Showing posts with label coorg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coorg. Show all posts

Friday, 3 February 2023

Step by Step, soft pastel forest landscape ( Coorg, Karnataka )

 “Perfection is no small thing but is made up of small things.” Michelangelo 

Of late, I have been pretty busy with my water color paintings but I do miss working with soft pastels. So took out some time recently and created this forest landscape referring to my photo taken at Coorg, Karnataka. 

I have used the following brand of soft pastels as:

1. Camlin
2. Mungyo
3. Gallery

Each of these brands have their own qualities and together they work great for me. If I have to recommend one brand to buy as a set for the beginners, I would suggest set of 48 soft pastels by Kohinoor Toison Dor. These cylindrical sticks are absolutely soft on the paper and work wonders. Moreover they are economical too. As far as paper is concerned, I mostly go with Canson Mi Teintes as I find it economical and it has sufficient tooth for taking in two layers of pastels. I normally finish my work in two layers and additionally do a little touch up in the end using the extra soft Sennelier pastels.

soft pastel landscape painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

“ On the way to Coorg”
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size: 7” X 9”

I have visited Coorg several times in the past and every time I am there it feels absolutely amazing. There is something magical about the nature vibes. It rejuvenates you to the core.

The Steps involved in creating the above artwork


Step 1.  Created a faint basic outline of the major shapes using a light coloured 
soft pastel pencil and later used the Mungyo and Kohinoor 
soft pastels to paint the respective tonal values keeping
in mind the source of light, and the shadows.

Step by step soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Step 2. After the first layer of color application ( using soft touch, as Canson Mi Teintes
cannot take in too many layers of colors ), I blended the colors 
on the paper using my finger tips to cover up the underlying
black shade of the paper. 

soft pastel landscape painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Step 3. After the first layer was painted and blending is complete, I carefully began with 
the background sky and slowly worked my way towards the forest 
trees and other elements as I progressed downwards towards 
the foreground. I used Kohinoor soft pastel pencils to create
the fine branches, and other details ( mostly in the
middle ground ) 


The reference photo taken at Madikeri ( Coorg, Karnataka )

Follow my latest works and techniques on INSTAGRAM and if you love my works and they inspire you, share them with your friends. Thanks for taking out time and browsing through my blog 🙏

Friday, 16 October 2020

Afloat - A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they are still beautiful.” Alice Walker

A log of wood, floating in the still waters at the banks of Kaveri river near Dubare Forest in Coorg. The moment my eyes captured this sight, I knew I had to paint it some day. I decided to go with the soft pastel medium for this work as I wanted a dark background which can be achieved so well using my newly purchased Sennelier pastels from Creative hands online store. The log of wood was half immersed in the water and the light and shadow play gave a new definition to the entire set up.

I scraped an old white pastel to create the sparkles on the water. Apart from using my usual Mungyo and Kohinoor Toison Dor soft pastels, I also use pastel pencils from Derwent as it helps to create some sharp details like grasses and twigs.

A soft pastel painting of a scene from Coorg on black Canson Mi Teintes paper

Afloat
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size 4.5” X 6.5”

Sennelier extra soft dark pastels
Sennelier extra dark soft pastels

If you wish to know about the papers I use for my soft pastel paintings CLICK HERE. I have created a post regarding the same in 2016. 

If you wish to see all my artworks in Gallery format, visit my INSTAGRAM site where I post my works on a regular basis. Thanks for visiting my blog and browsing through my artworks. 

Wednesday, 14 February 2018

La Carte Pastel card by Sennelier

"Great works are performed not by strength but perseverance." Samuel Johnson

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

As mentioned in my last post I recently purchased a La Carte Pastel card by Sennelier from Dick Blick, an online art stationery store in States. There are a lot of sanded papers available today, like Ampersand, Uart, Colourfix etc, but I decided to go for La Carte pastel card because I tried small study works on this card last year. The card came as a sample piece along with the Sennelier soft pastel set that I purchased through Amazon.

