Showing posts with label aquarelle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aquarelle. Show all posts

Thursday, 21 May 2020

Sunlit Branches- A watercolor painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

“Art is as natural as sunshine and as vital as nourishment.” M F Kohl

A morning scene from Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary ( Also known as Keoladeo National park )  The sunlit branches glistening in the morning rays of the sun inspired me to create this artwork. In order to create the texture of the foliage I decided to use the fan brush and the rigger brush and was happy to get the desired effect. I have used a limited palette and mainly the warm colors in this landscape painting. In most of my water color paintings I limit myself to using as few colors as possible. It helps in simplifying the painting process.

The two papers that I love to work with are Arches cold pressed paper. and  Chitrapat handmade paper . Arches however is very expensive and hence I use more of Chitrapat paper these days but very soon plan to shift to Arches paper. For its price, I would definitely Chitrapat paper to all beginners. It can be easily purchased from online stores in India.

A watercolor landscape painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

Sunlit Branches
A water colour painting on Chitrapat paper
Size 5” X 7”

For the above artwork I have used Winsor and Newton Cotman and Camlin Artists water color tubes. I enjoy working with both these brands and would recommend it to all water color enthusiasts. 

Follow my latest works and techniques on INSTAGRAM and if you love my works and they inspire you, share them with your friends.

Thank you for browsing through my artworks and I appreciate your support in my art journey.

Sunday, 31 March 2019

Step by step - A watercolor painting of a beach scene

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.” Neil Garman

I recently completed one of my watercolor paintings on Canson Moulin du Roy paper and fortunately remembered to photograph the stages. It was an early morning scene, when we were at Colva beach and it was not crowded. The stretch of sand far across, and the misty look in the distance motivated me a lot and I decided then and there that I shall paint this scene one day. The actual painting starts in the mind, the moment you set your eyes on the place that you love.

The choice of paper is often decided by the technique that I plan to use for that particular painting. For the painting as below, I needed the misty look in the distance and hence was going to use the graded wash technique on wet paper, for which I think Canson Moulin du Roy works good for me. I used a mix of both Camlin and Winsor and Newton Cotman colours.


Water colour painting of a beachscene by Indian artist Manju Panchal

A Misty Morning at Colva beach
A watercolor painting on Canson Moulin du Roy paper
Size 5.5” X 8”

Step 1. Created the sky using a mix of warm and cool colours, and added the distant foliage on the left. Used wet on wet technique as I did not want to have hard edges in the distance.

Step by step water color painting of a misty morning scene at a beach in Goa


Step 2. Created the bushes on the left ( Camlin Artists water color tubes ), the sandy seashore and the ocean. At this stage I have not added details anywhere.

Step by step water color painting of a misty morning scene at a beach in Goa


Step 3. Added layers of colours to the bushes on the left to create the form and shadow, and flat wash of colour on the sandy seashore. Added details to the figures on the beach.


Step by step water color painting of a misty morning scene at a beach in Goa


Thank you for browsing through my artworks. To browse through my artworks in all the different mediums that I have been working with since long, visit my INSTAGRAM page.

Thursday, 14 March 2019

Fishermen returning home - A watercolour painting on Arches cold pressed paper

“Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water, set your soul free”. C A Martine

Today's post is a water color painting of a scene that I came across while I was at a seashore in Goa. Through this painting I wanted to capture the monsoon atmosphere, a cloudy evening sky and its lovely reflections at the beach. The fishermen are returning home after their day out at sea. The painting is also intended to tell their story. For painting the small figures in the distance, I made use of my rigger brush.

I have used Arches Cold pressed water color paper for this painting which is made of 100% cotton fiber content, acid free, pH neutral and air dried. I am loving this paper as it stays wet for long and helps me to add more colors slowly to increase the tonal values. I have used very few colours in this painting and it is almost a limited palette painting.

A water colour painting of a beach on Arches paper by Indian artist Manju Panchal

Returning home
A water colour painting on Arches CP paper
Size 5” X 7”

I take workshops in different mediums from time to time and if you are interested in learning my techniques drop me a mail at manjupanchal5@gmail.com or DM me at INSTAGRAM account.

