I have tried to work out  what color goes well with the greens! Added some textures by using plastic wraps .......guess I still have to work on losing the hard edges.
Watercolor on paper 12"x9"

Failed Attempts

No paintings to post today..I have painted many, but all went into the bin! The day is so Gray and overcast, it has been raining for a whole month- it has really dampened my spirits :(
I am expecting some output tomorrow.........