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.

Morning Mist .... Watercolour

Morning Mist, Watercolour, 14" x 20"

Owing to work and other distractions I haven't been able to paint much lately. I did this one about an year ago. Boats are always such a pleasure to paint in watercolour.

Thanks for dropping by.

Eleanor Dashwood

Eleanor Dashwood, Oil on primed paper (11" x 14")

I love most of the movies based on Jane Austen's novels. "Sense and Sensibility" is my favourite. Emma Thompson was very impressive with the way she played Eleanor Dashwood, my favourite character on film.

I did this painting more than an year ago. I hope I could do justice here.

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Low Tide....SOLD

Low Tide, Watercolour, (11" x 15")

SOLD

I love painting boats in watercolour. I always have problems photographing my paintings. Any advice on this shall be of good use.

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Boats by the beach

Hello everyone!
Wish you all a very happy Diwali. I hope you all have a great time.

I completed this painting from a photograph last evening. I am satisfied with it for certain reasons and not so satisfied for others. I particularly dont like the way I have divided the spaces on the canvas. I am thinking about cropping this one a little bit. But I am not sure about which crop would work best. So I created the following digital images from the photograph of the painting. Please take a look and tell me which one you think is the best crop.

Case 1. No cropping

Case 2

Case 3

Case 4

Case 5

Case 6

Please tell me which one you like best and why. I would love to hear the technicalities or emotional responses that are involved here. It will help to know a thing or two about how artists think.

Thank you so much!

P.S. Any other suggestions or criticisms are also most welcome.

Busy Evening

Busy Evening (8" x 20"), Watercolour

First of all, let me wish very happy Dussehra to everyone. I hope everyone had a great time!


This painting was done from a photograph of a fishing port. I am happy with the overall mood of the painting, although not much with the way the reflections are handled.

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

Finally Selected......

Ganeshnath ( 15" x 11") (Oil on primed paper)

After all this while, I do finally have some news to share with you guys. My painting Ganeshnath has been selected to be displayed at the Indian Royal Academy of Art and Culture's Annual National Juried Exhibition 2010. That is the reason why I am posting it here again.


I have been applying for this competition every year for the last three years. This is the first time my work has been selected. I am absolutely elated about this and am really looking forward to the exhibition. Thank you all for your support and guidance. Best wishes.

More Sketches from the Archives...

Tumsar (Pencil on Cartridge Paper)

Dhantoli (Fountain Pen on Cartridge Paper)

These are a few more old sketches. I particularly  like the second one. Perhaps it the subject of the sketch that draws me to it. This old house used belong to my maternal grandfather's neighbours. Neither the house, nor its inhabitants nor even my grandfather are there anymore, only memories and nostalgia!

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Some more sketches!

Here are a few sketches that I made a couple of years ago at the lovely Railway Station of Lonavala. I dont think I will ever grow tired of this place. 

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

An old 20 minute quickie....

Watercolour (8" x 12")

Lately, I havent been able to paint anything worthwhile. So I am posting an old sketch that I had done a couple of years ago. Please give your comments and suggestions.

Thanks for dropping by.

Travelling Light

Watercolour (15" x 11")

This is one of my old paintings. This is from the time when I used to copy works of established artists with an intention to learn. I dont remember the name of the original artist. I did not bother to note it then. However, today as I remember the quality of the original I have come to hold him/her in high regard.

I gave up copying works of other artist some time ago feeling that it would hamper the development of my individual style. I cant say whether the decision was right or wrong. Please let me know what you think about it and also about this sketch.

Thank you all for dropping by.

Not a care!

"Not a care", Watercolour, (15" x 11")

This is another of my older paintings. I do not thing the green shadow looks convincing. 

Anyways, the subject is so interesting that i felt it still deserves to be posted here. This "old man" can be seen anywhere and everywhere in India. There is of course the ubiquitious "beedi", the only thing he relishes in this whole wide world. At times he likes to give some unwanted advice to people whom he doesnt know. He has no role to play in the scheme of things, except that things would somehow look so incomplete without him. India wont be the same without his dirty dhoti and smelly kurta.

All comments, suggestions and critiques are most welcome.

A few old sketches

Lonavala (Pencil on Cartridge Paper)

Lonavala 2 (Pencil on Cartridge Paper)

Khadki, Pune (Pencil on Cartridge Paper)

Farm near Tumsar (Pencil on Cartridge Paper)

Here are a few sketches from my old sketch books. I love going through these old sketchbooks and ruminating on the good old days.

Unexpected Visitors

Watercolour on Paper (15" x 17")

This was done from a spot sketch I did in the junk yard of the place where I work. This is the not so pleasant side of engineering and technology. This is where all the rusted junk is thrown away and no one comes here, the reason for the title. I love to roam around this place though and feel its romance!

All comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Headed for the River

Oil on Primed Paper (22" x 15")

This old man is walking down the stairs to have a dip in the Ganga for his ablutions and prayers. The reference for this painting is the same as for Ganeshnath.
All comments and critques are welcome.

From the Archives

Kerala (Watercolour on Paper)

This is an old painting which I had done from one of Sujit's photographs. He is as good a photographer as he is a painter. I do not like the way I have handled the stone wall. All comments and suggestions are welcome.

On way to Kerala

Watercolour on paper (11" x 14")

This one was done from one of the many photographs I took on our way to Kerala. It was one tiring journey from Hyderabad to Munnar which consisted of everything from rail travel, air travel and of course the unforgettable road journey from Bangalore to Kerala. However, when we finally reached our destination we were glad that all the effort was nothing compared to the peace, beauty and a sense of being in heaven that awaited us.

I plan to paint many more paintings from these photos. 

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Self portrait

Oil on Paper (14" x 11")

This is a self portrait I did two days ago looking into the mirror. I have been invited to join Arti's blog "Artists of India". This is my first post on the blog.

All comments and suggestions are welcome.

A thousand years of Irish history .....

Watercolour (9" x 4")

In this sweltering Indian summer, its really difficult to get out and paint en plein air. So I have decided to stick to still lives for the time being. Besides, our teacher Mr. Mahurkar used to say that still lives can be a good way to regain your confidence that can be lost due to irregular painting and long breaks.

This is a small sketch of a miniature bottle of "Irish Mist". Its from the collection of a friend who is just crazy about these miniature wine bottles. It took me some effort to get him to lend me one of these bottles for an afternoon of painting. I hope I could do justcie to the beauty and romance of the subject here.
All comments and critiques are most welcome.

P.S. Irish Mist is said to be made according to a thousand year old wine recipe.

Kokan ..... Monochrome in Burnt Umber

Watercolour (11" x 14")

I have been to Kokan several times and the fascination for the hills and the thatched roofs grows with every visit. I did this monochrome from a photograph of a small village that  had taken during my last visit. I like to do monochromes once in a while. Its a great relief when one doesnt have to bother about getting the colours right and fresh every single time. All one needs to do is to bother about the values.

In my limited experience I have come to realise that Burnt Umber and Prussian Blue are the two colours that are least likely to granulate, whereas Cobalt Blue and Fresh Ultramarie are the most likely. I want to try this subject with french ultramarine too, so as to strike a comparison in terms of added value (or reduced value) that granulation lends to a watercolour.

All thoughs, comments, critiques and suggestions are most welcome.