Thank you for stopping by and for browsing through my works.

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Two Lemons - A water color painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

“Because watercolor actually moves on the paper, it is the most active of all mediums, almost a performance art.” Nita Engle 

The quote is worded so well and it describes the medium perfectly. I am a big fan of Nita Engle’s artworks. To check out some of her works CLICK HERE

I created today’s water colour paintingTwo Lemons” on Chitrapat handmade paper ( Rough ) while I was at my friends place, who herself is a passionate artist. When we meet, which happens once in two months or so, we spend hours together discussing and painting art. The last “Meet up” was to spend time with watercolor medium which has been my latest fascination after charcoal and pastels.

For this particular painting I needed to create a hazy background for which wet on wet technique seemed to be a very appropriate choice, hence I decided to go with “Chitrapat” paper. This paper is 270 gsm and stays wet for quite some time which helps in dropping more paint slowly at the desired areas. I am quite happy with this paper and would definitely recommend it to other artists as well.

A still life painting of two lemons on Chitrapat handmade paper by Manju Panchal

Two Lemons 
A water colour painting on Chitrapat handmade paper 
Size 5” X 7”

I have used the Camlin Artists water colour tubes to complete the above artwork. Apart from Camlin, I have also started using my Winsor and Newton Cotman tubes which are in my possession since a very long time and I am worried that if they are not put to use, they will eventually dry up. I have also added some new tubes of the same brand in my collection and I shall write more about it soon. 

In you wish to see my latest water colour paintings you can visit my INSTAGRAM feed and if you happen to like my works, please share. Thank you for all your support in my art journey.

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

My second attempt at Chitrapat handmade paper

"There is no greater harm than that of time wasted." Michelangelo

After my last experience with Chitrapat handmade paper, I was excited to try out another one. So I picked up the subject where in I could paint some mountains in the distance with its reflections in the water. 

For a small sized paper such as 5" X 7", I use just about two brushes. Both are from Himalaya Fine Art store at Fort. They have sable hair and are very smooth to use on the water color paper. They almost glide on the surface without disturbing the fibres on the paper surface. They are very economical as compared to the imported sable hair brushes.

A water colour study of mountains and its reflections on Chitrapat handmade paper

Water colour study on Chitrapat handmade paper
Size 5" X 7"

My art workshop "Charcoal and white pastel drawing on toned paper" is coming up on the 25th of February, 2018 at Art Station, Four Bunglows. So this week I will be busy working with the charcoal medium. 

Thank you all for visiting my blog. 

Sunday, 18 February 2018

Using Chitrapat handmade paper

"To draw, you must close your eyes and sing." Pablo Picasso

I love the above quote by Picasso. Painting is an amazing phenomenon. I do not know about singing but yes it does transport me to another world where it's me, my colours and my art. It is a kind of meditation which relaxes me completely. Not painting on a particular day makes me restless and so I look forward to doing some art everyday irrespective of the size and the medium.

Today's post is about Chitrapat handmade paper ( I had been reading great reviews about it since long ) which I recently purchased from Art Station. Unfortunately the stationery store did not have the Matt version so I decided to go with the rough surface pad. 

Normally when I begin my first painting on a new paper I go for a small size. It takes a couple of paintings to get to know and understand the paper. The subject I selected is “An evening sky” and I gave a suggestion of a few houses in the distance. I loved the paper and enjoyed working on it mainly for two reasons. First reason being it is great for wet on wet technique and secondly it is 270 gsm and hence does not buckle much.

A water colour painting of an evening sky on Chitrapat hand made paper. By Indian artist Manju Panchal

An Evening sky
Water colour painting on Chitrapat paper 
Size 5” X 7”

I feel good working with this new paper and sometimes it takes just one painting to feel the connection. I have a feeling that this paper will work for my kind of techniques. Prashant Sarkar, a water color artist has posted several of his videos on youtube and he has used Chitrapat paper for most of his paintings. It is inspiring to watch other artists create beautiful works.

