Creative Rumblings

Bottle Art in SPAN magazine

2012-01-20T11:14:00.000+05:30

The year sure started on an exciting note! Have been on such a high ever since one of my hand-painted bottles made it to the Jan-Feb 2012 issue of SPAN.

The issue focuses on the concept of Green Living, and carries my bottle art specimen in the centrespread (infographics section).

The SPAN team chose to feature my Beer Bottle Landscape in their article on reusability. Click here to see the article online.

A big thanks to the entire SPAN team, and especially to Hemant Bhatnagar.

Reaffirms my belief that a discarded bottle can turn into a home accessory! Only, you need that willingness to want to reduce your load on the planet, and a special set of eyes to appreciate the unusual. Are you game enough? :)

Versatile Blogger Award

2012-01-17T14:23:00.006+05:30

Got nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by fellow blogger Yuvika of My Musings. Well, many thanks for choosing me, Yuvika. Am truly honoured! :) Must say the year has started on a great note...

But the award comes with a catch - now I have to follow a set of rules that I'm too lazy to jot down here.

For one, it involves tagging 15 more people for the award, which I confess is a tad difficult. Not because I do not want to share my appreciation of fellow bloggers, but simply because it is too tedious to go around informing each of them. So, all you wonderful bloggers on my blogroll, I nominate each one of you for being part of my daily inspiration!

As for sharing 7 random things about myself (another rule), here goes:

I am an adrenaline junkie - give me roller coasters and bumpy flights anyday. I'll be calm through all that turbulence.

I am a fairly private person; I simply cannot share everything with everyone.

I used to be a voracious reader till I had kids. Now if I get through the newspaper, I feel blessed. Writing has gone out of the window altogether.

I carried out my first business transaction in high school when I sold a set of handmade pressed-flower cards to a friend. Was a big deal for me, of course!

I love travelling but get to do very little of that now. Road, rail or air, anything goes... I find the journey to be a de-stresser, when I can be with myself.

My first job was as a casual announcer on the radio; did it for about 2 years and loved every minute of it!

I hate waking early but with two brats to be sent to school, I have little choice!

There, now you all know me that much better. :) Will be sharing another special piece of news soon. Till then, get creative!

Fruity Feast

2012-01-05T10:13:00.001+05:30

First post of the new year, and I have a special treat for my readers.... A fruity feast to start the year with!

Sitting out in the sun and chomping on fruits is a favourite winter pastime for us. And for those of you who skip the daily intake, hanging some on your walls may just serve as a reminder. :)

So go on, indulge in some fruit-laden goodness for your health and your hearth. As I enjoy the holidays with my kids, friends, and a large dose of happiness and bonhomie!

Annual Recap & HNY

2011-12-30T11:10:00.003+05:30

It is that time of the year again. Time to sit back and mull over the year gone by, and make wishlists for the coming year.

This past year, 2011, has been a mixed bag. But most of all, it has been a year of immense learning. On a number of fronts. And that is what is the most important takeaway for me. So even while I have not been able to paint as often, or finish as many pieces as I'd like to, the fact that I have grown through my random experiences (good and bad) is what I'd like to remember this year for.

As for 2012, I'll use these much-loved lines from Robert Frost:

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

Wish you all a colourful and creative new year!!!

p.s. - The kids start their vacations tomorrow, so the artist takes a backseat for the next couple of weeks. Just an alert, that the posting may get a lil' sparse till the mommy is kept busy! :)

Poppy Fiesta

2011-12-23T11:32:00.001+05:30

It is too early for the poppies to sprout. They only show up when the chill recedes a little, and the days start to get longer. But their deep red colour is so evocative of the holiday season, of X-mas cheer and year-end happiness.

So I thought it appropriate to share with you all this piece I had painted sometime in spring this year. A wave of red poppies dancing merrily through the swirling fog as I drove down for my groceries every morning is one sight I'll always remember. Much like Wordsworth's Daffodils! :)

Merry Christmas to all my readers. Catch you next week with the last post of this year. Phew, another one gone!

City Lights

2011-12-15T10:12:00.004+05:30

Painted a smaller piece (8" x 11") after a long time. Came across a picture in the papers that caught my eye, especially the juxtapostion of the brightly lit buildings against a deep blue sky. And that is how this painting came about.

Probably one of the last pieces of this year. Wish I could paint more frequently and quickly, but try as I might I never seem to paint as often as I want to. Hope the next year changes that a little!

By the way, have you all noticed that the Creative Rumblings Facebook page gets some extra art-related posts while this blog continues to focus on my personal journey in the world of colours. Well, to catch up on those additional updates, visit the page and click on the Like button now. That'll ensure you never miss out on any of the news!

Sending Some Winter Warmth

2011-12-09T12:27:00.005+05:30

The best way to enjoy a foggy winter day? A mug of steaming hot strong coffee... ...and blobs of bright paint on my brushes.

Always brings a warm fuzzy glow to my heart.

Enjoy this bunch of flowers that are part of a painting I finished last month. And have a great weekend, everyone!

Portrait Trials

2011-12-05T14:00:00.003+05:30

Last weekend I tried my hand at portraits despite having zero training on this. Just picked up a newspaper, opened a random page, and attempted a few mugshots from it.

Managed to get some degree of likeness with the actual pictures but eyes do seem to be a tough area. It is not for nothing that they say that eyes define a person's face. You get them right, and almost everything else will fall in place.

As my dear hubby rightly says, portraiture is all about lines. You have to know which ones to use and which ones to skip.

With one of my favourite Bollywood icons, the inimitable Dev Anand passing on last weekend, I just have to try sketching him now.

Beat The Gloomy Greys

2011-12-02T12:32:00.000+05:30

Winters are here, and so are the blooms. So what are you waiting for? Follow these quick steps to add some colour to your rooms in this grey weather.

Pluck a bunch of hardy flowers (chrysanthemums, gladioli, gerberas and tuberoses work very well), or pick a bunch from the florist. Needn't be a huge number; just a couple of sticks work fine.

Fill a matching bottle vase with water, and pop the flowers right in.

Display and enjoy.

And take a bow when the room looks all perked up, and the compliments come your way! The button chrysanthemums in the orange hibiscus bottle fetched me quite a few. :)

The Process

2011-11-29T09:35:00.000+05:30

Thought today I'd share with you a glimpse of the process.... that whole journey of turning my imagination into reality.

First I doodle around on a paper till I finally have a design I am satisfied with.

Then I translate the design into reality with paints, making changes along the way depending on the shape and size of the bottle.

Currently working on this fun bottle that tells a story.... Got any owl stories to share yourselves? :)

New Warli On The Block

2011-11-24T10:14:00.001+05:30

Had to move on with my work despite the unpleasantness of the plagiarism episode. So there is a fresh Warli motif bottle hot off the studio table....

And it goes very well with the books at the bedside. What say?

