Mongooses & Robins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! ;)