Posting below some images of the Chitrapat Handmade paper pad and information printed on it.

Chitrapat handmade paper pad, 270 gsm, rough textured surface

Chitrapat Handmade paper pad

Close up of rough textured surface of Chitrapat handmade paper

Close up of the rough textured 
Chitrapat handmade paper

Chitrapat handmade paper

Info printed on the Chitrapat handmade paper pad.

When I like a particular paper then I try and include it in my "List of favorite papers" and Chitrapat is definitely going to be one of them. Very soon I shall post another work created on the same paper.

Follow my latest works and techniques on INSTAGRAM and if you love my works and they inspire you, share them with your friends.

Monday, 16 October 2017

Step by Step, Water colour painting of Gurudongmar Lake

"I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else." Pablo Picasso

Every painting is inspired by some thought, some place, some vision that you have in mind. It slowly builds up in layers and then when the final moment of execution arrives, you let the energy flow on to the paper. Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim is one such place which is indelibly printed in my memory and it will continue to inspire me to make many paintings in future.

The moments we spent there were magical. It was like a dream come true to see nature in its pristine form. Today's post is a water colour painting of one such scene that we came across while we were at 17,100 ft, facing the majestic snow covered mountains and the stunning Gurudongmar Lake.

A water colour painting of Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim

Magical
Water colour painting on Campap paper
Size 5.5" X 8"

For this particular work, I decided to photograph the initial stages of the painting. I have used a very limited palette for this painting. The initial drawing that I do is very light and I use a normal HB pencil for the same. I avoid erasing as it disturbs the surface fibres on the paper.

Step by step water colour painting of Gurudongmar Lake

Step 1. Wet on wet technique, sky and mountains, 
using Winsor and Newton Ultramarine blue, Cerulean blue
 and Alizarin Crimson.

Step by step water colour painting of Gurudongmar Lake

Step 2.  Created the mountains in the Middleground using Raw Sienna,
Ultramarine blue, Indian red and Burnt Sienna ( Camlin brand )

In the final stage I created the lake waters, which are reflection of colours of the sky ie Ultramarine blue and Cerulean blue. For the shadows on the snow I have used a mix of Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson colour.

Hope you have enjoyed going through my blog. It feels great to be painting and blogging and thanks to my blog, I am getting connected with people who are as passionate about art as me. If you love water colour medium, do browse through the works of Joseph Zbukvik, Alvaro Castagnet and Keiko Tanabe to name a few. All these world famous master water colorists have a style of their own and it is a pleasure watching their works.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Pangong lake, Ladakh

"The Earth does not belong to us: we belong to the Earth." Marlee Matlin

That's a meaningful quote which reminds us to take care of the beautiful natural world around us.  

Pangong lake in Ladakh is a stunning lake surrounded by snow capped mountains. I created a small water colour painting of this lake yesterday on Strathmore water colour paper

To get the beautiful shades of blue in the lake I have used Winsor and Newton cotman colours namely cerulean blue and ultramarine blue. For most of my water colour artworks I am presently using a mix of Camlin and Winsor and Newton, Palette.

Water colour painting of Pangong lake in Ladakh, on Strathmore paper

Pangong Lake, Ladakh
Water colour painting on Strathmore paper
Size 5.5" X  8"

My art is deeply influenced by the beauty of the natural world around us and places such as above continue to inspire me to pursue my art journey. Escaping into the world of art is my idea of meditation. It keeps me busy and happy.

If you wish to attend any of my art workshops you can write a mail to me and I shall get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for visiting my blog and please take a moment to leave a comment.

CLICK HERE to browse through my available paintings.

Thursday, 28 September 2017

Water colour painting on hand made paper

"The beautiful is in the nature, and it is encountered under the most diverse forms of reality. Once it is found it belongs to art, or rather to the artist who discovers it." Gustave Courbet

A quick water colour study of my favorite subject "Seashore" on hand made paper. I picked up this particular paper from "Himalaya Stationery" at Fort, Mumbai. It is a pure white paper, cold pressed and works great for landscape paintings.

