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.

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.

Charcoal drawing and sketching workshop on 26th and 27th August, 2017

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live for ever." Gandhi

I take art workshops from time to time. Through my art workshop I get to meet people from different walks of life. People who are looking forward to learn the basics of art and who need a little motivation to get started in this direction.

My today's post is a brief introduction about my upcoming "Charcoal and drawing and sketching workshop" on the 26th and 27th of this month ie August, 2017.

During the workshop I shall be introducing the participants to the different papers and the charcoal tools that I use for my drawings. CLICK HERE to view the images of the different tools as I have posted an article about the same some time back. I provide all the materials so that the participants can judge for themselves and then later buy their preferred choice of materials.

Each participant gets a small sketch book with 4"X 5"cartridge sheets.

Using the different tools like pencils, willow charcoal etc they go on to create small works.

This way they get accustomed to using the tools.

For the upcoming workshop I will be demonstrating landscapes, floral and still life works.

Such as the images below

Charcoal drawing of landscape with mountains

Charcoal drawing of Foggy landscape

The participants will be creating one charcoal drawing sized 6"X 8" on the first day and two different works on the second day. During the course of the drawing sessions the following topics too shall be covered.

• Drawing from a photograph as a reference
• Design and composition
• Significance of tonal values
• Framing of a charcoal painting
• Tips and techniques for better drawings
• Preservation and care ( protection against moisture, sun etc )

When I do the demo's of certain charcoal drawings I share "My technique" which I have developed over a period of time after having created hundreds of drawings. Hence I encourage the participants to use the basic techniques but experiment and explore with new tools and papers which will in turn help them to develop their own style in the long run.

The Charcoal drawing workshop will be for a small group of four to five participants and to register for the same you can call me at 9967169025 ( Mumbai ) or drop me a mail at manjupanchal5@gmail.com and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

On the way to Malshej Ghats - A water colour painting

"Challenges are what makes life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." Joshua J Marine

My today's post is a water colour painting of a scene that I came across while I was on the way to Malshej Ghats. The paddy fields filled with water, cloudy sky and fog at the distance, I tried to capture the monsoon atmosphere.

Malshej Ghats is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range in the Thane-Pune district of Maharashtra. It is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of Western Ghats. The journey to Malshej Ghats during the monsoons is absolutely amazing. There are innumerable waterfalls on the way and the green valleys all around is a refreshing sight. I have used Camlin Artist's water colour tubes for this particular painting.

On the way to Malshej Ghats

Water colour painting on Strathmore paper

Size 4.5" X 6"

"Painting a cloudy sky" has been on my mind since long and a place like Malshej Ghat gave me the opportunity to capture many beautiful foggy landscape scenes with dramatic skies in the background. I am planning to try out all of them. There is no particular technique in mind. Technique evolves with time and experience. 

Painting scenes such as above is going to be a great learning experience. To me art is not just about painting, its about exploring new horizons and educating myself further in a subject that I am very passionate about. 

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

Charcoal drawing of Pebbles

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all."

Michelangelo

Many artists believe that value is more important than colour to the design and success of a painting. I have started believing in this theory too. Hence creating a grey scale version of a painting helps me a lot to understand the subject even before I have started the painting process. The advantages of knowing the right values are

• Value helps in creating a focal point within a painting or a drawing
• The human eye is immediately drawn to a light element against a dark element. This creates the focal point of interest.
• Gradations of value help in creating the illusion of depth.
• The light and contrast help to define the form of the subject matter.

"Rocks and pebbles" have always fascinated me as a subject for painting. I created my first "Rocks and pebbles" painting in water colour medium and posted it recently. I enjoyed doing that small little study and decided to try out this subject using charcoal medium too. 

Therefore I hunted out another photograph taken at a beach and went ahead creating the charcoal drawing as given below. This is the fun part of the art journey. It is so full of surprises. You discover new interests, fall in love once again with an old medium and it motivates you further in life.

Pebbles

Charcoal drawing on cartridge sheet

Size 5.5" X 6.5"

Taking a break with a little charcoal artwork has helped me. I intend to continue with my water colour explorations but as and when possible I will try and do a little of my "Charcoals and Pastels" too. I am also into "ART WORKSHOPS" and to know more details regarding the same you can visit my page. Art workshops are fun as it helps me to get connected with art enthusiasts in all age groups. 

Thank you very much for visiting my blog and keep browsing. Do visit my INSTAGRAM page to see my works in charcoals, soft pastels and other mediums.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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

Selecting the right water colour paper

"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." Confucius

While browsing through Winsor and Newton official site, I came across some interesting facts put together in a very simple language regarding selecting the right water colour surface for water colour paintings. I am sharing these on the blog for all water colour enthusiasts.

