Recently I decided to give Acrylics a second thought. With my passion towards watercolors, I was reluctant to paint in this medium and had reservations about the potential of it for my use. But an artist must grow and saying no to something doesn’t work for the growth. I took a 2-day workshop with theContinue reading “Acrylics? Maybe.”
Category Archives: Watercolor painting
Evening Glow Organic Shapes
Bergenia plant is not very tall. What is exquisite about it is its flowers are in a bunch that has a very organic shape. What’s even more attractive about this plant is the 2 impossible colors combined together. Magenta and Orange red. The colors glow in the evening light; and so, the name of theContinue reading “Evening Glow Organic Shapes”
Popping color
Spring comes along and the freshly budding leaves show up with a shade so eye popping that I call it a ‘hungry to thrive’ green. How to paint the eye-popping green expertly so that the color is not a distraction, and the focus of the story is maintained? It’s a challenge forever.
Delicate Blossom
Cherry blossom is a difficult subject to paint. Just like the blossom, the lightest of the light layers are required. I tried my best and liked the result from Study 2 and Study 3 the most.
Sunlit urban
When I painted this one, I thought I was painting an urban scene with a ton of sunlight for the first time. Don’t know how I had not done that before. It was an impromptu decision to paint this without much planning and I painted it fast too. I like the way it turned out!
Faith and dedication
Can you take up a 7-day walking pilgrimage to a place of devotion without carrying any essential supplies and rely on the kindness of strangers to sustain during those 7 days? Well, this couple I met was doing that. They are the devotees. Even though they could afford the supplies, they asked for bhiksha (donation,Continue reading “Faith and dedication”
Estimating Values
I tend to paint extra dark because watercolor dries lighter. When I start out, I am quite aware of this fact, but I am guided by my intuition and paint lighter values actually accurately. But over the course of painting next layers, I make a mistake of layering darker values over the initial layer. That’sContinue reading “Estimating Values”
Not so limited palette
I want to be able to say more with less. But I am too conscious and too careful when I go from a rough study to a more detailed work. So I end up with an exactly opposite result. With this series, I was experimenting with going away from limited palette. The road in theContinue reading “Not so limited palette”
Every Fall
In the last 15 hours, two people suggested I paint a fall colors painting. I took it as a sign and stopped what I was already working on to paint this one this morning. It was a go with the flow (sort of literally with watercolors)! It has become a routine every fall, and nowContinue reading “Every Fall”
No rules
I normally paint flowers a lot less. But they sure give an opportunity to use many colors. Today I went on painting with just a general idea but didn’t want to plan too much. Just stayed spontaneous. It helped that I had a good paper.
Boundless and limitless
It is sort of a longing that lives forever in my mind. The sight of a boundless meadow surrounded by limitless mountain ranges. Such a landscape is an assurance that something larger than life exists. I had to carefully use the color application technique in this one. Didn’t want to show everything flat for theContinue reading “Boundless and limitless”
Intuitive and Planned
I have a habit of painting in my practice journal first before doing a final version. Usually, the first attempt of the painting is a fast process and turns out to be a better intuitive process. My first attempt here with ‘Van Ness Living’ showed a really well-defined depth in the painting but the colorContinue reading “Intuitive and Planned”
Fine line between the realistic and the abstract
I used a subject of a distant hill to experiment with colors, technique and style. I really wanted to stick to using just the pure pigments. No layering; not too much mixing either. I did use a lot of pure pigment for sure. The first attempt was more of an abstract while the next oneContinue reading “Fine line between the realistic and the abstract”
Summer light
I had a leftover good quality watercolor paper strip. I knew I would use it one day. This subject was perfect for it. I made use of the long length and got to paint the light effect of the lingering sun before the summer sunset. The painting is just 13″ x 7″ on Arches.
Improving with the figurative style
I underwent a lot of thinking process and planning process before I painted this subject. By the second day of the painting process, I was exhausted. But I love the focus on the figures I have achieved. I am hoping the process will become easier for me down the road. The subject is about MarathiContinue reading “Improving with the figurative style”
Spring purple
I had decided I would exaggerate the purple color in this one. So I chose simple shapes to paint bushes full of purple azaleas. But try as I might, I ended up with my normal style. I need to let loose even more!
Old Subject new twist
I have painted this same subject before. Now tried it with a twist, by painting it over gesso. The colors shine even more over gesso. The technique will need getting used to.
Devotion
The idol was in front of him actually. But when it comes to the devotion, can the devotee and the object of devotion be separate? I had to break the rules of drawing a Perspective and change the angle of the idol to depict this fact. This man is a regular visitor at the templeContinue reading “Devotion”
2 Steps Back
As I have progressed in my watercolor journey, I have vowed to keep it all clean, and focus only on fewer shapes. With this painting, I felt like I went back two steps. I kept painting each leaf. I am hoping not to do that. I started out with keeping the emphasis on the yellowContinue reading “2 Steps Back”
Balancing the foreground
Every now and then I get a bit of a shock when during my painting process, I get a feeling that, what I thought would be an easy project is not turning out to be an easy one. The above painting had large shapes that are easy to paint; but that part didn’t help me.Continue reading “Balancing the foreground”
Beyond the horizon
After seeing the beauty of the Willapa Bay in Oregon, I just had to paint the magnificence of nature that my eyes couldn’t get enough of. In every direction I looked, I was reminded of the holy principle working on this earth.