Some time back I met an artist who highly recommended "Chitrapat hand made paper" for water colour paintings. At that point of time I was unable to find any information about this paper on the net. However recently while browsing through the net I came across two online sites which are selling these papers. CLICK HERE to see further details.

I may not purchase the Chitrapat paper immediately as I have a big collection of miscellaneous papers and I am already working with each one of them in order to settle down with the one which works best for my kind of techniques.

A water colour painting of a seashore at Langkawi, on hand made paper

Seashore
Water colour painting on hand made paper
Size 6" X 8"

These days I am working out a balance between my "Landscape paintings" and "Portrait drawings". Generally I finish my landscape paintings at one go, however with my portrait drawing I take frequent breaks.

As of now two of my graphite portrait drawings are in progress. After spending a few hours on a portrait, I normally keep it aside so that when I look at it with fresh mind I can clearly see the areas where I need to work on. This always helps. So a portrait takes much longer time to complete.

Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and browsing through my artworks.

Friday, 22 September 2017

Arto Campap paper - Water colour study

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Albert Einstein

A beautiful quote by Einstein. I am a great admirer of all his quotes which are so very meaningful. 

My today's painting is a 5.5"X 7.5" water colour painting which I have tried on Arto Campap paper. It is a beautiful beach scene that I came across while I was holidaying in Goa. I had to work on the rocky landscape and the bushes on the right, which when combined together, it got a bit challenging. So for my next painting I may bring about some change of technique to tackle this situation. I call it the step by step learning process. 

I have also added two small figures in the distance using a rigger brush. There are no details and it is created using simple vertical brush strokes. Adding figures in a landscape adds to the story. I paint a particular scene because I enjoyed being present there. Through my artwork I am trying to capture those moments, the mood, the atmoshpere. The painting may evoke some other memories in the viewer's mind and that becomes his/her story. 

A water colour study of a seashore from Goa on Arto Campap paper

Walking on the sand
Water colour painting on Arto Campap paper
Size 5.5" X 7.5"

If you love creating water colour paintings, you must browse through works of Milind Mulick, Ananta Mandal, Rajkumar Sthabathy Bijay Biswaal, Ramesh Jhawar to name a few.

If you are into water colour paintings I would love to know about the papers and colours used by you. Thanks for visiting my blog and any comments shall be appreciated.

Tuesday, 19 September 2017

A beach at Maldives

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." 
Albert Einstein

Maldives is known for its stunning beaches. The site "VISIT MALDIVES" describes it as "Where the sands are white as the smiles of the locals, where fish swim happily in the warm waters of the Indian ocean, where the weather is a dream, and the deep rays of the sun waits to engulf you in their arms."

My today's painting is created with reference to a photograph shared by a friend who recently visited Maldives and I am grateful to her for the same. In fact she sent me a couple of photographs but I chose this one to begin with as I was fascinated by the interesting patterns of shadows cast by the foliage of the tree.

An original water colour painting of a beach at Maldives on Fabriano paper by Indian artist Manju Panchal

The Silence
Water colour painting on Fabriano paper
Size 8.5" X 11.5"

The greens continue to intimidate me and in this painting too I have tried different permutations and combinations to arrive at the final results. Colour mixing is a challenge and it will take some practical experience to understand the whole process. For every painting that I begin, I try out some new colours on a test paper so that my palette gets a little different with time.

As an artist I am always looking for inspiration and now that I have regularly started posting in INSTAGRAM, I am fortunately getting to know some great artists around the world who inspire me further to pursue my passion for art.

Thanks for browsing through my artworks. Any comments would be appreciated.

Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Water colour painting of a seashore from Langkawi island, Malaysia

"Because watercolour actually moves on the paper, it is the most active of all mediums, almost a performance art." Nita Engle

The above quote truly states the beauty of water colour medium. It is a very challenging medium. I start with a very definite plan, create a small study sketch and then I paint the whole scene in my mind before I actually begin my work. But somehow you can never control the process completely. In water colour painting, I feel, art just happens. One has to be quick with the brush and the flow. It all gets over even before you know it. Water colour is fun and I am loving every moment of it.

