Arjun

Arjun, Charcoal on Paper, (12" x 11")

I did this charcoal sketch of a friend's son from one of his photographs. This is my first serious sketch in charcoal and I realised that its a mistake to expect charcoal to behave like pencil. Its just not possible to erase it once it gets too dark. Anyways, Arjun's dad loved it.

I hope to do more charcoals in future. All critques and suggestions are most welcome.

Outdoor sketching on Second Mondays

I feel so lucky on the second Monday of every month as the whole world goes to their work except me, because we have second mondays off!(weird isn't it?) But I guess this is more than compensated by having to work on every Saturday.

Old Timers, Pencil on Paper, (6" x 9")

The  problem of my old blog address can now be sorted out finally. Artist friends Crystal Cook and  A. Decker have informed me that the simplest way to set things right would be for every follower of my blog to just delete the old blog in their blog list and then go to http://www.pencilsandbrushes.blogspot.com/ and follow it afresh. Thank you Crystal and A. Decker.

I shall be more thoughtful in the future and avoid such mistakes as changing my blog address in a fit. My apologies for the inconvenience I have caused.

Thank you all for reading.

Outdoor Sketches

Every time  I find watercolour becoming a little difficult I go back to some intensive outdoor sketching to gain confidence.

But somehow, I get complacent easily and quickly and then I want to create only finished work and tend to ignore exercises like making small studies and sketches. I feel the real hurdle for me is the discipline required to keep sketching continually and incessantly. This is not easy to do for someone like me, but luckily there are people like Adebanji Alade who can inspire anyone with the way they sketch and practise.

Thanks to everyone out there who have inspired me and continue to do so withe their art.

Kokan, Pencil on Paper, (6" x 9")

Abandoned, Pencil on Paper, (6" x 9")

Railway Colony III, Pencil on Paper, (6" x 9")

Sunday Sketching in Railway Colony!

Railway Colony Quarters I, Pencil on Cartridge Paper, (8" x 12")

Railway Colony Quarters II, Pencil on Cartridge Paper, (8" x 12")

I have been working on an oil painting for nearly a week now and its still not complete. So I had nothing to post of late. Today morning I felt like doing some outdoor sketching. I did these sketches in Railway Colony, one of my favourite places for sketching and plein air work in Hyderabad. 

It was so refreshing to do these sketches. I just love to do pencil on paper..... no hassles and endless pleasure! What do you think?

All comments and critiques are most welcome. I will be posting the oil painting as soon as it is finished.

Thanks for stopping by.

"Sense and Sensibility" and a Small Sketch

I have long been a fan of the 1995 movie "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. I felt it is the best movie ever. I still feel so, but recently I had the opportunity to see another version of it that has Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield. I think this one ( a TV miniseries by BBC, directed by Andrew Davies) is just as lovely, except of course for the Emma Thompson magic. But nothing to take away from Hattie Morahan who has been just as fabulous. 


I think the world has been deprived of some fine literature because Jane Austen died at the age of 36. I an wathc these movies at least a thousand times and not get bored. Do you guys feel the same way?


Thanks for reading so far. I will leave you with a small sketch I did the other day.

The Violinist, Pencil on Paper, (8" x 8")

Innocence - Pencil on Paper

Innocence, Pencil on Paper (8" x 8")

I love doing pencil sketches once in a while. This is a sketch of a young Indian girl from a rural background.

All comments, suggestions and critiques are most welcome.

Nagpur Station: Monochrome Study

Signalman's Cabin, Watercolour on paper (11" x 15")

Its been some time since I have painted anything. Its been my experience that spending a week away from your brushes can make your watercolour skills completely disown you. I have been really busy lately and so thought I might get back to painting with a monochrome study that will let me concentrate on values without bothering about the colours. 

I have had a fascination with railways and everything associated with it. This was done from aa quick sketch done at Nagpur station while waiting for our train.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Fishing Boat in Telangkhedi

Fishing Boat on Telangkhedi, Watercolour on paper (7" x 15")

I enjoy sketching and spending time on the banks of telangkhedi lake in my hometown, Nagpur. I did this on from one of those sketches. It was a lazy summer afternoon and everything seemed to be still, idle and aimless. Dont know why such things make me nostalgic!

On Western Boulevard, Watercolour (11" x 15")

This is a small watercolour of Cape Town, South Africa, I did using google street view for the Virtual Paintout hosted by Bill Guffey. It was fun to paint thus.I wish I had handled the sky better.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Street in Lonavala

A Street in Lonavala,  Pencil on Paper (3" x 6")

This is a sketch of the lovely town of Lonavala.  Its is a beautiful hilly town in western Maharashtra which is at its best during the monsoons. And I almost forgot the chikkis. This place is also famous for its delicious dry fruit chikkis (a preparation of dry fruit, jaggery, sugar etc.)

Thank you all for stopping by. All comments and critiques are most welcome.

A Street in Port Blair

A Street in Port Blair, Pencil on Paper (6" x 6")

This is a sketch of the lovely town of Port Blair (Andaman) I did from one of the photographs I took during my recent visit. All comments and critiques are most welcome. Thanks for stopping by.

Inspiration and a Few Sketches

All of us know the importance of sketching  in the development of an artist. The work of Adebanji Alade sure stands testimony to this. He sketches on the bus, train, tube and everywhere else that he can find time. Needless to say all this hard work transforms into some marvelous paintings which win him awards and other recognitions regularly. He is a continual inspiration to me and I am sure to many others.

I have travelled about 6000 km by rail in the last 5 days or so on account of my work. Tiresome as it was, I could not do any painting. However, I did manage to make a few quick sketches.

Delhi Railway Station (Pen on Paper)

Handbag (Pen on Paper)

Dr. Ray (Pen on Paper)

Man Resting (Pen on Paper)

Morning in the outskirts of Jhansi (Pencil on Paper)

My feet (Pen on paper), 

these models are always ready to pose for a sketch ;)

All comments and critiques are most welcome. Thanks for dropping by.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Shubha, Pencil on Paper (11" x 7")

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.  Here's wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous new year.

 I have picked up the pencil after a long time today. This is a sketch of my wife, Shubha. I asked her to put on the stole to create that Iranian look. I shall be making a complete painting of hers in the same pose. 

Thank you for dropping by, all comments and suggestions are most welcome.