Fall morning
It really looks unbelievable; but in my opinion, sometimes rather too red. Once in a while during mornings though the mountain takes on the shade of golden beige and then the red color of fall trees falls into place!
September Topic: Foliage
I have been meaning to paint the FB page of NWWS members September 2021 topic to paint ‘Foliage’. I did want to focus on the leaves; but not just the leaves only. So I painted the leaves against a good backdrop too.
Painting En Plein Air, and more
I have begun to paint en plein air, and I absolutely love it! Posting here my first and second session! During the short time of the session allowed me to be more spontaneous and I discovered I was good at it 🙂 The second session was at a lavender farm. It was a great colorfulContinue reading “Painting En Plein Air, and more”
Terrain with a background
Quite a laborious process it was. A big juggling act between painting loose, getting the larger landscape with figures accurately, and all the while adjusting the colors to a correct value I wanted. I painted 5 versions of the same scene. I surely learned a lot in the process though!
Light pink in the light
Another one of the pacific northwest spring scene. Pinks are so light that they can never dominate the abundant green all around!
Reality or Dream?
When some weighty matters are on our mind, we tend to forget to look at the reality using the lens of logic. Our emotions take over and we seem to ignore the true beauty of everything. We might as well be dreaming while being fully awake!
Alexandrina Magnolia
Alexandrina. Quite an exotic name! It’s a variety of Japanese Magnolia that stops me in my tracks every spring. It is a large flower that blooms upwards. Shaped a bit like a lotus, but this one blooms in so much abundance that the flowers blend with one another, and it is hard to focus onContinue reading “Alexandrina Magnolia”
Sense of place
Historic buildings of architectural importance usually have such a scale and character that the sense of place of being there becomes imprinted in our memory. I wanted to paint this Rijks museum moment of outdoor light brightening up the structure inside.
Assurance
Darkness is all around, and increasing by the minute. You want to hold on to the daylight, but you know it’s not possible. Right at that moment you suddenly see this golden light. It feels like an assurance from the sun that he is going to be back tomorrow.
Continuum
This tiny 2′ x 3′ window that I have. Located much above the eye level, looking at this window is unavoidable throughout the day. Covid days gave me an opportunity and I kept a record. Nature offered a continuum of magnificent beauty. Weather changes, season changes, time changes, light direction changes, foliage changes – timeContinue reading “Continuum”
Sunbreak
There was an attractive blue color band in the otherwise winter grey sky. It came about because of a sunbreak in the clouds. A challenge to paint for sure. Plus, I was going to paint the sailboats one day anyway.
Sunlight, Mist, and Shadows
In winter, the mornings display a variety in the scene. Some days they wear a grey blanket and the other ones bring darkness of rain in the Pacific Northwest. When the sun does shine, the early morning is a beauty. The tree stubs and branches form a weaving pattern, the mist lingers, and the sunlightContinue reading “Sunlight, Mist, and Shadows”
Long Shadows of Winter
As the sun moves farther to the south, the shadows grow so long. I planned to capture this nuance. The above scene of a view from the hilltop added great drama to the sweeping shadows. Rather unintentional, but my washes for the sky too gave an extra touch to the drama I wanted to createContinue reading “Long Shadows of Winter”
Quick Application
(Note: Next few weeks I will be posting some quick ones. Other occupations have cut down my time for painting to 1/3rd!) Yellow trees in fall are quite mesmerizing. They stop me in my track when I go for walks. For quick application, I used wet on wet, faster strokes, no waiting in between washes.Continue reading “Quick Application”
Fall Splendor
The trees have stopped cooking food. But it is a visual candy-land to the viewers! I can’t help it but paint yet another of the fall scene. Although my preference is to paint yellow colors of fall, on my walk this week I saw these brilliant red trees lit up with sun and offered meContinue reading “Fall Splendor”
Painted Skies
By far, I find that painting skies using watercolors is a project full of highest nuances. How much water, how quickly and how efficiently controlled; and not to mention pigments, mixing, and layering variables. I try everything because I am learning. I wanted to get the dynamic sky at sunset I had seen. I mayContinue reading “Painted Skies”
Steep Gables
I absolutely love looking at the steep gable roofs constructed in the snowy regions of the northeast. Their size is bulkier than the structure itself. Funnily they become lighter at once when they have these little windows jutting out of them. Makes me want to sit by those windows and cuddle up with a book!
Problem with purples
Blue and purple flowers when located in shade or under cloudy skies have been difficult to paint for me. I remember once spending a lot of time on purple irises without a desired outcome. When I saw a shrub totally full of purple flowers last week, I decided to give it a try again. IContinue reading “Problem with purples”
Under the maple in fall
I saw something magical. There was rain and mist in the air, and I was standing under the maple that had mosses growing on it. Usually, it would be pretty gloomy. But the little light that was falling made the ferns shine and the fall colors of maple gave the scene a dreamy look.
Secluded Habitat
Angle of light is everything with watercolors. It is easy when the subject of the painting is well lit. But when the light falls from the gaps formed by tall trees it is not easy to determine which are the shaded areas and which are the lit ones; so the final result was a mysteryContinue reading “Secluded Habitat”
Riot of bold colors
Croton is an ornamental plant that produces leaf colors that range from yellows to pinks and magenta reds and browns. And Crotons have them all in one when planted mixed! It was a great opportunity in this subject to make use of many colors. In retrospect, painting maybe just a couple of leaves would haveContinue reading “Riot of bold colors”
Smitten By Watercolors 