Love the flying bird on this one!

Plagiarised!!

2011-11-19T09:05:00.002+05:30

Yes, dear readers, I discovered earlier this month that my work (that you have been seeing on this blog for the last 3 years) is now actually good enough to be copied! What a shocker it was to unearth this.

A certain lady from the southern parts of our dear nation has lifted ideas, terms, and phrases right off my pages and created her own little virtual space. Of course, she came into being (I mean her online presence) only recently.... as recently as July 2011. And not just my blog, I can see stuff she has used from other popular art and design blogs too. Combining all stolen ideas, she thinks she is creating some magic masala!! It sucks, really.

Now copying is not right, whichever way you look at it. And the only reason I'm treating this issue with a dash of humour is because my anger won't hurt the plagiarist at all. Rather it would wreak havoc on my sense of well-being and balance, upset my flow of ideas, and obstruct my imagination.

So, dear sneaky lady (since you will come back to read this), thanks for the left-handed compliment. You have only proved with your actions that my work is good enough to be copied! And you perhaps kick yourself for not having such inspired thoughts yourself.

So while I'm looking for how best to deal with Ms. Plagiarist, you better make sure you get your stuff (especially the bottles) right here. Else you'll only land up with a second-hand imitation, and that too at higher prices!

Childrens' Day Gift

2011-11-14T09:06:00.002+05:30

November 14 is celebrated as Children's Day in India as the date marks the birthday of our first prime minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. He was known to be extremely fond of kids, and was fondly called Chacha Nehru (an informal reference, much like Uncle Sam). Children's Day is celebrated across most schools, with cultural functions and other shows for kids.

This year I decided to give my kids a surprise by making them a painting for the occasion. It hangs right across their bed so that they see it first thing in the morning when they wake up.

I know the kids love the theme of the painting. Especially how the caterpillar reaches out to peer at the butterfly. And the glittery lining of the clouds.

I hung it over the weekend so that the hubby and I could share in their pleasure when they first set eyes on it. I call this the simple joys of parenthood. Watching the expression of joy on your childrens' faces on such occasions is priceless!

Pretty Pansies

2011-11-08T09:09:00.000+05:30

Made a real, formal glass painting after ages. Only because a stray piece of cut glass couldn't be wasted, of course! So I gave it a new avatar...

Good I chose to mix acrylics with glass paints for this piece. That explains the different shades of purple. Using colours of the same family help make the flowers closer to their real counterparts. Now to get this framed, and it'll be all ready to hang.

What are your views on this one?

A Second Autumn

2011-11-03T09:00:00.000+05:30

My newest ode to the gorgeous colours of Fall.... worked on another Autumn-themed bottle sometime back. This is one theme that never seems to lose its freshness and appeal.

The profusion of dried leaves that softly crunch and crackle as you walk on them. The myriad shapes, sizes, colours and patterns on the leaves makes it ever so interesting to paint them.

I love how these bottles help bring a slice of Fall colours right into our homes. Especially here in India where such changing colours are hard to find.

Don't hesitate to drop me a line if you want to own one!

Festive Hangover

2011-10-29T14:28:00.011+05:30

Still recovering from the festive hangover, hence the paucity of posts. Promise to buckle up in November, and bring you more creative fodder.

Here are a few images of our handmade and hand-painted efforts during Diwali. Wish people could keep things simple and traditional instead of the mindless blitzkrieg it is made out to be nowadays.

Diya painted by yours truly.

Little urns painted by my kiddies (aged 6 and 8).

Candle and diya drawings made by the kids to add to the Diwali decor.

Finally, a festive tablescape using my hand-painted tealight holders.

Hope all my readers had a cheerful festive season with their loved ones. Enjoy the afterglow and I shall see you next month! :)

Diwali Greetings

2011-10-25T19:06:00.003+05:30

Diwali greetings to all my dear readers!

I'll be painting and decorating diyas with my kids, making a rangoli and torans, preparing a feast for the family, and gorging on sweets.

And in this age of crass commercialisation, trying to keep things simple and traditional.

Hope we all celebrate the festival of lights.... not one of noise and pollution.

Hope you all too have a fabulous Diwali!

Festive Offer - Diwali Sale!!!

2011-10-10T09:07:00.003+05:30

October, the month of festivities in India. Dusshera has just gone by, which means Diwali is round the corner!

Deck up your homes this Deepawali with Creative Rumblings tealight holders.

Limited edition hand painted tea-light holders specially available for the festive season. The tealight holders come in two designs - Peacock Feather and Paisley & Flora.

Paisley & Flora / Peacock Feather

Paisley & Flora

Peacock Feather

Price: Rs. 50 apiece (without tealight) ; Size: 3" x 2"(approx.)

Can be couriered to anywhere in India. Shipping chargeable extra, based on actuals. To order, send me a mail at creativerumblings@gmail.com

Spread the word around and send me a mail quickly.... before someone else grabs the goodies.Hope you all enjoy the festive season, and happy shopping! :)

Durga Puja & Dusshera Greetings

2011-10-02T09:09:00.001+05:30

The festive season is upon us, the season of feasting and fasting. While the east Indians, decked in their finery, get into celebratory mode and tuck into visual and gastronomic feasts, the north Indians turn pious and fast through the Navratras to express their devotion to the Mother Goddess.

The Goddess has arrived.... the vanquisher of all evil. Let us celebrate her coming, and hope for a better tomorrow with her blessings.

Wish all my readers a happy Durga Puja, Dusshera and Vijaya Dashami.

Abstraction!

2011-09-21T09:03:00.001+05:30

I've just discovered the abstract, and I love it! While blog hopping one morning I landed on one that discussed the process of creating abstracts. And that was it.... had to try it out myself.

And while I worked on it, I realized what sheer fun I was having. No pressures of how the painting turns out, whether it resembles the model, and so on. Just splash paint wherever you feel and enjoy the unpredictable. For even you don't know what you'll end up with! And therein lies the beauty of this process - it is totally intuitive and liberating.

If you take due care to not mix the colours while they are wet, you end up with something that looks bright and happy, whichever way you turn it.

Now I'm itching to make more of these, and hang some up in the kids' room. Imagine the cheer they would bring into any room for that matter.

Votive/Tealight Holder

2011-09-12T09:06:00.000+05:30

Gifted myself a new votive holder recently. Just a detour from my usual love affair with the bottles! This one works as a decor piece by day... and transforms into a tea-light holder by night.

I placed it near a window during the day, and loved how the sunlight played off the flower petals.

At night I put a candle in it.... and Voila! The delightful ambience that it created was something else....

The kids loved the warm glow it spread around the room while the hubby appreciated the transformation of the everyday and mundane to something dreamy and romantic. :)

With the festive season just around the corner, this would make just the right piece to perk up special occasions.

A limited edition of Creative Rumblings votive holders for Diwali seems like a good idea to me!! What do you say, dear readers?

