"Gossip" - Water colors

I am on my own now. Can I take the seeds I have received at the art school and nurture it into a healthy bloom? Only time will tell.

This painting is titled "Gossip".

Still LIfe - Ceramic Jar , earthen pot and vegetables

A very interesting composition. I was doing well trying to present whatever i had learnt so far and things were quite fine until i did the background.

The blue was too watery and ran into rest of my painting! Disappointing. I tried to salvage what i could. Well that teaches me to be extra careful with the back drop.

Also presented is a tonal study of the same still life.

Portrait, Watercolors

Another portrait ,this time of a pretty girl. I can see improvement but i am yet to master the watercolors. The freshness evades me. I need to muster more confidence and get bolder with use of color. The trick is to mix the exact color you want and let go of yourself. Rather than coating and over coating to get the right effect. Thats what "oilers" do!!!!! Water colors is once only ..it is alive.. When will i paint like that??!!

Children with a deer

This is a painting of a photograph as was published in Reader's Digest. The photograph was so beautiful, shot in artificial light in a very interesting way, that I just had to paint it.

Reproduction - Buildings in the Setting sun, Millind Mulick

This was another exciting reproduction. Mulick has captured the scene of the setting sun to perfection . The building washed in orange light of the sun, the shadows in blue. I tried this twice but failed to get anywhere close to the original. But a lesson well learnt. Just strong bold washes, with almost no details and yet the complete impression... Amazing. Please check out Millindmulick.com for his work.

Reproduction,Creek at Osho ashram, MiIllind Mulick

Millind Mulick is brilliant. His landscapes and architectural rendering is simply breathtaking. I believe that if I were to only copy his work from first to last i will be a success. I learnt more about watercolors from this painting than from anything else before. This is the kind of work that I want to do in my life.

Still life in water colors - Bag, Bottle etc

Another still life. It was a little dull but that's what made it difficult. The pale colors of the bag wasn't easy. But it was fun. The most difficult thing about still life is that if under natural lights, it keeps changing constantly. Its easier if its out doors in the sun which causes strong light and shadows but subtle lights from outside on cloudy days makes things difficult

Reproduction in watercolors - ship at sea, Manet

Manet' s ship in the sea is a good study. The sky and the ocean is blue right?Not quite and this beautiful painting illustrates the fact. Open your

mind to colors and light... Impressionism at its best... Its a pleasure to paint water with watercolors.. stroke after stroke.. No other medium can bring water's dynamic quality as well.

Reproduction in pencil- Man and dog, Manet

Another of Manet's. I forget the title but it is a superb painting specially showcasing Manet's absolute control over light and reflections. The subtle play of light on the clothes and shoes and even the dog behind was breathtaking. I preferred to do a tonal study in Pencil.

Grandpa and grand child - Water colors, indoors

In between, at home I caught sight of a beautiful moment with my daughter sitting on my father's lap as she does quite often. I was looking for a theme to paint and this was perfect. Of Course i only got seconds to sketch my daughter before she moved on to other plans. It was a very helpful study of light and shadow. Light is coming from two sources, the window behind and the open door at the side. I liked it when I painted but at the end of it I thought it was too static like an oil painting and the liveliness of watercolor has not been expressed.

Girl, You need to work harder.

Reproduction - Still life

This is another reproduction of a still life from a book. It gives a new insight in use of color. The yellow background is livel, almost shocking but arresting. Highlights the objects very well. Incidently yellow is an excellent color to do a wash with. Visually, it spreads so easily.

Still LIfe - Can, bottle, kettle, Steel box

This is the first still life I did at the school and i was very excited. You are a lone crusader at home but there in class you can see how others look at the same composition in their own style . There's a lot you can learn from your peers. You know where you stand.

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Still Life - Watercolors, Jug mango and Glass

I tried this still life at home. I have to grow in confidence when it comes to mixing and applying colors. This is a little too pale.

But its encouraging considering I didn't have much time to finish this.

Reproduction - Portrait of a lady , Manet

Manet is one of my favorite painters. I love impressionist work. So reproducing this by the master was a thrill. I was happy with the effort.

Reproduction -George Stubbs, Lion attacking horse theme

If the previous one was scary this was scarier! But in the end after i had done the sketching, The painting was easier than i thought.

Goerge Stubbs and one of his 'lion attacking a horse' theme. Its a beautiful painting. the detail is astonishing . Again, reproducing an oil in watercolors is not easy. You have to do away with the minute details. Its a fine line between copying exactly and taking liberties!

Reproduction

I got a mild attack when the instructor got this for me to reproduce!

This is a water color reproduction of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s ‘The First Anniversary of the Death of Beatrice’.

I work 2 hours a day. It took me a day to sketch it and three days to finish the painting. It was a good study of light and shadow. Of course reproducing an oil into water colors is not the easiest.

But at the end of it, i patted my back. Satisfying and I broke a barrier with this one. I am nore confident now.

Reproduction of a Still LIfe 2009

One of the earliest painting at the art school... In fact the earliest. This is a reproduction of a still life. It looked formidable in the beginning but once i had begun i got into the flow.
Satisfactory.

In the shadow of a lamp- watercolors 2008

I couldn't paint this live cos the only light was from the lamp. So i had to imagine most of it.


This is one of the last decent efforts before I joined the art school.
So now onwards lets see if there has been any improvement!!!

Still life - water colors 2008

I like this one. Its a small painting that I thought came out well. Particulary at that stage... Of course many creases need to be ironed!

The cup could have been better and the flower is fine except for the stamen.

Still life - 2008

I enjoyed painting the ceramic pitcher! The glass could have been better. And the apple chosen could have been brighter! It was as dull as I have painted!!!