1. ABSORBENCY

An ideal amount of absorbency allows the colour to sit on the surface of the paper rather than sink into the paper itself. The right amount of absorbency facilitates the reflection of the maximum amount of light, making the colours of your artwork all the more vivid.

2. COLOUR

White papers produce the brightest images whilst coloured papers are used for opaque or juxtaposition techniques.

3. STABILITY

To ensure that your work will stand the test of time, you will need a stable surface upon which to work. Long term stability comes from papers being acid free.

( COURTESY: www.winsornewton.com )

After exploring a wide variety of papers in the past few months, the one paper that I have definitely liked is CAMPAP. I have managed to create a few good paintings on its surface and am pretty satisfied with the effects too. However what I presently have is the 200 gsm version. Therefore I went ahead and ordered ARTO CAMPAP 300 gsm cold pressed paper from Amazon.in.

Arto Campap watercolour paper CP 300 gsm

The paper is pure white in colour and has textured surface on both the sides. I created a brushstroke on small test piece sized 1" X 4" on both sides and the images of the close up of the paper is as below.

Textured surface on one side

of Campap 300 gsm CP paper

Textured surface on the other side

of Campap 300 gsm CP paper

Many artists say that either side of the paper can be used. Its a personal experience and choice. Looking at the textures as above I would personally prefer the lower one which is more smooth as compared to the top one. 

If you are into water colour paintings I would love to know which is your favorite water colour paper and why?. Do leave your reply in the comment section and I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you like my works please share.

A Figurative Charcoal drawing from the past

"As a child I drew like Raphael but it has taken a lifetime for me to draw like a child." 
Pablo Picasso

I have been organising my paintings lately and while doing so came across some of my old artworks created in charcoal medium. When I first began using this medium, I had limited tools, namely charcoal powder and a charcoal pencil named AMBASSADOR. Using these two mark making tools and a set of beautiful tortillons I went on to create many charcoal artworks.

Today I am posting one of the old works, which needed little touch up. It is a charcoal drawing inspired by the loving relationship between father and son. It is the time spent with the children that creates beautiful memories.

Moment of Joy

Charcoal drawing on paper

Size 8" X 10"

I have titled the above painting as "Moment of Joy" because this image conveys a feeling which probably we have all gone through while we were growing up. It evokes our childhood memories and we try to recollect what it was like to be out with parents and the precious moments that we spent with them. Time moves ahead and we are left with these beautiful memories.

I have been juggling between the charcoal and the soft pastel medium. Both are dry mediums and being self taught, I have experimented and explored both and come up with my own way of handling it. As we continuously work with a medium, we develop a mark making technique that keeps evolving with time. The way I create each stroke be it in charcoal or pastel, now defines my works. 

Portrait and figurative works have always appealed to me and I am glad that I am finally making a serious attempt at restarting it. So my paintings now will be inspired by "People and Places". I will continue my landscape painting as well.

Thanks for browsing through my works.

Step by Step - Charcoal demo of a landscape during an art workshop

 "I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do." Leonardo Da Vinci

During one of my "Two days Charcoal workshop" I created a 12" X 16" quick charcoal sketching on cartridge paper. The reference photograph has been taken from"Geotripper" with prior permission from Garry Hayes ( Geologist ). I love the blog as it has some of the most inspiring photographs of nature and the posts are very very informative.

Charcoal landscape drawing

Demo work on cartridge sheet

Size 12" X 16"

Step 1

Using willow charcoal, blocked in the major shapes.

The sky was kept very light using my blending tool ( Cloth )

Step 2

Blending the willow charcoal

and adding strokes using pencil to show crevices.

Foliage was created using willow charcoal

and pencils.

This kind of a demo takes about forty to forty five minutes. The time is not enough to do the details but the demo helps in understanding the steps involved in creating a charcoal landscape painting and the techniques involved in creating it.

CLICK HERE to read through another post in which I posted about my step by step creating of charcoal art in my sketch book.

You can browse my works on Deviantart, Instagram and Facebook.

Thanks for visiting my blog and would love to read comments from you.

Two still life paintings - two different mediums

I recently created two still life paintings using two different mediums namely soft pastels and water colour.

1. The steel bowl with garlic placed at the side, done using Mungyo and KOH-I-NOOR soft pastels on black coloured rough textured chart paper.
2. Ripe pear with tiny brown patches on it, done on handmade paper using Camel artists quality water colour tubes.

Two still life paintings

Steel bowl with garlic at the side done in soft pastels

and 

A pear done in water colours.

Creating small works are more like doing "Study works". They help you get a better understanding about the form, shape, shadow etc.

Thanks for visiting my Blog and do visit my INSTAGRAM page to see my other artworks.