Mural work - 2

This is the second one of the three mural pieces that I had taken classes for. Though the earlier Jharokha had been done with a lot of help from my instructor, this has been done almost by myself. I just got the instructions and then I started work on my own.

Of course, it is a bit different from what my teacher would have envisioned, but I think for a first effort it is not too bad.

I was asked by a few of my friends for the instructions on how to do it . and I will be making the tutorials when I have some free time..

right now, life is a little busy with shopping and such for going to Chennai as well as Kerala ..... Not to mention the fact that my little one is at home and keeping her from being bored is taking all my time and energy..!!!!

So I would really like to know your opinion on this particular piece.

Warli painting - acrylic on paper

Warli art is said to have originated in Thane - Maharashtra, of India a couple of centuries ago. It is said that the villagers, especially the women folk used this type of art to decorate the walls of their houses . Most homes had thatched roofs and mud walls. So Warli paintings originally had a mud brown background, and they used to paint with a mixture of rice paste and water.

It is a very interesting form of art and can be completed in very little time. Also, even people who cannot draw very well can do this . I did this painting today, in about 50 minutes...!!!

It is a great way of depicting day to day events, festivals , marriages or other occasions...

There is no need for symmetry and the figures are very easy to draw.. with a few bent limbs, it is so easy to denote movement ....

Try it out and have a great time

Shiva Thandav - water colour and acrylic

Ever since I saw this picture of Shiva, I have been wanting to paint Shiva in his 'Thandava' pose. However, though I do get inspired from other works of art, I am adamant about my work being as different from the inspiration piece as can be... I can safely say that the end result is a very different thing altogether !!!

A reason why my painting turned so colourful is because I happened to catch a documentary about the lovely temple art of Kerala.. it was almost a lost art, but is slowly experiencing a revival... the very colourful images remained in my mind.. so the painting finally looks nothing like either type of work... But I am happy about how this has turned out..... and frankly, this is one of the more colourful of my paintings..

I would like your opinion too....!!

I did use a lot of brown while painting this picture....and it seems when her teacher was asking all the kids about their favourite colours, my daughter answered brown. The teacher told me that was quite an unusual choice for a child of three... she was very impressed though.... so when I asked my daughter about her choice, she told me "brown is used a lot for painting and it is also mamma's and my (skin) colour.. so Ichu likes 'baraoun' a lot" ...!!!

Christmas tree ornament - Handmade from scratch!

I was sure that I wouldn't be posting any more till we came back from Jaipur, but i couldn't resist this... 

Since my daughter was not well the last week ,(Many thanks to all of you who wished her well) she hadn't been to her playschool..and I did not know that I was required to get her a gift worth Rs. 15 to 20, which would then be exchanged...

Now, to get something that would actually be a good gift is almost impossible.. and with kids, there should always be chocolates with the gift or a gift with the chocolates.. otherwise things do become disappointing... 

So finally I decided to make a tree ornament and buy some nice chocolates to add to the gift..

The whole thing was made in 2 hours.. I had to wait for the paint and the varnish to dry on each side, to paint the next layer..

The mould is the cap of Lays Stax... similar to Pringles chips..

I used a ceramic -like powder and glue to make the disk. Poked a hole with a pen refill.

Used acrylic black to paint the base. coated with varnish, painted Holly in red and green for that Christmasy feel.. higlighted with silver and looped some silver threads through the hole..

The thread ends were treated to a coat of clear nail polish to keep it from fraying..

When I finally rushed to my daughter's playschool, I was told they had pre-poned the celebrations and had already distributed the gifts... :(

Anyway, I am happy I made something and can develop on this idea.. 

So my friends, how do u like it?

Experimenting with 3D - murals(mixed media)

Finally!!! I got a piece done...

Beginning with getting all the things together, the wood, the glue, the powder that goes into the mold, it was a search that stretched over three weekends in harware shops, art shops etc etc. Then with our baby's start at the playschool, things got delayed further.