I pretty much liked its toothy surface and am posting my first landscape painting that I created on it recently. It is a 7.5” X 10.5” painting which I have created referring to my photograph that I took at Coorg, a beautiful hill station in Karnataka. It was a quiet morning and as we walked along the road lined up with trees and bushes, we could hear the sound of nature. John Muir's quote says it all. "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

A soft pastel painting of a forest scene from Coorg on La Carte Pastel card by Sennelier

Solitude
A Soft pastel painting on La Carte Pastel card by Sennelier
Size 7.5" X 10.5"

Beginning stage of a soft pastel painting on La Carte pastel card

Initial stage of the painting

La Carte Pastel card by Sennelier
La Carte sennelier card pad.

The La Carte pastel pad has come with six different neutral coloured cards. I am more used to the dark coloured papers but will try and select some subjects where in I can use the light neutral shades too. The surface of this pastel card is a lot different from Canson Mi Teintes paper. It is heavyweight, 360 gsm card and has a very toothy surface which can take layers of pastels without the pastel dust falling off. 

Thank you for browsing through my blog and if you have any queries related to any of my artwork or my techniques you can leave a comment below or write to me at manjupanchal5@gmail.com and I shall get back to you as soon as possible.

Friday, 22 December 2017

The Fence - A charcoal drawing

“As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight.” James McNeil Whistler

I am blogging today after a long number of days. Last week was busy as I was preparing for my "Charcoal drawing Workshop" which happened on the 17th of December at Art Station, Four Bunglows. I had in all nine participants in different age groups who were keen on knowing the basic techniques that I use to create my charcoal drawings.

On the 13th and 16th, I was invited to judge three different events in the "Fine Art" category, by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. These competitions ie "La La Land""Wat-A-Waffle" and "Artathalon" were part of their annual "VAAYU FESTIVAL". Each competition was unique in its own way and it was a great experience to be a part of this event. The student committee who organised these events put in lot of efforts since last many months and I appreciated their efforts in making these events a success.

Today I am posting a charcoal drawing of a landscape which I completed last week using willow charcoal and my other basic charcoal drawing tools. It is a beautiful morning scene that I came across during my early morning walk, while we were at Coorg, also popularly known as Madikeri. It is a small hill station in Karnataka. The fence with the barbed wire running along the border had a great appeal and hence I wanted to keep that as my main focus in this drawing.

The fence, A Charcoal drawing of a landscape from Coorg ( Karnataka ) using willow charcoal

The Fence
Charcoal drawing on Cartridge paper
Size 6” X 8”

I have been working with charcoal medium for a long time now and getting very tempted to get back to my "Soft Pastels". Soft pastel being a dry medium is quite like charcoal medium and I have to more or less use similar technique of creating marks. I love pastels for its vibrant colours and if you are into this medium do browse through the works of EDGAR DEGAS, ( 1834 - 1917 ) a French artist who used pastels in many of his artworks.

Thanks for visiting my blog and browsing through my works.

Friday, 31 March 2017

Charcoal drawing on Fabriano Artistico hot pressed paper

"One must keep right on drawing; draw with your eyes if you cannot draw with a pencil."
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

A very thought provoking and inspiring quote. No matter how much I paint but time and again I come back to my drawing, be it in charcoal or graphite medium.

Recently I purchased a sheet of Fabriano Artistico hot pressed water colour paper with an intention of experimenting with charcoal medium on its smooth textured surface. I finally inaugurated this paper by creating a landscape drawing from a scene that I came across while I was taking a morning walk at Coorg. This pathway is leading to one of the Coffee Plantations belonging to some Native of Coorg.

The place is beautiful, weather is very pleasant, the land is very fertile and the greenery is awesome. I have been to Coorg on five different occasions, hence you will find many of my artworks which have been inspired by the beauty of Coorg, also known as Madikeri.

Charcoal drawing of a landscape from Coorg By Manju Panchal

A pathway to Coffee Plantations
Charcoal drawing on Fabriano Artistico paper
Size 6" X 8"

Charcoal drawing of a landscape from Coorg By Manju Panchal

The initial stage of the charcoal drawing
where in I have used charcoal powder
and charcoal pencil

I have used Fabriano Artistico paper for the first time to create a charcoal drawing. It is a water colour paper and I may try it out for water colour painting too. Talking about my experience and review of this paper with respect to charcoal medium, I feel it is absolutely great. It has very fine smooth grainy texture and the charcoal gets fixed on it pretty well.I will definitely be using it again for my future drawings too. 