The Melody Makers

2011-09-05T09:18:00.001+05:30

Painting is a strange process; I find myself falling into phases every few days. Like sometime back I was taken over by still life representations, and now suddenly I find myself going figurative. This is one of my such attempts at painting human figures.

Curiously, this painting was triggerred off by two different pictures I saw in the papers. I mentally fused the two, cutting out extra elements to come up with this composition of the trio on stage.

Though this particular piece is one of my smaller paintings (7"x11" approx.), I currently am drawn to a larger size (15"x11" approx.) for my latest works.

Also, I'm painting more from personal experience now rather than relying on some pictorial impulse.

Feels better and freer this way!

Monsoon Skies

2011-08-30T08:24:00.001+05:30

After a deluge of bottle-related posts, here is one that goes back to my paintings on paper. This one was inspired by the picturesque monsoon skies awash with colour, especially in the evenings.

What I painted here is the sight I get to see from my terrace in the evenings. Painting after a long gap was a bit challenging though. And especially capturing those colours melting into each other all over the sky.

Beer-y Flowery

2011-08-23T08:55:00.001+05:30

Turning coloured beer bottles into flowery bottle vases...

With a dash of bling.

A fun outing with my brushes and colours.

Hope you enjoyed the outcome!

Cosmos Cluster

2011-08-11T08:55:00.000+05:30

Longish absence from the blog.... blame it all on the kids' school. I've had my hands full with the school time activities of the kids, along with their exams. So for a fortnight or more, all my creative activities are in no-go mode.

The approaching festive long weekend only makes it worse. Can't see any work getting done before next week.

But for you I have a cluster of cosmos flowers blooming on a bottle.

Pretty pink heads with sparkly centres! Hope they brighten up your days. :)

Bottle Art Now At Creativegarh

2011-08-01T09:31:00.000+05:30

The start of a new month, and the festive season round the corner; this calls for something new from my end too! So here is the good news...

Creative Rumblings Bottle Art is now available at the Creativegarh store. You can check out their Facebook page here.

Visit their cute little shop to get hold of some gorgeousness in time for the festive season!

Store address: 37A Shahpurjat, New Delhi 110049, New Delhi, India

Happy bottle shopping! :)

Gazenias

2011-07-25T09:21:00.000+05:30

The gazenia flowers in my garden...

And then some on a bottle...

Gazenias sure make a pretty picture, they are so cheery and bright! :)

Two Of A Kind

2011-07-18T10:41:00.000+05:30

Just a fun post to show you how I have been playing around...

With shape and size...

While keeping the basic design intact.

So many bottles now have pairs that look similar...

But are not identical.

So what do we call this? Bottle cloning! :)

Out In The Garden

2011-07-14T09:06:00.000+05:30

The last of the stills that had me preoccupied most of last month. Again an amagamation of random things at a certain moment in time.

So two leafy models from the garden, coupled with a jar and some peaches made up this one.

Somehow the camera doesn't capture the blues too well... but the warm colour of the peaches amidst the cool shades in the rest of the painting does make for an interesting combo.

Lilies On A Bottle

2011-07-08T09:11:00.000+05:30

Spotted an unusual and very pretty variety of lily on a friend's balcony.

Even the leaves were wavy and curled up.

I knew there and then that this had to get on to a bottle.

Am now thinking of doing the same design in a shade of pink. Whaddaya think.... wouldn't that look as divine?

Ready For Breakfast

2011-07-05T10:46:00.009+05:30

Another still, focussing on items that brighten up the breakfast table. Some juicy red apples, a creamer indicating coffee on the way, and fresh flowers.

And of course, the most important item (for me at least).... the morning newspaper! The day just doesn't start right without that.

Enjoyed playing around with the paint on this one, especially those places where the paint had to be applied real thick to form outlines. No wonder the flowers are my favourite part of the painting.

Been working on quite a few bottles lately. Look out for one in my next post. Till then, happy work week ahead (July being a month with the least holidays)!

Warli Wedding

2011-06-28T09:16:00.000+05:30

Worked on another bottle with the Warli theme; this time it was a wedding that found its way on to the bottle!

So you have a bride waiting in her 'palki' (palanquin)...

...and a groom astride the horse, off to get his bride.

A celebratory mood prevails of course, with festoons and fireworks, and dancing figures.

p.s. - It was quite a nightmare trying to photograph this bottle; the light kept blinding everything making it very difficult to catch the details.

The Blue Table

2011-06-23T10:15:00.000+05:30

Worked on a few still life studies recently. Just put random things lying around together, and proceeded to capture them on paper.

The attempt was by no way to be realistic, no. It was more of my prespective of what I saw before me. So the finished paintings are more expressionist than realist, I'd say. And yes, I did play around with colour schemes. So the blue of the table is entirely a figment of my mind, and not something that we have around the house.

Nevertheless, in this painting I'm pretty happy with the way the fruits got done, especially the bunch of bananas. The ceramic jar could surely be bettered though. Was a good exercise on the whole.

Day & Night Bottle

2011-06-17T08:50:00.004+05:30

Worked on a bottle after a long time. Enjoyed it thoroughly, of course.

Turn it one way and you see a glowing sunrise, with the sky painted in mutiple hues. The neutrals of the mountains in the foreground offset the brilliance of the sunrise.

Turn it the other way and the blues of the night sky greet you. As a buttery yellow moon hangs in a star-spangled sky.

Fiery and cool at the same time! Like it? Do let me have your comments; it feels good to hear from my readers!

Camouflage

2011-06-13T08:47:00.000+05:30

As the crop in the farmer's fields grew lush, a lot of birds would frolic there in search of food. Robins, mynahs, magpies, doves, even a pheasant (so I think) made its home in the dense undergrowth.

But the most fun to watch were the parrots, as they sat swinging on the long stems, their green almost merging with that of the crops.

This painting is inspired by my daily watch of the parrots' antics. Every time I tried to photograph them, I would lose them through the viewfinder, so beautifully were they camouflaged!

An Eye On The Okra

2011-06-10T09:03:00.001+05:30

My mother hates them, my daughter loves them, and I chop and cook them!! (other than getting inspired by them, that is). Wonder what I'm talking about? - the humble ladyfinger, or okra, as the new breed likes to call it.

And what is the chopped okra doing on a creative blog?? Well, telling you how to turn the tedious task of veggie chopping into a fun creative session. The only catch is to keep an eye open for the awesome design potential most veggies offer.

I sat with a pencil and paper, and had 4 new designs within minutes, all thanks to chopped ladyfingers!

I can now use the designs for my bottles and they'll make great print motifs too. What do you think of these?

Bouncing Back! :)

2011-06-06T15:42:00.004+05:30

My mind is at peace again, and I am slowly but surely crawling back to normal. A huge change was pending, and I guess all my inertia and insomnia was arising from that. But the dust has settled now, and I feel calm enough to think creatively again.

