Getting Better

Hi. Thank you all so much for your wishes. I am slowly recovering. But ever so slowly. Sometime its causing a little anxiety, but otherwise I am doing well. So again not much of painting. This painting was completed in many shifts as compared to my usual one or two.

For the information of people in and around Bangalore, Chaitrasanthe, the annual art fair will commence this Sunday at Kumarkrupa road. Its a one day event where more than 1000 artists will be displaying and selling their work. Though I have booked a stall, I'll not be able to participate due to my back injury. I am going to miss it this year. But make sure that you dont miss it. :)

p.s. Since someone asked I must come out now. I got the slip disc while I was playing football (soccer). I know I know..I should have respected my age. :)

Daily Affair (Gokarna - V)

22 x 15 inch

Getting back.. gradually

Hi there. My 2013 started with a bang. Literally. I managed to gift myself a slip disc early this year. Which meant I was bed ridden for a good time. Right now I am undergoing treatment and it will take a good amount of time to heal. Which in turn means I am not able to paint as much as I would like to. And not painting outdoors is a certainty now for a few weeks at least.

Anyway I have managed to a painting while all this has been happening. Hope you like it.

Strolling In Gokarna (Gokrana - IV)

22 x 15 inch

Red Truck @ Empire

The rainy season started a little late here this year. It is raining now a days, but not as much as it should  be raining. But it is enough for a painting I guess. :)

Title : Red Truck @ Empire

Size : 26 x 20 inch

Medium : Watercolor on paper

Game Rain and Mood

Game Rain and Mood. Yes this is the title of this painting. I really could not get a better title. So just going with this. 

Last Friday evening we had a game of football (not the American one :)) and it started to rain. I guess it must be at least ten years since a football game in rain for me. It was really a lot of fun. As we were returning back it was getting dark. Sun had already set, but the far sky had some warmth. We were tired. Vehicles were slowly starting to put their lights on while the road was wet and slippery. A kind of dark and sombre mood had set in after all that thrill from the game. I had my moment of inspiration. On Sunday I painted this from memory.

I did not like certain things in the final painting. The car on the left of the painting could have been much further in the distance. The over all dark feel probably has got exaggerated more than necessary. Etc etc (as always). But when I see the painting it reminds me of how it felt that time. Which I think is awesome.

What do you feel about it??

Title - Game Rain and Mood

Size - 22 x 15 inch

Medium - Watercolor on paper

Morning mood - III

The next of the series now. Very similar composition as the other two. But still it was very interesting to do the composition. Especially that of the left side of the painting. And of course the execution was tricky too.

Using human figures in foreground of a street painting is always a little adventerous. And I wanted to be adventerous :). The human figures had to be detailed enough to suggest some activity and contribute to the mood. And it had to be subtle enough so that light remains the hero of this painting. Hence the dark tree, human figures and the shadow area had to be kept as one big shape; To enhance the feeling of light in the center of the painting, while letting me have my thrill.

All said and done I think I am doing similar compositions right now. Need to break this I guess. Till then good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night. :)

Title - Morning mood, Bangalore - III

Size - 22 x 15 inch

Medium - Watercolor on paper

Short spell @ Church street

Title - Short Spell @ Church Street

Size - 22 x 15 inch

Medium - Watercolor on paper

Bangalore has a very strange weather pattern. In one day one can experience 3 different types of weathers. Hot scorching sun in the day followed by rains, followed by chilly nights. And since 2 weeks we are having rains almost everyday. In short spells though.. Rains in November..November rains.. Reminds me of Guns and Roses. :). Anyway here is to Bangalore rains.

Afternoon at Puri

Title - Afternoon at Puri

Size - 15 x 11 inch

Medium - Watercolor on Paper

Jagannath temple in Puri is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimages in India. The temple is really really huge and it looks really big even when seen from a good distance. The following piece is from wiki.

'The huge temple complex covers an area of over 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2), and is surrounded by a high fortified wall. It contains at least 120 temples and shrines. With its sculptural richness and fluidity of the Odia style of temple architecture, it is one of the most magnificent monuments of India. The main temple is a curvilinear temple and crowning the top is the 'srichakra' (a eight spoked wheel) of Vishnu. Also known as the "Nilachakra", it is made out of Ashtadhatu and is considered sacrosanct. Among the existing temples in Odisha, the temple of Shri Jagannath is the highest. The temple tower was built on a raised platform of stone and, rising to 214 feet (65 m) above the inner sanctum where the deities reside, dominates the surrounding landscape. The pyramidal roofs of the surrounding temples and adjoining halls, or mandapas, rise in steps toward the tower like a ridge of mountain peaks.
The main shrine is enclosed by a 20 feet (6.1 m) high wall. Another wall surrounds the main temple.'

So you can probably guess the enormity of the temple. Anyway I had done 3 sketches before this (One pencil and 2 watercolor) and was not very sure about doing the painting. And then I happened to watch a video clip of Joseph Zbucvik, where he says, just have faith and go for it. So at 11 at night I put my faith in Lord Jagannath and went for it. I finished it by 2 AM in the morning and yes at the end I was happy. By the way I was using Waterford paper for the first time and I liked it.