I created a post some time back where in I wrote in detail about the "Papers" and "Tools" that I use for charcoal drawing and sketching. Times change and over a period of time I have added new tools, new papers in my art stationery collection. I love to experiment and explore in an attempt to find something different and better. It is an ongoing process of learning and experiencing the unknown. 

Thanks a lot for browsing through my works and I am grateful to all the viewers who have been constantly supporting my art and my techniques.

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Charcoal study - Using willow charcoal and charcoal pencil

"The day is an empty canvas, the shapes and colours are yours to choose." Alex Noble

A value study is a great way to prepare for the final painting. It helps me understand the subject better and enables me to pay attention to the focal element. As a routine I almost always prepare a value study using either a graphite or charcoal medium.

When it comes to charcoal medium, I love using the willow charcoal as it helps cover a large area in a short time and with a little touch up with charcoal pencil the drawing gets completed.

Posted below is a recent charcoal study work that I created using one of my holiday photographs from Coorg. It is a muddy pathway going uphill towards one of the private Coffee Plantations. I loved the scene as it had distant trees and a great composition for a landscape painting. I shall some day create a soft pastel painting referring to this value study.


Going uphill
Charcoal drawing on Fabriano Academia 120gsm paper
Size 6" X 8"



On my Table Top Easel,
The initial stages using willow charcoal.

I enjoyed doing this quick study in which I used willow charcoal in the beginning to block in the values and later used my charcoal pencil to get the foliage, rock, soil textures etc. Small study works, I feel are a good way to get the feel of the subject before starting a final coloured painting on the same subject.

To view some more of my charcoal study works CLICK HERE.

If you wish to attend my art workshop or wish to purchase one of my artworks please contact me and I shall get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you for browsing through my artworks.

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Charcoal drawing of a tree

"Inspiration does exist but it must find you working." Pablo Picasso

I love painting trees and am fascinated by them as a subject. I came across these beautiful lines on significance of trees and am sharing them with you. ( Courtesy: http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/treelore.htm )

Trees are symbols of physical and spiritual nourishment, transformation and liberation, sustenance, spiritual growth and fertility.The world-tree is described in the Upanishads "a tree eternally existing, its roots aloft, its branches spreading below."

Today I am posting a charcoal drawing of a beautiful tree that I came across on the banks of Kaveri river, at Dubare forest near Coorg. I recently posted another "Tree painting" from the same region.This charcoal drawing was created as a demo during a recent art workshop. It is not always possible to do a complete detailed work during a workshop, hence I spent a little extra time adding on a few marks here and there to get to get the look that I desired.

Charcoal drawing of tree as seen on the banks of Kaveri river at Dubare forest

The Eternal
Charcoal drawing on Cartridge sheet
Size 12"X 16"

For most of my demo works in charcoal medium I use willow charcoal during the initial layering of the shape as it helps in covering  up the basic mid tone value. Later I analyse and evaluate the work and then proceed with charcoal powder and pencil to get the darker tones. To create the highlights I use the kneaded eraser. 

CLICK HERE to know about the charcoal tools that I use for my charcoal drawings. I have also posted about my favorite papers that use for the charcoal medium.

Thanks for browsing through my works and would love to know what papers do you use for your charcoal works? Do leave in your comments.

Tuesday, 14 February 2017

A Tree

"Drawing is not the form, it is the way of seeing a form." Edgar Degas

Trees mean a lot to me. I love painting them. To me a "Tree" is a symbol of "Beauty, Strength, Endurance, Stability, and Wisdom".

I came across this beautiful old tree with exposed roots, anchored beautifully in the soil at Dubare forest on the banks of Kaveri river ( Near Coorg ). Since I had already created the study work of this tree on a small black Canson MT paper, it did not take me long to recreate this on a bigger paper.