My today's painting is inspired by a beautiful beach that we came across while we were at Langkawi island, Malaysia. It was very quiet. There were not many tourists around. The shadows of the trees, branches and the foliage mingled with the ocean waves gently crashing at the shore. I spent some great moments at this stunning beach. Through this painting, I have tried to capture those moments.

"In every outthrust of headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth." Rachel Carson. Beautiful quote.


The shadows at the beach
Water colour painting on Fabriano CP paper
Size 8.5" X 11.5" 

The tree foliage in this painting was a challenge. Creating it as study work in a small sketchbook comes easy as I am more free with the brush movements. However, when I am doing a bigger size work such as above, the brush strokes kind of get a little restricted. May be it is the fear of making a mistake. With time and experience I shall be doing more loose and free brush movements which in turn will bring out some happy outcomes. Until then, I shall continue my water colour journey painting different subjects.

.CLICK HERE to view a soft pastel painting of a beach from Langkawi.

Thank you for visiting my blog and browsing through my works.

Monday, 14 August 2017

Figurative watercolour painting

"You were born an original work of art. Stay original." Suzy Kassem

Today I am posting small water colour painting of a pretty young girl from Rajasthan. She sits, dressed up in her colourful attire, waiting probably for her friend to arrive so they can engage in some playful activity.

I started this painting quite some time back and it was a little incomplete. So I took out some time yesterday and did the needful. I have mostly used Winsor and Newton Cotman colours for this artwork. Portrait work as a subject, be it any medium, is very challenging. However I enjoy creating them. I plan to do many more and in the same series.

A water colour painting of a young girl from Rajasthan by Indian artist Manju Panchal

Waiting for a friend
Water colour painting on acid free paper
Size 5" X 7"

It feels good to be doing portrait works once again. I have reorganised my "Charcoal drawing tools" in a new box as I plan to initially create a few charcoal portraits on toned paper before getting into water colour portraits. Charcoal being a dry medium is more easy to handle as compared to water colours. Moreover it has been long since I last did a complete water colour portrait.  

Thanks for visiting my blog. Do browse through my works in INSTAGRAM too.

Friday, 28 July 2017

Blue Haven Beach, Esperance, West Australia

"The only time I feel alive is when I am painting". Vincent Van Gogh

In my last post I mentioned about the two photographs which were sent to me by my close friend.I already posted the painting of the beach scene from Jurien Bay.

Today I am posting my second painting which I created referring to the seashore at Blue Haven, Esperance,West Australia. In my last painting I over did the ocean and was not quite happy with the outcome. This time I was slow, patient and more focused. Getting the green vegetation on the rocky slopes continues to be a challenge but I am sure that with time and experience I will evolve my technique to get it right.

On the whole, from the sky to the foreground I quite managed the steps as I had planned. In this painting I used "Cinereous blue" by Sennelier in the ocean. I purchased a very small Aqua Mini set of 8 half pans some months back from Amazon.in. Never got the opportunity to use it as I was busy with my pastels and charcoals. Finally inaugurated it with this painting. The Cinereous Blue colour by Sennelier is rich, flows and blends beautifully with other colours. I have also used Viridian Green and Ultramarine Blue by Winsor and Newton to colour the crystal clear waters of the ocean.

A water colour painting of a seashore at Blue Haven, Esperance, West Australia By Indian artist Manju Panchal

Blue Haven beach, West Australia
Water colour painting on Campap paper
Size 8.5" X 11"

Winsor and Newton artist's water colour tubes are expensive. I have the Cotman collection which I purchased more than a decade back. Some of the colours are drying up and hence along with Camlin brand, I am also using the Winsor and Newton Cotman collection. I have about ten different shades.
CLICK HERE to view my water colour palette.

Thank you for visiting my blog and keep browsing. Check out my ART WORKSHOP page to know about my workshop schedule. If you wish to purchase any of my original artworks do CONTACT ME and I shall get back to you as soon as possible.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

Jurien Bay, West Australia - A water colour painting

"I dream of painting and then I paint my dream." Vincent Van Gogh

Painting a seashore relaxes me completely. I am so drawn to this subject. Many of my friends who know about my passion for painting keep sending me photographs from all around the world. I am very grateful to all of them. Today's painting is with reference to a beach photograph sent by one of my friends.

