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.

Boats

White Ferry, Watercolour on paper (14" x 22")

The Day Off, Watercolour on paper (14" x 22")

These were done a couple of years ago. I really enjoy paintings boats in watercolour. I wish I lived somewhere in the coastal area so I could paint as many of them as I wanted.
All comments and critiques are most welcome.

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.

A Bit of Good News

I was away holidaying in the Andamans with my wife for the last 5 days and so could not update my blog. Needless to say I had an absolute blast there. For those who may not know, Andaman and Nicobar are a group of Indian islands to the east about 1200 km from mainland India.

The place, especially the beaches are so beautiful,  they left me breathless. (Havelock beach in Andaman is supposed to be the most beautiful beach in Asia). I have taken loads of photographs and I will post a few of them in my next post. I also plan to make many many paintings from them.

Apart from this I also have a bit of good news to share. While in Andaman I received an sms informing me that my painting "Boats on the Beach" has been awarded the "Highly Commendable" certificate at the ongoing Annual National Juried Exhibition of the Hyderabad Art Society. Two of Sujit's paintings are also on display at this exhibition. Neither Sujit nor I could attend the opening ceremony. I will visit the exhibition soon and post photographs of the same.

Thank you all for your untiring support. This small recognition that I have received would not have been possible without it. Besides good news becomes sweeter when there is someone to share it with.

Boats on the Beach, Oil on Canvas (24" x 18")

A Commissioned Work

Fishing Boat, Oil on Canvas, (18" x 24")

I was commissioned to do this painting by a gentleman from my home town. It took me about eight hours to complete this. I hope he will be happy with it.

All comments and suggestions are most welcome.

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.