Phew! It is such a relief.... my thanks to all those who egged me on with their encouraging words.

Thanks also to all those lovely readers who regularly drop by this blog. Now that my head is cleared up, I promise to resume regular posting very soon.

Down & Out :(

2011-05-25T09:16:00.000+05:30

I haven't been in a happy place lately. As an artist being unproductive is one of the worst things that can happen to you. Though there has been no dearth of inspiration, but I have just not had the enthuisiasm to work. A sense of inertia has kept me away from my brushes and paints. And whatever little work I did has not been satisfying.

Perhaps the change in the situation has gotten to me, perhaps the lack of direction has left me feeling lost. But whatever be the reason, the output has surely suffered. If any of you have been through a similar predicament, I'd love to hear from you. For I believe that shared experiences lead to shared growth and learning.

On another note, this blog turns 3 next month! And I'd obviously like to do something special to celebrate.... any ideas, dear readers? Maybe your funky suggestions will help get my spark back! :)

Kashmir Diaries

2011-05-19T09:30:00.003+05:30

Don't know why I have been thinking of the Kashmir valley a lot lately. Perhaps the searing heat of the plains makes me subconsciously think of the cool environs of the valley, with the majestic Himalayas in the backdrop.

I visited Kashmir many years back, when "terrorism" was a totally unfamiliar word, and one visited the valley only to figure out what earned it the name 'Paradise on Earth'. I was too young to remember the details of the breathtaking beauty, but some images stay with me till date. Today I bring you two of them...

One was of the colourful shikaras lined up on the Dal lake. Bobbing cheerfully on the edge of the lake, with their typical name placards and the boatmen calling out to us to take a ride.

Waiting Shikaras - charcoal and acrylic

Another was of the flower seller going from one houseboat to the other in his little boat, handing over a fresh bouquet to each, and exchanging pleasantries with the regular customers. I was so awed to see this unusual way of selling that it stayed in my memory.

The Flower Seller - mixed media

Alas, I have never been to the valley thereafter. I remember reading somewhere that the houseboats and shikaras can no longer be seen on the Dal, as security issues override tourism concerns. The price we pay is too high sometimes....

Full Moon Night

2011-05-09T09:05:00.000+05:30

As I stood at my bedroom window one night with the lights turned off, this was the sight that greeted my eyes. Lush crops in the farmer's field looking almost purple in the inky night, while a buttery yellow moon hung low in the sky.

It was such a beautiful scene that it just had to be painted. Sometimes simple, everyday events that we take for granted convey so much beauty; only if we take the time to pause and stare.

Cucumber Art

2011-05-07T11:00:00.001+05:30

This one is for the kids! When I shot a cucumber up close to catch the design hidden inside, it reminded me of something else altogether!

So the cucumber turned into a peacock with some help from MS-Paint. :)

Just one of the fun things you can use to keep the kids engaged during the summer vacations!

Poppy Splendour

2011-05-02T09:00:00.000+05:30

Last month my old neighbourhood was full of poppies, bobbing their pretty heads in the spring breeze and turning into the sunshine. So I had to do a couple of poppy paintings. Here is one to brighten up your day...

I love the cup-like shape of the poppy flowers and the way their petals turn. Isn't their orangey-yellow such a happy colour! Another picture to show you my work up close.

Really enjoyed working on this cheery piece. Hope to grow some poppies in my garden next spring. :)

Capsicum Study

2011-04-26T09:29:00.003+05:30

Didn't I tell you the kitchen has some rather tempting options to paint! Well, here is one of my favourites... I love capsicums (green peppers), and they were a natural choice as they lay waiting to be chopped and cooked.

Painted this one with watercolors, and outlined using charcoal.

Wanna eat some? :)

Birds Of Paradise

2011-04-21T09:00:00.001+05:30

Okay, so that was a false alarm.... April isn't turning out so bad after all and I am able to get some work done. So, here is a peep into one of the florals I did earlier this month. Birds of paradise straight from California!

It is amazing how these flowers grow in every nook and cranny in sunny California, while back here in India they sell at an astounding price per stick.

Hope all my lovely readers out there are having a creative start to the summer! :)

Tomato Trio

2011-04-11T09:00:00.001+05:30

Hubby gets home tomatoes from the market with their green caps on.... and I spot a juicy subject right away!!

Loved working on this tomato trio. And believe me, this one really looks better upfront. In fact am now thinking of doing a kitchen series... the kitchen can do with some dressing up! :)

On another note, April is my fav month (me being an April-born). But since I am in the middle of a transition so posts may be few and far between this month. Of course that doesn't stop me from working.... so I'll be back with loads of new stuff to share! Meanwhile, you keep those creative juices flowing.

Saying It With Flowers

2011-04-03T09:00:00.000+05:30

Inspired by the rangoon creeper, this commissioned bottle was given away as a farewell gift.

A regular bouquet would wilt in a few days but not this pretty bunch.

The original flowering creeper...

...And my version of it.

Now only if I could capture the heady fragrance of this lovely creeper, but have to be happy with just the look and feel.

But I'm glad the bottle was liked by the recepient of this floral farewell, and is likely to travel overseas.

Still Life Study

2011-03-24T09:11:00.000+05:30

Again something that I haven't done in a long while - a still life study of a floral arrangement.

Though I more or less stuck to the original colours but I changed some colours in the primary flowers (the pink ones) to bring out contrasts better. Here is a close-up of the flowers.

Am hoping to do more still life soon; they train you to focus on the light and shade with a more intense eye.

Homeward Bound

2011-03-18T09:04:00.001+05:30

Back to watercolors after a hiatus. I feel returning to any medium after a break usually gives good results. So I decided to capture this Rajasthani shepherd in traditional clothes, out to graze his sheep on a wintry day.

The shepherd was not too difficult to do but it took me a while to get his sheep right. Especially getting them to stand out from the similar-coloured background.

What do you think of the results?

p.s. - Wishing all my readers from India a very colourful Holi, and my prayers for the people of Japan.

Lakshmi-Ganesh : The Diwali Bottle

2011-03-14T09:00:00.000+05:30

Goddess Lakshmi smiling down upon your home and bestowing her divine blessings.

Sounds perfect for a Diwali setting, doesn't it?

And if she is accompanied by Ganpati....

....along with a bunch of lotus blooms, it only adds to the auspicious quotient!

My daughter loved Goddess Lakshmi's sparkly jewels and crown, while my son loved her pink complexion!! :)) I love the blue-black hair myself.

This bottle will be an ideal decor element during the Diwali season. How about using it as an accompaniment for the card table? Imagine trying your luck with Lakshmi and Ganpati for company! And those lotus flowers on the sides are sure to keep the moolah rolling in. :)

p.s. -Yes, for those of you who were keen to know, this is indeed the other side of the Royal Challenge bottle that I talked about in my last post.

