Inspite of the problem areas there is something about this sketch that appeals to me more than all the others i did over the holidays. I think the main reason is that it brings back the moment I was trying to capture. This holiday was the second time that I got to spend with my niece since her birth earlier in the year. It was great to see my sister being a mother. Right now Mama is Top of the Pops for the baby and that’s nice to see and enjoy too.
A few months back I read Nina Johansson’s post on A messy little watercolor project and became interested in the idea of making my art travel kit better. I was carrying a bunch of pens, pencils and pentel brush pens with black and a brown washes. I wanted to add more color. I had also come across Elizabeth Perry’s notes on her materials which along with excellent tips gives a link to Who likes sketchboxes? on Russ Stutlers Sketching Forum and I fell in love with the altoid box watercolor kit. Lots of excellent posts have also been written on this subject on WetCanvas! and the EDM Yahoo Group. All this made me want a travel sized watercolor kit of my own.
A year and half ago I had picked up a tiny watercolor box thinking that I would add it to my sketch kit. The whole box cost me less than 10cents. These were being sold for putting in bags as party favors. My friend was in the shop picking up things for her boys birthday party and I couldnt resist picking this and a small cardboard kaliedoscope. Both had the same incredible price!
Soon after, I tried the pans in this little red plastic box (6cms X 9cms) sadly they left a powdery residue and so were put aside. Because of the cuteness factor I couldnt bear to throw it away and I’m glad I didnt. When I read all these post I thought about doing up this little box. 3 weeks back I spotted it amongst my supplies and decided to finish the project.
The art groups that I belong to all advice on using artist quality supplies. My task was simple, I was to replace the cheap paint pans with better quality paints. The pans were pried out with a knife and my choice of 12 tube paints squeezed in. I knew from all the reading that it would take a while to dry and so I put it inside my art supplies cupboard and forgot about it!
We leave on a holiday tomorrow and last night while thinking about what to carry in my kit I remembered this. The colours had dried to the point of cracking. Of course I had to try them out immediately. A quick watercolor sketch from an album on my laptop.
Self portrait with watercolors on 8″ X 11″ Fabriano Accademia Acid Free paper 200 gsm.
Update : May 31, 2007 : And I found my travel sized watercolour palette masquerading as a pill box! It’s roughly the same size as the wc travel kit but rather fat.
Update: August 29, 2007 : Soon after using it the first time I bust the hinges by dropping it on the ground. It’s being held together by a rubber band. I hope to buy another to replace it when next I visit Kolkata. There are several other options mentioned on this thread on the sketching.cc forum.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Made with Art Rage.
Every once in a while, I try to draw something other than a face. Here’s tonights attempt, the brush holder on my desk. I have been shying away from attempting transparent objects and this time I decided to go for it. It certainly is a step in the right direction.
Added the real background using layers. It’s a bit too cluttered. Somewhere between the two would have applealed to me more.
This has been dated incorrectly. Started this morning. Ever since I’ve stopped working I find it difficult to keep a track of the date. I usually know which day of the week it is but the date eludes me. I thought today was the 10th and dated both drawings incorrectly.
The one on top is of Yadavendra a class mate of mine at the Delhi College of Art. He was one of the class monitors for the year and was extremely helpful. I hope to do a painting of his too. In fact the plan is to do one of each classmate and batchmate. At least for those whom I can drum up decent pictures.
And the one below is of a model for Gianfranco Ferre. The ad appears in The Peak magazine. I’d made one of Marco Mantovani earlier from the same magazine only his photo ref was part of an article. The model looks like he’s got stitches on his cheeks and a really deep stare, these were not artistic liberties just mistakes 
I hope to start painting again soon. I would also like to make the next few drawings from life.
Started this when I was stuck on the Portrait Project. It’s a portrait of a friend of mine and I’ve attempted her several times in the past two years. I’ve known Sangeeta since I was 7 and she has been the guinea pig so often as she is the most forgiving accepting of the outcomes. While it still isnt quite there, this is the closest I’ve got to “getting” her and so I’m pleased with it. I’m going to set it aside for a while and hope to come back to it in a few months.
I’m off to buy some art supplies and starting tomorrow, hope to do the exercises in Charles Sovek, Kevin MacPherson and Nita Leland’s books!
Lifehacker had a post on Make your own Andy Warhol pop art pointing to Melissa Clifton’s tutorial on Andy-Warhol-Up Your Photographs. I’m waiting for some paint to dry on a portrait that I’m working on and decided to have some fun. And fun I did have. This tutorial is easy to follow and well worth a try. I’m off to try it once more!
Update: Later the same day : Made two of Ramesh too
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