Jurien Bay is a coastal town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, 220 kms north of Perth facing the Indian Ocean. The town has a beautiful coastline. What inspired me further was the unique rock formations, the wet sand and the reflections.

A water colour painting of a beach at Jurien Bay, West Australia. By Manju Panchal

At Jurien Bay, West Australia
Water colour painting on Campap paper
Size 8.5" X 11"

I take "Art Workshops" from time to time and to know more about it you can visit my page for further details. My works can also be browsed at in my INSTAGRAM page. I enjoy painting and blogging and my recent venture into Instagram is helping me get connected with many different artists around the world. 

Thank you for visiting my blog and do leave in a comment to let me know what you think about my works. 

Tuesday, 25 July 2017

Pattaya beach - A water colour painting

"The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any consideration." Friday Kahlo

I was browsing through my "Photo collection" some time back, when I came across an old photograph clicked at Pattaya beach in 2008. The beach had some tree foliage drooping on the shore from the left casting some beautiful shadows on the sand below. There were few other elements too on the beach, however I decided not to include them as I felt that they would distract the composition. I also added a few figures in the distance using my rigger brush.

This is my fourth small painting on Fabriano Artistico CP paper and more or less I am pretty convinced about using it in future too.


The shadows at the beach
Water colour painting on Fabriano Artistico CP paper
Size 5" X 7"

Every artist has his preferred choice of paper. Arches CP paper is used by many of them including Joseph Zbukvik. Selecting the paper is an individual choice. Over a period of time, I got carried away by reviews written by other artists and landed up buying many different papers. It's only when I actually started working with them, I realised that it is not necessary that what works for another person will work for you too.

In conclusion, I am taking my time to create works on all the different papers that I have presently with me, so that I can finally take a decision regarding the paper that makes me most comfortable working with it. In other words, I would love to settle for a paper on which I struggle the least to get the desired result that I am looking for.

Thank you for visiting my blog

Sunday, 16 July 2017

A water colour painting of a view at Pangong Lake, Ladakh

"The only way to deep happiness is to do something you love to the best of your ability." 
Richard Feynman

Yestersday I watched a documentary on Richard Feynman, an American Theoretical Physicist and was very inspired by his life, works and philosophy. I went through some of his quotes and have posted one of my favorites to share it with all of you.

Today I am posting my third water colour study on Fabriano Artistico CP paper. I am beginning to like this paper. The subject that I have chosen is yet another beautiful view at Pangong Lake in Ladakh. At 14,270 ft above sea level, it is a stunning lake in the Himalayas and offers some great views for artists, photographs and nature lovers.

I worked a little slow on this painting and was more patient with the colour mixing, especially of the distant dry barren mountains. For the ocean I have used ultramarine blue from Camlin and Cerulean blue colour from Winsor and Newton Cotman series. I purchased the Cotman series quite some time back and now am putting it to use as some colours have started drying up.

A water colour painting of Pangong Lake by Manju Panchal

At Pangong Lake, Ladakh
A water colour painting on Fabriano Artistico CP paper
Size 5" X 7"

I am also posting the initial stage of this painting where in I have just completed the first layer of colours for the background and the lake. For this particular painting, I tried to keep the painting procedure very simple. I finished the lake in one layer itself.

Initial stage of painting Pangong Lake, Ladakh on Fabriano paper

Initial stage of the painting
At Pangong Lake

Thank you for browsing through my works.

Friday, 14 July 2017

The Gulfoss Water Fall , Iceland

"A man paints with his brains and not with his hands." Michelangelo

My today's post is a small water colour study inspired by Gulfoss waterfall. I have used a reference photograph taken by my husband while he was in Iceland. It is my second water colour study on Fabriano CP 300 gsm paper. 