Dealing With A Royal Challenge

2011-03-08T11:30:00.000+05:30

I started out with a Royal Challenge whisky bottle. The shape was good but the logo embedded onto the glass at the top made things difficult. I had to think of how effectively to use or hide the logo, so that it wouldn't interfere with the artwork.

The round shape reminded me of the sun, and I contemplated doing a landscape with it. But its placement bang in the middle was not too helpful. Then I thought of something totally unrelated....

....And turned the piece into this. Howzzatt??!!

Ganpati with his mooshak (mouse consort) and a plateful of laddoos, and of course, with fabulous headgear! Now can you spot what I was trying to hide in the first place? :)

As for what is on the other side of the bottle.... Aaahh! for that you'll have to wait till the next post. Any guesses?!!

Warli Themed Bottle

2011-03-04T11:20:00.000+05:30

Green coloured bottles lying untouched for months finally get a new lease of life. Warli motifs look fantastic on them as I discovered on a chance impulse.

Somehow all my bright ideas come at night when I hit the bed, and half of them are forgotten or muddled-up by the morning. But this one stayed with me, and wouldn't let me be till I tried it out.

I super-like the little stick figures that are so characteristic of the Warli style; aren't they absolutely endearing.

The tree is another important motif around which a lot of activity takes place.

Loved the fact that I could complete this bottle in one day flat. Bottles that drag on (and the detailed ones take days sometimes) tend to squeeze a lot out of me, leading to a phase of listlessness. But not this time....

Hope the innate celebratory mood of Warli art perks up your spirits for the weekend! :)

"Let's Get Some Dinner!"

2011-03-01T12:04:00.000+05:30

Whoa, it is March already!! Last month has been busy, trying to deal with a number of things at the same time. And since there has been no posting for a while so I thought of making a comeback with this fun piece.

Love the words in the title! One bird could be saying that to another....

....or they may just be the words going through the tabby cat's head as he slyly watches the birds, waiting for them to land somewhere near. :)

Wouldn't this make a good display for kiddy space? Weaving a story into an artwork always makes it more interesting. I'm sure my kids will add a 'before' and 'after' to the title, and complete the story!

Krishna, The Cowherd

2011-02-15T11:30:00.004+05:30

A little out-of-season perhaps, given that Janamashtami is way off! But I started this bottle sometime after the festival last year, when my daughter used to dance to a ditty dedicated to Lord Krishna.

After the initial Krishna icon, the bottle languished in a corner of my cupboard, and lay forgotten for many months. Then further inspiration struck and I pulled it out again.

Where else could Krishna play his flute, if not to his cows....

In the midst of a flowering garden....

Where peacocks roam freely, enchanted by his music!

This is the essence that this bottle aims to capture. So glad I finally completed it. Appropriate after all, in the season of love, given that Krishna was such an incurable romantic! :)

Mustard Fields

2011-02-11T11:00:00.000+05:30

Fields of yellow swaying in the breeze - a common sight in these parts in the middle of biting winter chill.

When everything is enveloped in foggy grey, the yellow and green of the mustard fields bring a sense of warmth and colour. So I decided to depict the scene using two diverse media.

This first one is a watercolor...

It has a dreamy quality to it, does justice to the trees in the middle of the field, and captures the light of the sun pretty well.

This second one is the same scene in acrylic and crayon...

This one captures the distinct colours in the sky better, gets the mustard field in the right shade of yellow, and has more texture to it. But those trees aren't as good here.

So which one do you like more?

Sold!!!

2011-02-08T16:30:00.000+05:30

I'm on cloud nine as I share this news with all my lovely readers.... I finally sold my first batch of hand-painted bottles this weekend. Yayyyy!!!! :))

My client zeroed in on Gulmohar and Blue Cornflowers as her favourite designs, and I sent her two bottles of the same size, created with large doses of love! :)

The accompanying photos show the beauties waiting to be dispatched. Apologies for not putting up better shots; I was only carrying my phone camera at this time.

Selling my creations was a bit like giving away your kids to someone; I almost changed my mind at the last minute! :) But my family egged me on.... I love them so much for their unconditional support, and for putting the wind beneath my wings.

I have another exciting announcement coming very soon for my readers.... so stay tuned and watch out!

Till then, my thanks to all those who read my blog (regularly or sporadically), who care to leave comments, who catch up with my work on Facebook, and who are the reason for my wanting to stay in this space. A big "Thank You" to all of you!

Colored Glass Experiments

2011-02-06T16:43:00.006+05:30

All of you who have been reading my blog and following my work now know of my love for painting on transparent glass. But this time I decided to try something different, so I chose a brown-colored glass bottle instead.

Daffodils and pansies make an unlikely combination but they seemed to be the only colors that would show up on a brown background.

By far, yellow and white are the safest bets for a colored bottle. But methinks this limitation of the color pallette isn't a good thing....

....so I'll be back to transparent glass next time. Have some new designs hovering in the folds of my brain! :)

Stillness

2011-01-31T14:19:00.004+05:30

Snow-capped peaks, a partly frozen lake, and a lone shikara.... that makes for a quintessential picture of the beautiful state of Kashmir.

Inspired by a newspaper photograph clicked earlier this month during the intense cold wave sweeping north India, the colours and reflections in this picture made for a compelling subject.

It also reminded me of the time I had visited the valley as a kid, and inspired another painting. But I'll share that one on a future post.

Hope everyone has a good week ahead!

The Final Cut

2011-01-24T16:15:00.006+05:30

This one is a scene seen straight from my kitchen balcony - the farmhand cutting the final few of the season's standing crop.

The aim in this painting was to lay more stress on the figurative depiction. And to capture the tones of colour and folds in painting fabric.

Hope I managed to do justice.

Hurrying Home

2011-01-20T10:38:00.000+05:30

Today it is one of those rural life based pieces that I created from the scenes I see around me everyday. It also happens to be my first painting of 2011. :)

The grass-cutters hurrying home in the fading light of the evening is a sight seen very often around these parts. Their days' work balanced primly on their heads, their skirts and dupattas billowing in the breeze, they make such a pretty sight. Here is a close-up of the work.

Work has been slow this month owing to the intense cold, and the extended school break of the kids. I'm trying to get back to a daily schedule slowly.

Time For Something New

2011-01-17T09:26:00.001+05:30

New year, new styles.... so I tried out this impressionistic landscape representation.

Inspired partly by imagination, and mostly by the lovely work of Jennifer Woodburn, a Canadian artist I discovered sometime last year. I love how she packs in so much detail in such a simplified format. And her finding inspiration from her everyday surroundings.

Someday I hope to be able to do the same.... Amen!

Evening Light

2011-01-12T09:45:00.001+05:30

Starting the year with one of the last paintings I did in 2010. My perception of the colours and shades associated with the evening, as the sun goes down like an orange ball of fire.