Dubare forest, in Karnataka is known for its elephant camp and the area is a host to beautiful archaic deciduous trees. I did not have time to do any kind of Plein air sketching or drawing but I did manage to photograph many such trees. In the scene as below, there were other trees and bushes in the background, however I decided to keep it simple as I wanted the tree to be in focus.

Soft pastel drawing of a tree on Canson Mi Teintes paper by Indian artist Manju Panchal

Perennial
Soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size 6.5" X 9.5"

My works can be seen on my FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM page too. Thank you for browsing through my works.

Sunday, 29 January 2017

Two study works of "Trees" in soft pastel medium

"Good drawing forms the 'bones' on which a strong painting hangs." Chris Bingle

 Before I start off with my painting, I like to study the subject so as to get an understanding of the composition, the colours, the values and the techniques that I will apply in order to get the effect that I am visualizing in the mind. My vision of the artwork must meet what I create on paper.

The soft pastel artworks as below are of two majestic trees as seen and photographed at Kaveri river bank, Dubare forest near Coorg. During monsoon the river is overflowing and hence these exposed roots are not visible as they are submerged under water. We visited this place during the month of March when the water flow was bare minimum and I got to photograph some of these old archaic trees

Soft pastel painting, a study work of a tree by Manju Panchal

Soft pastel painting, a study work of a tree by Manju Panchal

Two Soft pastel study works of trees
as seen at Dubare forest, Coorg.
Size 4" X 5.5"

Every tree has its unique character, shape, form and identity. It's a great experience to sketch and paint these graceful elements of nature.

The "study works" as above will guide me in future to create a larger painting if required.

Friday, 27 January 2017

The Shaded Pathway- A Soft pastel painting of a landscape from Coorg

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." Henry David Thoreau

I finally completed the soft pastel painting of a scene from Coorg, ( Madikeri ) which I started in November 2016. After doing the initial layer of blocking in the colours, I had taken a break. I normally intend doing a painting at one go as it is so much more convenient. After an interval when I get back to an older work, it is a lot more struggle to restart it all over again. It is like the momentum is gone and I have to recollect everything about the scene and visualize the steps all over again.

However this is one of my favorite scenes that I came across during one of my morning walks in Madikeri and I did not want to give up on this one. It took me longer than expected to complete, but I was happy that I finally completed it.

Soft pastel painting of a shaded pathway at Coorg by Manju Panchal

The shaded pathway
Soft pastel painting on Fabriano Tiziano paper
Size 7.5" X 10"

For my soft pastels I am mainly working with Canson Mi Teintes and Fabriano Tiziano paper. To read more about the papers that I use CLICK HERE.

Of late I have been spending a lot of my time with my small sketch book. I just created a new one exclusively for my AQUARELLE GRAPHITE works. To create a small work sized 4" X 5.5" all I need is a sketch book, a Cretacolour 8B aquarelle graphite pencil, a brush and water. I am enjoying this new found activity because many a times I just have about an hour to myself which is not sufficient to start with some serious work. At such times I get down to doing my study works of different subjects. It is more of experimenting and exploring and is lot of fun.

If you are passionate about art and want to get started with a particular medium then you can attend one of my TWO DAYS ART WORKSHOP which I conduct on a regular basis. My upcoming workshops are listed in advance, so you can register for the same.

Thanks for all your support and keep browsing.

Sunday, 27 November 2016

Creating a Charcoal sketch of Mandalpatti Hills (Karnataka) on Canson c a grain paper


I have officially run out of Scholar drawing paper. Therefore I decided to do my present charcoal sketching on Canson c a grain paper. The subject for my present work is a scene from Mandalpatti hills which is about 25 to 30 kms drive from Coorg ( Madikeri ), Karnataka. We visited these hillw in the month of August and being monsoon season the place was green all around. Using the charcoal medium I have created the tonal values as seen in the landscape. I may use soft pastels in future to create the same scene on paper. 

