The Collab Story

A couple of months back my cousin from Bangalore introduced me to a friend who had recently taken up woodworking. I contacted him and we decided to collaborate on a project. 

Last month I received two handmade boxes made by him using recycled pine wood. I sprinkled some of my creative splashes on them, and they transformed right before my eyes. From bland and boring beige, they turned into dazzling divas full of colours and whimsy, with a story hidden in the designs chosen for each box.

Here's taking you through the creative makeover of those two boxes. For more details on the makeover process, see my Instagram account @creativerumblings that carries more fun pictures and reels of the collaboration in my highlights.

For the first box that travelled back to Bangalore to its maker, I chose to paint pomegranates and lotus flowers as those motifs symbolize abundance and prosperity. 

This particular box had an unusual shape, and two small lids for its two compartments. So I chose to go with a quirky 'His and Her' depiction, painting faces on the lids.

The second box was mine to keep. Those of you who know me also know about how Nature inspires a lot of my work. So I wanted this box to be a tribute to trees, and to the ecosystem around them. After all, that is where the wood for the box came from in the first place! 

That is why all the side panels of the second box along with its hinged cover feature flora and fauna derived from my observation of trees, and the life around them.

All in all, the collab (short for 'collaboration' if you haven't figured out yet) was a fascinating experience that pushed me to try something beyond my regular painting practice. It also taught me to think of designs from a product perspective, basing my choices on the utility of the boxes. I loved how my colourful designs totally changed the look and feel of both the boxes. Looking forward to more such creative adventures!

Having Fun With Gouache and Ink

 

The last couple of weeks I have been making a series of pen drawings accentuated using gouache and ink. 

Some of these drawings use paper collage in the background.

Both gouache and ink are pretty fluid media, and very responsive to how you handle them. 

Being water soluble makes them easily adaptable, but unlike watercolours, once dry they are permanent. I found both media well-suited for botanical drawings. What do you think of the outcomes?

Nature Journal: Cover Page

The Nature Journal finally has a front cover. One of the first things I made post-exhibition. Was a wonderful break from the bottles, and helped me relax my over-tired body and over-charged brain.

I tweaked the inchie collage technique and came up with this design that features almost all that constitutes nature, and that I come across regularly in my interactions with the natural world. I am pretty pleased with the end result. What do you think, dear readers?

Nature Journal: M for... Mulberries in March

M is for March, and for mulberries! Though we are well into May (another M there), I thought of sharing the March page from the Nature Journal.

And a significant part of our March experience was devoted to mulberries....  Picking the fruit right off the numerous trees in the park as they hung, red and ripe. Shaking the trees and catching the fruit before they hit the ground. Collecting them gingerly in our palms so as not to squish them. And finally, washing them at home and biting into their luscious sweetness.

March also meant the advent of my favourite season, Spring. A time when our little terrace garden breaks into multi-hued splendour. Unexpected rains meant an extended blooming time for our beauties. And of course, this month I discovered the gorgeous Kachnar flowers; totally fell for the bright mauve-pink blossoms covering the tree and the ground underneath. Same for the Semul or Silk Cotton flowers; they literally make the term 'red carpet' come alive.

Wholesome Breakfast

Another still life I created recently - a table setting for a wholesome breakfast. Care to join in?

This is a mixed media effort, with many details done using paper collaging. I especially like how the flowers, the juice glass and the table cover came out.

Seasons Greetings

The Final Outcome

The searing heat is getting too much to bear so am off on a vacation.... In the meanwhile, as promised last week, here is a peek into what that last sketch turned into.

I haven't named this one yet; any ideas from you all, dear readers?

First Strokes

Does it ever happen to you?....

...That the first few strokes look so amazing that you never get around to working on the rest of it!!!

Yes, it happens with me many a times. This one lay on my work table like this for a week before I actually felt like going in and finishing it. Of course the finished piece always looks quite different from those initial strokes.

Come back next week and I'll give you glimpses of what this finally turned into!

The Watermelon Seller

The festivities are finally over and we are settling back into a saner life. Been a long time since any work got done.... hope that changes now as we fall back into a regular routine.

Winter has definitely arrived, and the woollies are out. But bang in the middle of this I'm reminded of peak summertime, and watermelons. Weird, to say the least.

This was the sight that greeted me everyday in the summers as I walked down to pick my kiddo from the hobby class. Searing noon time heat, sun blazing, washing everything in a piercing yellow-white glare. And suddenly these pops of colour would appear at the turn of the road. Circles of green with occasional reds, and of course, the blue of the tarpaulin. Made for an interesting subject!

One And A Half

The strawberries are back, even half eaten ones! :)

I feel hanging food paintings in the dining or cooking areas brings in a sense of abundance and well-being. Do you agree?

Luscious Trio

On a recent trip to the supermarket, we picked up a box of juicy red strawberries. But look where the luscious berries landed...

Plonk in the middle of a painting! Didn't know they'd make such a great subject.

This happens to be the last of the 'reds'. Well, for now at least. It is a different matter that a garden bursting with red amaryllis can't really keep my mind off that colour for very long!

An Apple A Day

Yes, don't we all know how an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But in my case it just made me want to play.... with my paints and brushes, that is.

Chomping on a plateful of apple slices recently, I noticed how the light fell on the pieces to make a very interesting composition. And I just had to paint it. Showing you the process...

The Picture

The Sketch

The Painting

The colours don't quite show up right in the photo; the edges look too hard. Believe me, the apples look much better upfront! This was a quick painting, all done in a day. Would love to do that with all my work but mostly things tend to linger for days, sometimes weeks, for paucity of time. Maybe they'll get better now!

All Things Found & Beautiful

I have an obsession for collecting little 'found' things whenever I go out to any place special. So I have everything - from bird feathers, to pine cones, to shells - stocked away in various corners of my home, each reminiscent of special memories, and associated with special places.

Today I thought I'd share with you some of these 'found' things, and how a little labour of love can turn these into pretty stuff that you can display around.

These are the things I collected with my kids on a recent visit to our local park. Basically seeds, pods and flowers from Eucalyptus and Neem trees.

I dried them in a corner of my table, taking care that they weren't directly exposed to the sun. After drying them for a couple of weeks, I painted them and....

They turned them into these little jewels!

Now all I need is a matching little plate to hold them.

A beautiful reminder of a special day! Do you have a penchant for any such 'found' things?

Fruity Feast

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!