Here is a close-up of the piece...

...and another detail of a tree trunk.

I'm enjoying my mixed media outings. Since last month I have also been working on a series of paintings inspired by the rural milieu I see around me. Living in a suburban area often gives you rare insights into the lifestyles of people from another strata that you would never be able to catch in a bustling city set-up. Hope I can catch a glimpse of that through my work.

Happy New Year 2011

2010-12-31T19:57:00.005+05:30

New year greetings to all my readers... May 2011 turn out to be bigger and better, in all respects. And add a host of new colours to your lives!

That I achieved to create double the number of artworks in 2010 as compared to 2009 is a big enough high for me to end the year on. :) So what if I am unable to post a picture for you all today (I got all confused between wires, and carried the wrong set on my vacation, so no downloads!).

Blogging tends to get a bit slow around this time of the year, but thankfully work hasn't stopped. So I shall be back around mid-Jan with a host of new paintings to show.

Till then, wishing you a creative start to the new year!

Beer Bottle Landscape

2010-12-16T09:30:00.001+05:30

Right after I finished my last bottle (Gulmohar), my son knitted his brows and asked, "Mama, why do you paint only flowers on your bottles?". Good question, and the only answer I had was to promise him that next time I'd paint something different. I also quietly told myself that it was time to face upto a new challenge!

As I looked at the empty beer bottle standing on my work table, suddenly an idea flashed.... why not try something totally unrelated. And that is how the landscape emerged; after all a beer is best enjoyed on an outing to the countryside. ;)

So you have blue snow-capped mountains, green rolling hills, and miles of farmland on this bottle.

It has been tough photographing this particular bottle because you can take in the entire effect only from a distance. But I hope these pictures give you some glimpses of my efforts.

As for my son, he is happy that mommy kept her promise of making something different! :)

Bottled Gulmohar

2010-12-13T09:20:00.001+05:30

Here's an attempt to catch the pretty Gulmohar blossoms again, this time on a bottle.

Let the pictures do the talking this time. :)

I'm happy because I could capture the see-through quality of the leaves.

Am currently working on another bottle; will show you the results soon!

Kingfisher

2010-12-03T09:00:00.001+05:30

Spotted a white throated kingfisher from my kitchen balcony the other day. That reminded me of a few kingfisher pictures we had clicked last year on our annual picnic. And so lies the story behind this piece....

I was determined to paint in a loose hand, and focus not just on the subject but on the painting in entirety. I think I have managed to achieve that as the foliage blends in pretty well.

I am also painting in a bigger size (15" by 10.5" approx) now and enjoying the expanse of a larger scale.

Someone's Trash, Someone's Treasure

2010-12-01T11:40:00.000+05:30

Can't believe I actually got home someone's trash (well almost!) to work on. Collected this carton full of used liquor bottles from a dear friend a couple of months back.

Though I haven't done much work with them yet, but hopefully they will turn into some sort of stuff worth treasuring once I'm done with them. While the coloured bottles aren't working too well for my liking, I have already started work on the first plain one.

Can you imagine what the finished piece would look like? Well, neither can I.... Really prefer working with no set design. Make up each bit as you go along, that is the fun part!

Mongooses & Robins

2010-11-25T05:49:00.001+05:30

Remember how I told you a few posts ago that the farmer's field behind our home is a great source of inspiration. Well, this painting stems entirely from the play of the mongooses and robins within the greens and browns of the fields.

I don't know what the connection is but I noticed that whenever the robins were active and hovering around in a pack, a couple of mongoose could also be spotted moving around. The afternoon was the chosen hour for this hide and seek between them.

Here is a close-up to give you a better feel of the piece.

Alas, now that the farmer has cut off most of his produce, the mongooses have vanished.... probably built new burrows in safer places.

I am currently working on a series of pieces all based on the farmer's field. Will show you bits and pieces off and on. Hope you enjoyed this one.

A Week Of Trials

2010-11-18T10:30:00.000+05:30

Have spent most of the week dabbling in some new techniques. Went back to acrylics after a long time, and I'm totally loving it. Here are some snapshots from my trials.

I have repeatedly felt that I'm not as much a watercolor person. Not that I don't love the effects that watercolors produce but acrylics win hands down when it comes to sheer colour.

The dazzling brightness of their colours never fails to amaze me.

And while a lot of people don't like acrylics because they are fast-drying, that very quality appeals to me. With acrylics, you can layer on faster, and be assured of eye-catching shades.

Blue Cornflowers

2010-11-11T11:11:00.000+05:30

My second bottle was inspired by beds of blue cornflowers swaying in the breeze, a familiar sight every spring if you happen to visit any of the parks.

I especially enjoyed doing the typical shape of the petals that give this flower its distinct identity.

And here is a close-up of the just-starting-to-open flower. I used some subtle glitter to do the details of the leaves.

Hope to get back to some painting after this brush with bottle art. Keep checking back for more!

Fuchsia Fantasy

2010-11-09T10:55:00.005+05:30

I'm back after a rejuvenating break filled with fun, family, and some great food! It has been a fantastic time-out, of course. Especially after a hectic week spent finishing two bottles simultaneously.

Here is the first one called Fuchsia Fantasy. Inspired by the bell-shaped fuchsia flower with its brilliant colour combos, this bottle has travelled all the way to Bangalore and will adorn the work desk of a favourite cousin. :)

Love the deep aubergine colour that I managed to mix up for this one; it made a smashing combination with the blue.

Will show you the second bottle in my next post soon.

Street Food Cart

2010-10-30T10:00:00.002+05:30

Can't believe this is my 100th post! This blog has sure come a long way.... :)

My second submission for the virtual paintout at San Miguel de Allende. I used this street view to create this painting, and am pretty pleased with the outcome.

My learning this time was about how important shadows are. After I had finished putting in the colours, I realised that something was amiss. Then, by sheer gut feel, I darkened the shadows. While black is a colour one should use with a lot of thought, this once I used it liberally. As soon as the shadows got done right, the colours from the other parts popped up and everything worked together.

I especially like how the figures turned out in this one... the lady sitting with her cup, the fellow with his cap, the couple on the right of the cart, and the food sellers with their distinctive identities. Adding human interest definitely ups the overall appeal of any painting.

I'll be working on a couple of bottles now, and then plunge headlong into Diwali festivities. :) See you all sometime next month....

The Farmer's Field

2010-10-27T18:15:00.002+05:30

The farmer's field behind our house is the source of endless inspiration. I can actually sit in the comfort of my bedroom and stare all day at the lush green fields. The ripening crops attract a lot of birds and animals, and watching them intertact and play around is such fun.

In this piece I have tried capturing some such instances of activity in the fields - the butterflies flitting in and out of the swaying crops, the crow flying low looking for some food, the fat tabby cat waiting to pounce upon some unsuspecting bird.