Painting a waterfall, unlike seashore and other subjects, is a tricky affair. The brushstrokes have to be in the direction of the flow to suggest movement. This was a new subject for me, however I gave it a try. After completing it I did a little self evaluation and came to a conclusion that if I were to try a "Waterfall" again I would go in for a few changes in my techniques. 

Trying out different subjects in any medium is fun. Some subjects can be more challenging than the others, however it is a fun learning process and I am enjoying every moment of it.

A water colour painting of Gulfoss waterfall on Fabriano Artistico paper

Gulfoss waterfall
Water colour painting on Fabriano CP paper
Size 5"X 7"

In this painting apart from using my normal Camlin water colour tubes, I have made use of my Winsor and Newton palette as the Cerulean blue shade in Winsor and Newton is very vibrant and beautiful.

Thank you all for taking out time to browse through my artworks.

Saturday, 8 July 2017

Road to Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim - A water colour painting

"You start painting the moment you look at the subject, not with the first brushstroke." 
Joseph Zbukvik

The last stretch of the road that leads to Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim passes through a dry barren landscape and offers breathtaking views. The dark grey road against the pale surroundings, leading to the distant snow covered mountains looks majestic. The beauty of nature cannot be explained in words. We have to be there to see it, feel it and get inspired by it. 

As quoted by Artist Joseph Zbukvik, you start painting a beautiful scene the moment you set eyes on it. This scene appealed to me a lot and that very moment when we were travelling through this beautiful terrain, I had decided to paint it some day. I enjoyed working on this painting and used my newly purchased Paynes grey colour ( Camlin Artists water colour tubes ) for the road.

A water colour painting of road to Gurudongmar Lake, By Manju Panchal

Road to Gurudongmar Lake
Water colour painting on handmade paper
Size 11" X 15"

Posted below is the initial stage of the painting where in I have blocked in the simple basic shapes using diluted colours. Once it is dry, I redo the second layer adding the right values and details where ever necessary.

Initial stage of water colour painting, Road to Gurudongmar Lake

Initial stage of the water colour painting
on hand made paper

As mentioned in my last post I am in the process of trying out Fabriano CP 300gsm paper. I plan to create a few small study works to understand the paper. Later if I like the paper a lot, I shall continue using it for my future works too. 

I conduct art workshops from time to time to teach the basics of different mediums and to share the techniques that I use to create a painting. If you wish to attend one of them you can mail me at 
manjupanchal5@gmail.com and I shall get back to you as soon as possible.

Follow my latest works and techniques on INSTAGRAM , where in I post my latest artworks regularly. 


Tuesday, 20 June 2017

A water colour study work of A Cloudy sky at the beach

"Watercolour is probably the most satisfying of all mediums. Although difficult in the beginning, after practice its mysteries will unfold, providing the utmost pleasure for the dedicated." Robert Lovett

Water colour painting is getting fun. Painting a little every day is helping me loosen up my style. It is a great learning process. I am moving ahead one step at a time.

The painting below is something that I wanted to try out since long ie a cloudy scene during monsoon in Goa. The landscape in Goa during monsoon is magical.With the onset of rains the sky changes dramatically into different shades of gray and blue. With every new painting, I get to explore a little of colour mixing. For the grays in the sky I have used ultramarine blue and burnt sienna. The three primary colours too mix to give a good gray colour. 

The paper that I have tried out for this painting is Brustro 300 gsm. It is difficult to do wet on wet on this paper as it starts drying up pretty fast, which then leaves hard edges. Therefore for my future works I will have to rethink about this paper as I am more for wet on wet works.

A water colour painting of a cloudy day at the beach by Manju Panchal

Monsoon Magic
Water colour painting on Brustro paper
5.5" X 7.5"

My art is about finding simple beautiful scenes in nature and bringing them to life on paper, to relive the happy moments for ever. Presently I am trying out the seascapes and mountainscapes in water colour medium but later some day I would want to do forest scenes too. Before getting to the forest landscapes I need to get a proper understanding of the "Mixing of greens" which can be very intimidating. I am in no hurry and would love to go slow, one step at a time.

My sincere thanks to all the visitors for browsing through my works.