Poplars

Spotted this line of poplars in the distance while travelling by train on one of our vacations a couple of years back. Just one of those amazing countryside visuals that stay with you...

I'm quite happy with the way the poplar trees have turned out but wish I could improve the foreground a bit. After this attempt I'm realizing that perhaps less is more in watercolors.

And yes, I'm also wondering why the comments have dried up completely on this blog. I'm trying a new medium, and was expecting some encouragement from readers and visitors! :)

Verdant Greens

After my last struggle with watercolors, I decided to get into the attack mode! :) So I changed my plan, and scaled down sizes this time.

I tried capturing the verdant greens of the Irish landscape in this painting, as seen in the photograph below.

Must admit, I'm much happier with the results this time. Guess perseverance does pay! :) What do you feel?

Red Roofed Barn

My second attempt at watercolors (after making sure I used the right kind of paper this time).

The red-roofed barn was created from the picture below.

For the record though I must share with you some of my watercolor experiences this time round. First, I hated squeezing the paint out of tubes. It just freaked me out completely. I'm so much more comfortable dabbing my brush in a bottle of richly textured paint, and then playing around with it, so this was a hateful exercise.

Then, my initial washes just made everything look like blobs, so I got frustrated and gave up. Thankfully, I regained my patience and perseverance, and revisited the blobs after a break. And then felt much better as I managed to salvage at least some of the shapeless forms into something more discernible.

All in all, a great learning experience! Watercolors are another monster altogether, and one that will take considerable time to get used to, leave alone feel comfortable with. Perhaps the choice of subject wasn't right either; I should've started with something smaller. A landscape tends to be expansive so maybe a floral close-up would be a more positive start. Hope next time I have better luck!

Parrots

More figurative artwork, this time using a new medium. My first brush with ink, and I loved its fluidity, though I have yet to go a long way in bettering my strokes.


This was a piece I really enjoyed creating, especially inspired as it is by the noisy parrots who drop in sometimes.

Loved the subject too, so I can assure you this won't be my last attempt with these raucuous fellows! :)

Weekend Crafting: Suncatchers

Indulged in some crafting last weekend, and made the kids a couple of suncatchers. The pair now hangs in their bedroom window, tied to the grills.

This is how the suncatchers look up close. One is all fishy...

...while the other has a butterfly and a bug.

Quick and easy, they almost blend in with the window glass. And add a dash of glittery glamour to the room! :)

Avian Symphony

Spring has brought lots of birdsong into our lives, and this painting is inspired from just that. Hence the name... :) This was a fun composition because it started out as random sketching and ended up being what it is!

The painting is actually made up of three different montages, all fused together. The thrush splashing in the birdbath while the sparrow preens itself is one scene; the red vented bulbul stopping by on its way is another; and the honeysuckle getting its fill is the third part.

All scenes from different balconies around the house, brought together in this painting. No wonder the kids loved it! :) And it helped me get more creative with figures.

Lemon Tea In The Shade

The summers are here, with afternoons turning real warm. The last of the spring blooms are flowering in a hurry before the heat wilts them away.

Wouldn't it be nice to sit in the shade and enjoy some lemon tea at midday? Come join me for a refreshing break....

Another quick tablescape painting to liven up things; hope you liked it. I especially enjoyed the cool pastel of the table setting. So summery in its feel! :)

Beachside

Here is my attempt with my new watercolors; a typical beachside scenario. I admit I chose an easy subject to start with! ;)

My first foray with watercolors has only proved right all those points about the medium that I knew all along. Still, I'll put them down here so my readers can learn from my experience.

Firstly, the paper is paramount; you cannot execute watercolors on just about any paper. You have to get good quality stuff specially meant to soak up the water, and help spread the colour.

Secondly, watercolor is a very flexible and fun medium, something that allows you to play around much more than acrylics do. Acrylics have brilliant shades but limited reach. So you can actually paint exactly as you have in mind; they allow more control. Watercolors have a mind of their own.... you have to play along and try and get as close to what you wanted when you started out.

Also, since watercolors take longer to dry than acrylics, you can add more dimensions to your work as you go along. I found this aspect especially liberating since this means you have a better chance of hiding your mistakes. In this aspect, acrylics are tough and you have to work with a very sure hand.

Sounds complicated? Well, it isn't really. Moreover, you get to appreciate any medium only when you dabble in it yourself. So go ahead, pick up that brush and discover for yourself! :)

The Majestic One

Another figurative bird drawing, started and finished in a single day.

Our favourite picnic spot in town has a rare abundance of peacocks, roaming in a jungle-like setting. We always encounter some on our visits, and this painting has been inspired by this recent photograph taken by my husband.



Somehow after painting this large, colourful bird, I seem to have lost some of my earlier fear and hesitation for figure-based paintings. Hopefully now I'll have the courage to attempt more figurative subjects.



I hope I have captured the proud, majestic bird well. Do let me have your feedback on this one.


p.s. - Hubby dearest gifted me a set of watercolor tubes recently. Can't wait to explore the new medium! :)