I am quite happy with this one, especially because things did turn out as I had originally imagined. I can feel a series of more drawings brewing up inside....

Kashmir Valley

2010-10-23T09:00:00.000+05:30

Chronologically, this one should've come before the previous post. It was started last month, and left to languish in the midst of my festive fiesta. Finally completed it earlier this week.

Done from a picture taken by a cousin on one of her many trips to the beautiful Kashmir valley in north India.

While I'm happy with the most part, after I finished I wished I'd done the skies differently. They seem to take the focus away from the pretty colours of the hills.

What do you think? Am I being too hard on myself! ;)

Cactus Country

2010-10-21T09:00:00.000+05:30

My first submission to the Virtual Paintout blog featuring San Miguel de Allende this month. I am participating after a long gap of five months, and really enjoyed touring around the colourful streets of this month's location.

Click here to see the picture that I used for my small painting (7.5" x 5.5").

I really liked the outcome. Hope to be able to send across another one next week.

Inspiration Plaques

2010-10-20T18:48:00.007+05:30

This is an easy one. Here are the steps on how you can make your own inspiration plaques. Please follow at your own risk! ;) (And don't say I didn't warn you well in time!)

1. Filch a couple of useless wood blocks from a neighbour's yard. (This is exatly what I did.... not that they cared.)

2. Think up some inspirational words to paint on these wood blocks. (I used acrylic paints.)

3. Paint, dry, display, and enjoy.

Thankfully mine are displayed close to where I work so I can see them many times a day. The two simple words on my inspiration plaques really sum up my mantra for life.

Festive Fever & Sneak Preview

2010-10-18T16:15:00.004+05:30

Found this blog missing in action these last couple of weeks? Well, blame it squarely on the festive season. I have had my hands full, with my son's b'day, my parents' visit, and Durga Puja. You can look forward to some posts later this week as I finish off stuff I left half done last month.

Meanwhile here is a sneak preview of the latest bottle I'm working on. It is far from completion, and taking longer than expected.... but that is how creative things go. So no point complaining; only hope I get back into the creative groove soon before another festive bout hits! :)

Nasturtiums Galore

2010-09-28T10:30:00.000+05:30

Nasturtiums again, this time in watercolor.

I did this one directly with paint on paper, without any sketching for guidance. Doing away with the sketching does allow for more flexibility; there aren't any lines to restrict and you simply move with the way the colour flows.

Portulaca Splendour

2010-09-24T23:09:00.010+05:30

Apologies for my absence most of last week. I got trapped in a bottle (Much like the fabled genie)!! Well, I'll let the pictures do the talking this time....

Portulaca blooms in my garden, a sight that welcomes me through the monsoon season.

Portulaca blooms on my bottle, a sight that will last through all seasons.

The eye-catching combination of hot pink and yellow was just too hard to resist.

Mmmmm... sheer gorgeousness!! Whaddaya think?

The Last Few Suns

2010-09-20T09:00:00.001+05:30

The sunflowers in my neighbour's garden are having a last burst of blooms before they are retired in favour of the seasonal varieties. Everyday as I pass them by on my way out, their bright nodding heads look so paintworthy. :)

This one has actually turned out better than I expected. And the part I enjoyed doing the most was the upturned flower. Here is a close-up of that bit.

Hope the coming week is as fulfilling, paint-wise, as the last one. I am loving this phase of quick paintings albeit small ones. Shall move on to a bigger size soon.....

Cinnerarias

2010-09-16T10:49:00.004+05:30

Inspired entirely by the oh-so-gorgeous blooms in my winter garden last year, these cheery cinnerarias were fun to do.

My learning this time was all about mixing the right shades. Since my basic 12-tube watercolor pack has a limited pallette (it does not have any shades of purple/fuchsia), I had to make sure I mixed the right amounts of red and blue to get the different shades.

Another floral is coming up in the next post.... stay tuned (These words are a sureshot hangover from my radio jockey days!).

Ghats And Boats

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000+05:30

The two things that characterize the city of Benaras, or Varanasi, believed to be the oldest city in India. Also considered the seat of Hindu traditions, and famous for its weaving of the now dying Benarasi sari. Though I have never visited the city but I found a newspaper picture of it so compelling that I just had to paint it.

This was one painting I enjoyed thoroughly, especially doing the boats. Here is a close-up of my favourite parts.

The aim now is to consciously paint in a more loose fashion with emphasis on the Impressionist approach. I believe a watercolor works best that way.

Hope you enjoyed this one!

The Swish Set

2010-09-13T09:47:00.005+05:30

And you thought they appeared only on Page 3! I see them everyday in my rural backyard. ;)

The farmers' buffaloes with their languorous gait and their forever swishing tails make for an interesting subject. Especially when they line up for their fodder, heads bent and fully focussed on eating. Only the tails move, constantly.

The monsoon overdrive has sent me on a watercolor overdrive. Just can't seem to get enough of this medium. :)

Canna Flowers

2010-09-10T09:30:00.001+05:30

I worked up the gumption to do a watercolor floral after quite a while. Inspired by canna flowers that have been blooming all over the neighbourhood thanks to the over-active monsoon this year.

More than the flowers, I love the delicate stripes that show up on canna leaves. That is what I tried capturing in this attempt.

My Experiments With Squawky

2010-09-08T12:20:00.000+05:30

Yesterday I did two back-to-back paintings after a long time. I was also in the mood to experiment so I kept the sketching to a bare minimum and tried playing around directly with colour on the brush.

The result of my first experiment is this squawky fella. Didn't I tell you the parrots will keep returning! :) I am happy that I could keep the strokes fairly loose, though of course there is still more scope.

My second experiment had to do with a floral; look out for that in my next post.

Grassland

2010-09-06T15:31:00.008+05:30

September always gets off to a slow start as my daughter's birthday right at the beginning of the month keeps me busy. But I'm aiming to make up this week by trying to paint more often.

Here is a glimpse of the painting before it dried completely, with the wet parts standing out.

This time I chose a picture from my inspiration file, and I was sure I wanted to paint it using watercolors. I love the fact that I'm suddenly feeling more confident about this medium. Months of observing the works of other artists seems to have finally paid off!

No votes for the question I posed on my last post! Tch, tch.... my readers are getting indifferent. Anyway, I am going with 'Waiting' because that signifies hope, and is therefore a more positive title.

Waiting or Moored?

2010-08-27T11:59:00.006+05:30

Remember the Falkenberg series of paintings I did last year? You can see them here and here.

Well, this is the last picture from that trilogy. Only while the older ones were done in acrylic, this time I decided to use watercolors.

While I love the way the boat and the grassy areas have come out, I feel the water could do better but I really don't know how. Any ideas or suggestions? Incidentally, this is the original picture that I used as reference.

I'm also not sure what I want to call it - Waiting or Moored. Maybe my readers should vote for this one and help me decide! :)

Gulmohar

2010-08-23T12:10:00.001+05:30

Just tried doing a watercolor floral (undoubtedly my fav topic!) using the wax resist technique.