So armed with my scribbled notes from an unforgettable meeting with a great artist, and a prayer, I set to work... As I am wont to do, I started with a Ganesha since His form can be made as simple or as complicated as one wants.

I did use the mold for drawing in the Ganesha too, just to find out how versatile it can be. As is clear, I need more practise mixing up the mold since there are a few unnecessary lumps and a few places where the mix has sagged...And the paint is acrylic.

But for a first effort , am not too sorry... :)

Buddha - Acrylic on canvas

This is the first I am attempting to paint Buddha. Now that I have done one, I think I will do more..Like Ganesha, there are infinite possibilities with the form of Buddha too...

This one has been done with Acrylic on a canvas that I bought ready-made and stretched on the frame. Actually this frame was picked up by my brother for one of his experiments..but when I packed my bags to leave Doha, he tossed it in with my luggage...Thanks bro...

By the way, August is a month I like a lot... both my siblings are leos who celebate their birthdays within 3 days of each other..and to add to that my favourite nephew too celebrates his birthday this month..and THIS month this year, I will be having get-together with my family...so the count-down has begun for me..
And I really intend to enjoy myself and also to gather a lot of inspiration for my blog....

Water colour and Acrylic on paper

Another effort with the endlessly fascinating form of Ganesha. The soft colours have been done in watercolour and the bolder ones with acrylic.

Art attack!!!

This is a painting I did for my brother's room. I had just a few days and a large area to fill..

This was done with acrylic..am not fully happy with it..but for something doen in a rush, it is okay..

This is one situation I hate to encounter. When I do something, I just hate to be rushed off my feet...but this couldn't be helped...

So, I owe my brother another work..hopefully I'd be able to make him happy with my next effort..Love u ...

Rosemaling - another attempt...

As I had posted earlier, I find the style of rosemailing very very pleasing. this was also done a while back, but with shifting and unpacking, it got put away in an unlikely box and i did not discover this until a few days back...am sooo happy i found it..and I did find another fabric painting that I had done only half way..
as soon as i find time to complete it, I will post that too..

Meanwhile, I am trying to make a slightly grand dress for my daugter..have lots of designs in my mind..and as i am a dince at sewing with machines, I have to do the stitching with hand, unless I find someone to stitch it for me!!!

Kaaliyamardanam

Many of the very special people I have met while blog-hopping have asked me to put up more of my art/craft projects..

This is something I did before my baby arrived on the scene...needless to say, now-a-days, my time just flies by..so I have no idea when I will get the time to produce more of it's kind.

I am really interested in Hindu mythology and most of my work has been based on this.

This is just acrylic on normal chart paper.

The scene is Kaaliyamardanam, depicting the defeat of the Serpent Kaaliya by lord Krishna.

Window hanging

I am endlessly fascinated with Batik, unfortunately have not had any chance to do anything about it.

And another thing I absolutely love is mural art. So for this home-improvement excercise of mine, I decided to have a faux-batik border with something to remind me of mural art...

I love the bold colours. I have drawn Krishna and Rukmini, and the lovely clouds with the bold blue borders and a lotus.

Since I was using poplin to draw on , I used fabric colours. I am not very happy with the end results, but an active baby around trying to pull whatever she could reach, it took me longer than expected.

I will be making a few adjustments later on, but for now, I think this is okay to cover up the window.

Rosemaling - love it !!!

This is one instance where the pleasure I get while reading a book just doubled...!!!!...(imagine that...)

I was reading a book about a Norwegian girl lost at sea and her life afterwards...she thanks the people who rescue her and give her refuge by decorating a wooden box, decorating music sheets and painting decorative hair combs in the Rosemaling style..

So I searched the internet and found a great site with all things imaginable,decorated in this style...

And given here is my attempt at Rosemailing...I have not decided whether I should make it a wall hanging or make a pillow cushion out of it.....I just know that it is a highly addictive way to paint.

I would really love to get some comments/suggestions on this one....In case anyone is wondering, I used acrylic paint...