A Gem Of A 9th Century Temple

This is a small and lovely 9th century temple built next to a lake bund close to Melpadi in Vellore District, in the Southern Indian state of Tamilnadu. My wife and I visited this place on one of our quarterly heritage tours with a group called Mystical Palmyra.

A Heritage Fountain

This is the fountain at Bai Sakarbai Petit Animal Hospital, Parel Mumbai. These days I read the news on my phone because the newspaper is delivered at my home only after I leave for work. I saw this image in an article on heritage fountains in Mumbai and felt compelled to sketch it using pen, ink and watercolour.

Silk Weaver, Kancheepuram

On a recent visit to Kancheepuram we visited a silk weavers' co-operative, where I made this very quick sketch in my pocket sketchbook in ink, and then coloured it later at home. Although I have made it look light and airy the weaver was actually working in a dark confined space and I had difficulty making out many of the details. The weaver had a light attached to the bottom of one of the crosspieces of the loom to light the sari that he was weaving, and he and the loom were mainly in silhouette.

Barn & Farmhouse

This is my first effort after attending Dhruba Mazumder's watercolour workshop. It is based on a reference photograph of the same name by Irv made available on WetCanvas to participants in the Monthly Pen & Ink Project - May 2014.

I used a Khyati watercolour A4 pad for this. This was the first time that I was using this paper and I found it very different to what I had used during the later stages of the workshop. I found the difference very disconcerting but managed to complete the painting.  

Thappattam Dancers at Lalit Kala Akademi

Recently the Chandra Ilango Art Foundation had arranged for a traditional drummer group to perform at Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai and had invited many artists to come and make an artwork on location based on this performance.  The event was very well attended and a huge success.

I had gone to the event only to watch and learn and with no intention of sketching. But once I was there, and after seeing so many artists sketching and painting, I too was tempted. Fortunately I had my pocket sketchbook on me and, although I was overwhelmed by the movement and the spectacle, I managed a small static sketch with my gel pen. I then added the colours at home.

The Hero of the Park

This is a sketch of a very lovely tree that dominates the Nageswara Rao Park at Luz, in Mylapore, Chennai. I sketched this with a black ink gel pen on location and added the watercolour washes at home.

Shrine at Sri Ramakrishna Mutt, Mylapore, Chennai

The Sri Ramakrishna Mutt is a monastic order started in the 19th century by Saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. The Chennai (or Madras) branch was started in 1887 and it moved to the present premises in 1907. What I I have sketched is a small shrine honouring the saint. I sketched this very quickly with a ball point pen on location and added the colour washes later at home. The sketch is approximately 5.5" x 7".

View From Siva Temple, Senji

This is the last of the five sketches that I did on my recent visit to Senji. The hill in the background is about 800 feet (249 metres) tall with a fort on top. It is known as Rajagiri and is one of the three hill forts that make up the Senji fort complex. I have sketched Rajagiri from within a temple a short distance from the foot of the hill.

Rajagiri, Senji

From this point onwards I shall be posting current work. This one was done a few weeks ago when I visited Senji along with my wife, daughter and many friends from the Chennai Weeknd Artists.

Rajagiri Fort at Senji (also referred to as Gingee) is approached through a roofed stone entranceway, and then through an arched pavilion. Once past the pavilion there is a fairly large area with many interesting buildings and of course, the 800 feet (240 metre) tall Rajagiri hill on which the fort itself is located. My sketch shows the view that you see as you come through the first entranceway. I sketched this in ink and then added some watercolour, both on location.

A few from 2013

Here are a few that I did in 2013. All of these are small sketches that I did in a small sketchbook called a Brahma Book. This is an Indian version of a Moleskin. It measures 9cm x 14cm (3.5" x 5.5") when shut. I generally open it out and use both pages together to get a 18cm x 14cm sketch (7" x 5.5"). I used a reference photo, which I took, for the first one.  I sketched the other three on location directly in ink and then added the watercolour washes.

Cleaning the Lawn

Egmore Station as seen from Buahari's Hotel

Valluvar Kottam Chariot

Semmozhi Poonga Ticketing Booth

Why a third blog?

For quite some time now I have wanted to paint. But somehow I end up drawing with pen, pencil or charcoal most of the time since I am more comfortable drawing rather than painting. But having retired recently I have more time on my hands for my hobbies. I have therefore finally decided to take the plunge and commit myself to doing at least a few watercolour sketches every week in addition to my dry media sketches. I intend using this blog to maintain a record of my progress. Hopefully I will see improvement and that will motivate me to paint on a regular basis.

I am now posting some of the colour work, in watercolour, watercolour pencils, colourpencils, and ink & colour,that I have done over the last few years, to show where I am at right now. In my next couple of posts I shall share what I have done recently and after that hopefully it will be a few new paintings or colour sketches every week.