As decided earlier I avoided using willow charcoal in this sketching and went ahead mainly with the powder and pencils. In the original scene the sky was very cloudy but to keep the composition simple I used kneaded eraser to create just a few ones with soft edges.

charcoal sketching of Mandalpatti hills on Canson c a grain paper, by Manju Panchal

The Hills
Charcoal sketching on Canson c a grain paper.
Size 5" X 7"

For creating the above sketching I also used the General compressed charcoal stick ( sparingly though ) which has been with me since last year but for some reason I did not put it to use earlier.
It creates bold black strokes and I am beginning to like it. I may start using it more regularly now.

General's compressed charcoal sticks used for charcoal sketching


Next I am working with "Charcoal and pastel pencil on toned paper" as my two days workshop for the same is coming up on next weekend. 

Ending my post with an inspiring art quote

"It's only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you discover to your surprise, that you have rendered something in its true character." Camille Pissarro

Monday, 17 October 2016

Two landscape study works in charcoal medium

Two study works using the charcoal medium.


Composition, colours and value. They all play a very significant role in creating a good artwork. In order to get a better understanding of a landscape, I generally go for a thumbnail sketch or a study work which I create in different mediums. This time I decided to do a value sketch using willow charcoal, charcoal pencil and charcoal powder. 

Both these sketches are sized 4.5" X 5.5" and will serve as reference when I will recreate these subjects in colours using soft pastels. 

Charcoal study work of a landscape from Coorg by Manju Panchal

Tonal value sketch of a scene from Coorg
A study work

Charcoal study work of a landscape from Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary by Manju Panchal

Tonal value sketch of a scene from Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
A study work


"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing."  Vincent Van Gogh

I totally agree with the words as quoted above. Drawing and sketching is the foundation to art. As the drawing gets better so does the painting. I enjoyed creating the charcoal sketches such as above and I may do my future "Thumbnail sketches" too in charcoal medium.

To view my selected artworks you can visit my gallery at DEVIANTART

Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Canson Mi Teintes - which colour paper to use?


"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong". Joseph Chilton Pearce

Canson Mi Teintes paper is available in many different shades. I love this paper for its textured surface and use it a lot for my charcoal as well as soft pastel works. How do I go about choosing the colour of the paper? .

Being self taught, during my initial stages of pastel studies I went about following what other artists did ( With respect to selecting the colour of the paper ). However with experience I realised that what works for someone else may not always work for me as each one of us follows a different technique and style.

For my landscape works I tried the lighter pastel shades of the paper but was somehow not happy with the results. I had a difficult time getting the dark colours in the forest. Therefore over a period of time I settled for dark brown and black paper. For seascapes I experimented with orange and red colour Canson paper and the effect was pretty satisfactory.

I plan to do a lot many forest scenes in future in soft pastel medium, hence have decided to do a couple of thumbnail sketches to start with. A detailed study after careful observation of colours, values, perspective etc helps in getting the thumbnail sketch right which in turn acts as a reference when the real painting begins.

Given below are the thumbnail sketches of a beautiful scene from Coorg,  created on two different coloured papers. The painting at the top is done on black paper and the lower one is created on Canson twilight paper


Thumbnail study work of a landscape from Coorg using soft pastels. By Manju Panchal

Thumbnail study work of a landscape from Coorg using soft pastels. By Manju Panchal

A scene from Coorg
created on black paper 
and twilight paper.

Size 3.5" X 4.5"

Canson Mi Teintes twilight colour

The colour of the paper used for the soft pastel painting affects the final outcome. I will analyse, evaluate and some time later take a decision regarding which coloured paper to use for my bigger work. 

When I create a thumbnail sketch or the study sketch it is more about my interpretation of the scene and I try not to create a photocopy of the scene. Making creative changes with respect to the position of a few elements so as to get a better composition is the first step that I take even before beginning with the small sketch.

I shall be creating an enlarged version of these paintings soon but in the meantime will continue creating more of thumbnail sketches as a preliminary preparation for my future works.

For all those who are in Mumbai and wish to attend the India Art Festival 2016, can go to Nehru Science Centre, Worli on 7th, 8th and 9th of October when it is open to visitors from 11 am to 6 pm.

