Charcoal Sketches

The Gaze, Charcoal on Paper, 15" X 11"

Happy Girl, Charcoal on Paper, 15" X 11"

Tried out some new, advanced techniques in charcoal here that are bolder and riskier to what I am used to. (These techniques are new to me although they are well established for ages). No doubt I need more practice until I can make my drawings look convincing. :)
All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Evening

Evening, Oil on Canvas, 18" X 14"

Reference Photo Courtesy: Olga Burczyk (www.facebook.com/ksantypa.photography)
I did this one from a reference pic by Olga Burczyk who was really kind in letting me use her work. I have altered the background and colours to suit my theme.
All comments and critiques are most welcome. :)

Grey Cap

Grey Cap, Charcoal on Paper, 15" X 11" 

I have not done charcoal for a while now. Did this one today morning from a small photo I had taken with my phone. I think the best part of charcoal is that one need not worry about colour and can concentrate on getting the values perfectly right. I am never too confident with my colour and prefer to atleast stay loyal to the values. Its precisely for this that charcoal is a relief for me after a series of failed paintings ;)

Behind Hanuman Mandir

Behind Hanuman Temple, Watercolour on Paper, 11" X 15" 

We have a small Hanuman Temple in the premises of our workplace. Since phones, cameras etc are not allowed I had to do this from a small pencil sketch on a 2" X 2" paper and memory.I wish I had made the kalas (steeple) a deeper orange. 
All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Secunderabad By-lane

Secunderabad By-lane, Watercolour on Paper, 22" X 15"

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting my blog. This is a painting of one of the inner lanes in the Ranigunj area of Secunderabad. In contrast with the overcrowded nature of Ranigunj this small place is quiet and peaceful. A walk through these lanes can be a source of infinite subject matter that essentially represent Hyderabad! :)
All comments and critiques are most welcome.  

Koradi River Evening

Koradi River, Evening, Watercolour on Saunders Paper, 15" X 22" 

Koradi river runs about 12 km from the city limits of Nagpur and gives its name to Koradi town on its banks. The town is the home to the 1080 MW Koradi Thermal Power Station. This place is very scenic with the beautiful river as it shimmers in the evening sun.
Thank you all or stopping by. All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Balu

Balu, Charcoal on Paper, 15" X 11" 

Meet Balu, a construction worker from Hyderabad. He does one of the most difficult jobs around, especially considering the Indian climate. The heavily tanned skin is evidence enough that he has to brave the harsh sun all day long. I find great spirit and depth of character in such faces. 

All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Polo: Commissioned Pet Portrait

Polo, Pencil on Paper, 11.5" X 8.5" 

I was commissioned to do this portrait of a dog named Polo by his owner. Unfortunately the dog is no more and this is to serve as a memory of this lively and beautiful creature. Though the drawing is small I felt a huge sense of responsibility in doing this as I had to capture not only a likeness but also the elusive emotion in his eyes. I hope I could do justice here. Thankfully the collector and her family are very happy with the drawing.
Thank you all for dropping by. All comments and critiques are most welcome. 

Commissioned Work - Konkan House

Konkan House, Watercolour on Paper, 15" X 22" 

I was commissioned by a wonderful gentleman and art collector from Mumbai to make this painting of his beautiful ancestral house in Konkan. It is not often that the person who commission an artist has a clear idea of what he wants. Fortunately, this time there was no such problem. He was quite clear about what he wanted and yet open to my creative inputs. 

Its indeed a greatly satisfying thing to know that the collector is happy with his new acquisition. :) 

Thank you so much friends for visiting. All comments are most welcome.

Inside Hislop Campus

Inside Hislop College Campus, Nagpur, Watercolour on Paper, 14" X 20" 

Did this one yesterday from a photo I had taken inside the beautiful Hislop Campus in Nagpur. 
Thank you so much for visiting :).

Sunday Plein Air at Moula Ali Railway Yard

Moula Ali Yard II, Watercolour on Paper, 10" X 14"

Moula Ali Yard III, Watercolour on Paper, 10" X 14"

We had a great time plein air painting this Sunday at Moula Ali yard. The day was a little cloudy and not too hot. Four hours of continuously working outdoors, this is the longest I have ever done at one stretch. I really look at these plein air sessions as opportunities to sort out specific doubts I face while painting indoors. That way I am not too disappointed if the paintings dont turn out well. :)
Thanks for stopping by. Comments andcritiques are most welcome. 

Moula Ali Railway Yard

Moula Ali Yard, Watercolour on Paper, 15" X 11" 

I go out plein air painting every weekend with a friend to some place nearby. This is my sketch from today morning done at the shunting yard near Moula Ali railway station. 

We were a bit hesitant to lay out our stuff in such a place, as we thought someone might raise an objection. But to our surprise there was no disturbance whatsoever and we ended up with a peaceful and fulfilling outdoor session! :)

All comments and critiques are most welcome. 

Ameya

Ameya, Oil on Paper, 15" X 11"

This is my first serious sketch of my son, Ameya. I have done a few in pencil before but I think here I have captured the likeness almost perfectly. I now feel I should have softened the line of the hair on his right temple.
All comments and critiques are most welcome.

Hislop College Grounds

Hislop College Grounds, Watercolour on Paper, 11" X 15"

Picked up my watercolour brushes after a while now. Did this from a photo I took in my hometown Nagpur. Hislop College is one of the oldest in the city and has extensive grounds. A great place to go plein air painting if you have a group! :)

All comments and critiques are most welcome!

Rangaiah

Rangaiah, Charcoal on Paper, 15" X 11"

Another charcoal sketch :)

A Still Life and Some Good News

Indian Bells and Japanese Fan, Oil on Canvas, (18" X 14") 

 Although my wife had bought these lovely bells with the embossing of Lord Ganesh about a couple of years ago,  I finally gathered enough courage to paint something so complicated only last week. It took me about 12 hrs to complete this. All comments and critiques are most welcome. :)

Something else I wanted to share with you all is that y drawing "Worker Woman" won the "M/s. Hindustan Pencils Ltd. Award for Charcoal on Paper" at the recently concluded 122nd Annual All India Art Exhibition of the Bombay Art Society. 

Thank you so much all my dear friends for your support and encouragement! :)

Worker Woman, Charcoal on Paper, (15" X 11") 

The Year That Was... 2013

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and have begun the new year in high spirits and great aspirations. 
2013 was a particularly happy and fulfilling year for me as an artist and art student, even though I sold only two paintings :). My paintings were selected in three juried shows, out of which two were my first time selections. :). I also won my first award ever at professional level in this year :)

Hyderabad Art Society Annual National Exhibition:

Tribal Boy, Charcoal on Paper, (11.7" X 16.5")

This drawing, Tribal Boy received Highly Commendable certificate at the Hyderabad Art Society's Annual National Exhibition 2013.

 SCZCC Nagpur Annual National Exhibition:

Woman from Ladakh, Charcoal on Paper, (15" X 11.5")

My first time selection at South Central Zone Cultural Centre's National Exhibition 2013.

Camlin South Zone Exhibition:

"Evening Light", Oil on Primed Paper, (22" X 15")

This painting and the next were my first time selections for the Camlin South Zone Annual Exhibition.

Evening's Glow, Watercolour on Paper, (20" X 14")

This painting won best entry award at the regional level. My first ever award at the professional level! :)

Thank you so much for reading this far. I thank all my readers and friends for their support and encouragement throughout the last year. I hope I will receive the same in the coming days too. :)

I pray everyone of us has a wonderfully fulfilling new year as artists and as human beings.

Best wishes .....