Not a great piece of work, but I did learn something new. I hope to try out more work (with better proportions, of course) using this technique soon.

Yellow Lily

2010-08-19T16:05:00.000+05:30

Perfect antidote for a grey, misty day: a bright yellow lily, now blooming in my dining area. :)

Had to paint something cheerful to dispel the dreariness of a day-long drizzle. This yellow lily made for just the right subject. I'm back to acrylics and pen, my comfort zone. A quick swish on card stock, and I have something new to smile about!

Weekend Crafting: I-Day Wrist Bands

2010-08-18T12:01:00.006+05:30

India celebrated its 64th Independence day last Sunday, and the children joined the fervour with their I-Day wrist bands.

The credit for the idea goes entirely to my soon-to-be-five years old girl. Since they were so easy to make, I thought I should share the how-to with you.

1. Take a plain A4 size sheet, and fold it lengthwise, thrice over, to give your band some thickness.

2. Stick the loose ends down using a glue stick.

3. Colour/decorate one side the way you want (in this case we chose the colours of the national flag, of course).

4. When you are through with colouring/decoration, put some double-sided tape on one of the shorter ends of the plain side. This will help you fasten the band on your wrist.

Voila! Show off your new wrist band. :)

Tin Creatures

2010-08-15T18:00:00.002+05:30

Ever struggled with the tin foils atop sealed cans of malt drinks and baby food? Well, get yourself a good cutter and take them out neat. Then see what you can do with those round tin scraps...

Turn 'em into a lil' bird ready to fly away.

Or float a fishy fish in the water.

And since it is monsoons, a snail with a shell on its back wouldn't be out of place either!

Hope you like my tin creatures and try some out yourself.

Hibiscus Glory

2010-08-13T12:34:00.007+05:30

It is bottle art again this time....

My glassy ode to the red hibiscus flowers that look so pretty and cheerful in bloom.

I love how the bud has come out, with its glossy outlines.

The new bottle goes really well with my living room decor. :)

Though a nasty viral grounded my creative attempts through the week but the bright reds of my hibiscus flowers have brought the verve right back! So keep tuned for more creativity soon.

Touchdown!

2010-08-09T11:41:00.008+05:30

I'm back with the watercolor I was working on before I disappeared. The outstretched wings of the egret just before touchdown makes for an awesome sight. I simply love the grace with which they take off and come down.

With the monsoons bringing a host of watering birds to our neighbourhood, the entire family is looking for some avian inspiration. :) So I thought it appropriate to feature the creations of my kids as well this time.

Water bird created by my four and a half years old daughter using sketch pens. I love the long legs and the long beak.

Water bird created by my six and a half years old son using colored pencils. Don't miss the poor frog in the bird's mouth!

Off Again :(

2010-08-01T12:25:00.000+05:30

I'm currently working on a watercolor, and have a couple of bottle ideas right up my sleeve. But I'll be off this blog for about a fortnight as I need to spend some time with my family, especially my parents.

See you soon with some new things to show. And in the meanwhile, hope you enjoy some creative times yourself!

Blossoms

2010-07-22T10:50:00.002+05:30

Inspired by portulacas and day liles that are so common this time of the year, here is another painted bottle that I've named Blossoms.

This was tougher to do because of its round shape. The paint kept flowing all over, and I had to struggle with some quick drying to keep it looking even.

When my mum heard what I'm working on this morning, she complained I hadn't gifted her any. So Blossoms is for you, dear Ma, especially because you so love flowers.

As for you, dear readers, next time you grab a drink on the go, you know what to do with the bottle! :)

Pensive

2010-07-16T21:00:00.002+05:30

My recent visits in and out of hospitals gave me many opportunities to observe people. The most dominant mood I came across was a thoughtful, pensive one as people waiting for their loved ones to recover often withdrew into their own little shells in the midst of the cacophony in the waiting lounge.

I have tried to capture this same sombre mood here. I especially enjoyed doing the dark, inky blue of the background as it seemed to reflect the pensive state of the figure very aptly.

In case you are wondering about the difference in the tonal quality of the two pictures above - the first one was clicked without a flash, and the second using one. So which one looks better? I think the flash captures the colours well but the first one captures the essence of the work. What do you feel?

p.s.- My painted bottles have received a tremendous response. Thanks to all of you who wrote in with your encouraging words. :)

Creative Rumblings Is Now On Facebook

2010-07-16T12:59:00.005+05:30

It is a weekend treat indeed! Creative Rumblings is now on Facebook. So you can join in the fun through your favourite networking site.

Just check the scroll bar on the right to find the link to my Facebook page. See you there!

Autumn Leaves

2010-07-11T11:00:00.000+05:30

Another painted bottle, covered this time with autumn leaves of all shapes, sizes, and hues.

I randomly searched Google Images for 'Autumn Leaves' and the search results led me to making my own bottleful of leaves.

What I love about this particular bottle is the way you can see through to the leaves painted on the other side. I feel the translucence of the paints has been used to very good effect in this one.

And of course, the gossamer quality of the paint only adds to the look. Here's a close-up view for you.

This bottle definitely counts as my sheer favourite! :)

French Riviera, Bottled Up!

2010-07-08T09:58:00.012+05:30

Aah! let me take you on a quick getaway to the French Riviera, arguably one of the most scenic holiday spots in the world. So come along, close your eyes and imagine a stone-walled villa, with green vines and bright flowers creeping up the brown walls.

Huge arched windows beckon you to look out.

And as you gaze beyond the arch of the stone window, the azure blue of the sea dazzles you.

Tall palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze as colourful boats and yachts bob up and down on the waters.

Hope you enjoyed the flight of fancy just as much as I enjoyed spinning the yarn! And capturing it all through paint on a bottle... :)

The irony : Never imagined a bottle of antiseptic to inspire so much creative thought!!! Sometimes you do get inspiration from the weirdest of places, but the arch on the Dettol bottle has long seemed like a veritable window to me.

Go on, now search for your own Aha! moment. :)

Monochromatic

2010-07-07T12:58:00.004+05:30

Being away from my colors these last two months has given me a monochromatic vision!

When the mind is clutterred with too many things but the hands want to doodle anyway, this is the result.

Apologies for the single post last month despite promising otherwise. Sometimes the plan just doesn't work....

Hope to make up for that this month so check back for some of my painted bottles soon. And many thanks to all my lovely readers for hanging in there with me.:)

In Conversation

2010-06-10T08:00:00.000+05:30

Painted this pair of Brahminy Starlings a few weeks earlier. But the rough and tumble of the last few days kept me from posting it.

I really like their expressions, and their incessant chatter as they sit on our bedroom trellis. Look like a couple of ladies discussing neighbourhood gossip! :))

What do you think?