Thursday, 22 September 2016

A soft pastel painting of a morning scene from Coorg ( Madikeri )

Soft pastel painting


If you happen to be at Coorg ( Madikeri ), a beautiful morning scene such as below is a common sight. Coorg is amazing all throughout the year. It is a small hill station close to Mangalore. 

I started this forest landscape in soft pastels during one of my soft pastel workshops and later spent a few more hours working on it adding the finishing touches.

A simple morning walk in nature helps me come across a lot many potential subjects for painting. This scene appealed to me a lot for its "Light and shadow" play on the trees, the foliage and the road. I have used a black coloured Canson Mi Teintes paper for this painting but in future plan to try out other coloured papers too.

An original Soft pastel painting of a landscape from Coorg, Madikeri by Manju Panchal

A morning at Coorg
Soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper.
Size 6" X 8"

An inspiring quote

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." Vincent Van Gogh

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

A walk in the woods - Coorg ( Madikeri )


In the past few days I have created several thumbnail sketches of Landscapes and seascapes 
using the soft pastel medium. The plan was to create final pieces of art referring to some of 
them. Along with the study sketch, I will also be using the original photograph taken by me.

The first soft pastel painting that I have finally selected is inspired by my visit to Coorg, ( Madikeri ). Coorg is a very quiet and peaceful hill station in Karnataka. Its green all round 
the year and a paradise for photographers and artists. Any road you take leads to some great 
views. The trees, the bushes, the red soil, the distant hilly mountains, you can spend hours and 
hours soaking in the beauty of the surroundings.

The image below is of a soft pastel painting created referring to one such sights that I came 
across during my routine morning walks. The early morning sunrays, the fence running across 
on the left, the green foliage around, some wild flowers, each element adding to the beauty of 
the landscape.

No matter how many landscapes I do, everytime I am doing a forest scene, the greens intimidate
me the most. Getting the right green becomes a challenge. Therefore I use soft pastel palette
which is a combination of Mungyo, Gallery and Kohinoor soft pastels. Each brand comes
with a different collections of "Green shades" , therefore combining all of them I get fairly
different shades from bright to dull. The Camlin brand too comes with some beautiful greens.

Soft pastel painting of a landscape from Coorg ( Madikeri ) by Manju Panchal

A walk in the woods
Soft Pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper.
Size 6" X 9"



Soft Pastel Palette
A Mix of different brands.

Another of my soft pastel painting is in progress referring to my Phuket and
Phi Phi islands visit recentlyFrom forest, I am moving to cliffs and mountains and some
breathtaking views of white sanded beaches.

To view my paintings you can also visit my FACEBOOK page. If you like my works
please share with friends. Thanks for browsing.


Saturday, 6 February 2016

Demo works of forest scenes created during my ART WORKSHOP


I recently conducted my usual Two days soft pastel workshop. The first day is like a warm up 
for the participants where in they understand all about the soft pastel medium, the papers, the techniques etc. and then go on to create simple works like seascape and landscape with mountains. 

On the second day I normally go about doing demo works of forest scenes, wherein I explain 
my step by step technique that I follow to create a landscape starting with the sky,
followed by the trees, bushes, the pathway etc. The painting technique that I follow normally
completes in two layers of soft pastels.

These demo works are normally completed in a duration of thirty to forty minutes each and
I add a few details here and there once the workshop is complete. Both the demo works as seen
below are done on Canson Mi Teintes paper are done with reference to my photographs from
Coorg. ( Madikeri )


soft pastel demo work created during a two days workshop by Manju panchal

soft pastel demo work created during a two days workshop by Manju panchal

Two soft pastel demo works done during
a Two days soft pastel workshop.

Since I am working a lot with soft pastels these days, I decided to experiment and explore.
I used a Prussian blue coloured hand made paper ( with textured surface ) and created a 
seascape on it using soft pastels with an underpainting created using wet brush
 on pastels. Just an experiment to check out if pastels work good on
 handmade textured paper. Will post the image of my experimental work soon.

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Capturing the landscape at Mandalpatti using Canon 7D

While we were in Madikeri in August this year, we heard one of the local guys mention Mandalpatti as a very beautiful place and situated about twenty kms away from our homestay ( COORG ). I had never heard of this place but decided to google it. Looking at the images we made a quick decision to visit this place where only a four wheel drive can take the tourists across on the steep slopes.

The place is a visual treat for artists, photographers and every other person who loves to be part of nature. I could see all possible shades of green in the grassland which covered the hills like a soft blanket.

Apart from the spectacular views from the hills of Mandalpatti, the winding roads from Madikeri to Mandalpatti itself was a pleasure.

Photograph of landscape at Mandalpatti, Coorg. By Manju Panchal

The muddy pathway created to take the tourists around
to capture the stunning views all around.


Photograph of landscape at Mandalpatti, Coorg. By Manju Panchal

The hills and mountains covered with grassland.
Clouds touching low almost touching the tips
of the mountain peaks.

Beautiful view of mountains and hills of western ghats at Mandalpatti by Manju Panchal

Another beautiful view of the western ghats
at Mandalpatti


Photograph taken at Mandalpatti, Coorg by Manju Panchal

Another beautiful view of the far off hills

Mandalpatti hills allow you to have a 360 degree view of the hills around. Fortunately the place has not been too commercialised and there are no hotels or homestays in the vicinity. The area is clean and well maintained. Mandalpatti is part of Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuary.

If you wish to visit this place ever read some of the reviews in tripadvisor.


Saturday, 27 June 2015

Creating a forest using willow charcoal and few other pencils

A demo work done during a recent Charcoal painting workshop referring to a photograph by
Vidya Alange Bhandary who writes a beautiful BLOG based on her travel experiences.

I came across Vidya's  site when I was looking for travelogues to Himachal. Vidya has posted
some great photographs on her blog. I have taken her permission to use her photographs for
my reference painting. This particular painting is from Coorg and I immediately felt the
connection as I have been to this beautiful place.

Original charcoal painting of a forest from Coorg by Manju Panchal

Through the forest.
Charcoal sketching on Fabriano Academia paper
Size 5.5" x 7"


Beautiful quote

" Painting is just another way of keeping a diary." Pablo Piccaso

Blogging is in a way like a diary of one's artworks. The day to day painting and learning experiences all get recorded through the postings. If it were not for the blog that I started, I would have perhaps been doing my art but at my own pace and not with great amount of focus. 

Sunday, 26 April 2015

A scene from Dubare Elephant camp ( Near Coorg )

While we were in Coorg on holidays we made a day trip to Dubare Elephant camp, on the banks of Kaveri river. The soft pastel painting below with light between the trees, illuminating the slopes in the distance, is a scene from the banks of Kaveri river. Coorg and around is covered with dense forest and it is a place where one would want to visit again and again. The weather is pleasant throughout the year. I have not had the opportunity to visit Coorg during monsoons but some day I would want to do that.

Soft pastel painting of a landscape by Manju Panchal

Light through the trees
Soft pastel painting on canson paper
Size 17" x 24"
Available for sale

For any query please write at manjupanchal@hotmail.com
My paintings can also be viewed on my facebook page
www.facebook.com/charcoalspastelsandmore.blogspot.in


Friday, 13 February 2015

Thumbnail sketches or study works in soft pastel medium.

 "The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection." Michelangelo

 Making a thumbnail sketch helps me plan my procedure better. The steps I follow in creating a small sketch helps me proceed with the painting in a much easier way. It also helps me to improve on my technique and to tackle issues which otherwise would get complicated.

Given below are three different thumbnail sketches from COORG created using the soft pastel medium. I used leftover cutout pieces of Canson Mi Teintes  paper for the same and avoided spending more than fifteen minutes on each of them. When I finally create a bigger piece of art work referring to these sketches, I would be adding more details.

Soft Pastel Thumbnail sketch of a landscape from COORG by Manju Panchal

Soft Pastel Thumbnail sketch of a landscape from COORG by Manju Panchal

Soft Pastel Thumbnail sketch of a landscape from COORG by Manju Panchal

Three thumbnail sketches from COORG photographs
created on 3" X 4" Canson paper using soft pastels

My works can also be browsed at on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK page.