Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts

Sunday, 15 March 2026

Art quotes ( My favourite ones )

 Motivational art quotes. 

Quotes have inspired me all throughout my art journey. It provides me with instant inspiration and transforms my behaviour and my creative thinking pattern. Quotes are beautiful sentences spoken by a generation of artists from the bygone era, and every artist can relate to each and every word because the basic truth and its significance has remained the same. We share the same love and passion and gratitude for the beauty in this world. Quotes keep me going.


“Clear out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” Dee Hock

“The idea is there locked inside. All you have to do is remove the excess stone.” Michelangelo 

“Light in nature creates the movement of colours.” Robert Delaunay 

“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” B B King

“Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures.” Vincent Van Gogh 

“Choose only one master - Nature.” Rembrandt 

“Colors like features, follow the changes of emotions.” Pablo Picasso

“If painting weren’t so difficult, it wouldn’t be fun.” Edgar Degas

“Work lovingly done is the secret of all order and all happiness.” Renoir

“I just wanted to paint and sketch and tell stories by drawing.” Robert Redford

“Starting to paint, I felt gloriously free, quiet and alone.” H Matisse

“Painting is silent poetry.” Plutarch

“ I use Watercolor to give voice to what I would like to talk about.” Jerry Pinckney

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.” Leonardo Da Vinci 

“The only time I am truly in the Now is when I paint.” Lori McNee

“Everything is hard before it is easy.” Goethe J W

“I don’t say everything, but I paint everything.” Pablo Picasso 

“Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life.” Vincent Van Gogh 

“The painter unfolds that which has not been seen.” Paul Cezanne

If you love art quotes as much as I do, please do visit my Instagram page wherein I post my paintings regularly along with a beautiful quote. Thanks for browsing through my blog.


Saturday, 23 March 2024

Figurative study works on Chitrapat handmade paper

 “There are no half measures when it comes to Watercolor. Watercolor demands constant devotion.” Pierre Tougas

Have you ever tried painting small figures on paper ?

Some months ago, I decided to create figurative works on small cutout’s of Chitrapat handmade paper. I basically did it to get a better understanding of human anatomy. Moreover since I am a landscape artist I find it tricky to add tiny figures in a 5” X 7” artwork. So the idea was to develop a technique to create the right strokes to get the figures looking realistic on paper. To a great extent, it helped and I was happy.

The paints I used were


The brushes I used were

1. Van Gogh foldable brush ( It comes with Van Gogh paint set )


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper


Watercolor figurative painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

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 browsing through my blog and being a part of my art journey 🙏

Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Step by step soft pastel painting - Road to Spiti

 “The important thing is to create. Nothing else matters; Creation is all.” Pablo Picasso

The Spiti holidays ( Himachal Pradesh ) happened in 2013. But the memories are so fresh. By painting a landscape scene from my travel journey, I make it all the more memorable. The winding roads, high up in the mountains, carved out by cutting through the mountains, so people like us can enjoy the beauty of the unseen wonders of this part of the world. So grateful to all those who worked so hard and made it happen.

We were so overwhelmed by the landscape around the roads, that we took frequent breaks to soak in the lovely atmosphere and of course to capture few photographs for reference ( For my future artworks). I still haven’t painted them all. Each one being very close to my heart. 

A soft pastel painting of Road to Spiti, on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Road to Spiti
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size 5” X 7”

Step 1. I lightly draw the outline using a white pastel pencil on a medium toned Canson Mi Teintes paper
             ( Used Twilight shade here ). Using  Mungyo and Kohinoor Toison Dor soft pastels, I then use 
            Very light touch to fill in the respective colours keeping in mind the tonal values and perspective.      

Step by step soft pastel painting of Road to Spiti

Step 2. Once I have covered the entire surface of the paper with the respective colours as per my 
             interpretation ( The photo captures all the colours. Whereas in reality the distant objects are
             dull in colour and do not have any details or sharp outlines ). I lightly blend at places using
             my finger.

Step by step soft pastel painting of Road to Spiti

Step 3. In the final layer I add more colours to create depth. I also use pencils at this stage to put in 
            details at several places as required. That about completes the painting. I normally do not use any 
            fixative as I personally feel that it dulls the colours. I use a butter paper on top and staple it at
            one end and then keep it in the folder until framed.

Step by step soft pastel painting of Road to Spiti

My art studio
With my collection of soft pastels
And pastel pencils

Kohinoor Toison Dor soft pastels

Kohinoor Toison Dor 
120 soft pastels ( Foldable box )
Purchased from Art Lounge

Sennelier 120 half stick pastel collection

Sennelier extra soft
120 half stick 
Paris Collection 

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 🙏


Sunday, 5 November 2023

Golden Gate Bridge - A watercolor painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

 “ Watercolor condenses time and consolidates experience.” Frank Marcello

 PIXABAY is a free stock photography and royalty free stock media website. It is used for sharing photos, illustrations and a lot more, under the custom PIXABAY License, which generally allows the free use of material with some restrictions. I personally enjoy browsing through this site for some interesting reference photos of places that I haven’t visited so far but would love to paint them anyway.

I have already painted the “Golden Gate Bridge” ( “A suspension bridge that connects the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. ) on earlier occasions but the photo that I found recently caught my eye mainly because, it had quite a different composition as it was an evening scene and also captured the cars racing across the bridge. This scene looked a bit challenging as I decided to use the watercolor medium and had to capture the racing cars, which were going to be gestural strokes and not too much of details. 

I finally painted it on Chitrapat handmade paper using my usual Winsor and Newton Cotman and Camlin Artists water color tubes. 

After having completed a painting, every artist looks back and reflects on the entire process of creating it. I do the same. I haven’t painted this kind of a scene before and by the time I completed it, I was happy. Trying something new and different is always very exciting. It motivates you further to pursue the journey. 

Watercolor painting of Golden Gate Bridge on Chitrapat handmade paper

The Golden Gate Bridge
A water color painting on Chitrapat handmade paper 
Size 4” X 5”

Golden Gate Bridge from PIXABAY

The Golden Gate Bridge 
Courtesy: Pixabay.com

If you wish to see my recent artworks visit my INSTAGRAM site and if you like my works and they inspire you, please share with friends. Thanks for visiting my blog and browsing through my artworks. 

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 🙏

Sunday, 28 August 2022

Seascape - A water color Painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

 “Translucence is an effect unique to the medium of watercolor and the lure that beckons me into the studio for yet another creative adventure.” Michele Cooper

Using Chitrapat handmade paper has always been a delight. I have written a lot already about the advantages of using this paper in my previous posts and I personally use this paper a lot. Apart from this paper I also like using Arches cold pressed paper and Fabriano Acquarello paper. 

For the painting below I have used very few colors, namely raw sienna, burnt sienna, orange and ultramarine blue. Using wet on wet wash technique, I initially painted the sky, the ocean and the sandy beach. Then I let the paper dry. Later I used ultramarine blue and burnt sienna to create the rocky structures in the distance, followed by the ocean and the beach. I also added few sailboats in the distance, using a very dilute wash of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna. The reflections of the rocks were added pretty much in the end. Can you also spot the birds flying in the sky? It was fun painting this seascape which has an overall warm tone and I forgot to mention that I have used Winsor and Newton Cotman paints and Camlin Artist watercolor tubes for this work. 

Watercolor painting of seashore on Chitrapat handmade paper

Evening Glow
A water colour painting on Chitrapat handmade paper 
Size 5” X 7”

In most of my posts, I have given a brief description about the paper and paints used by me. However I failed to write about the brushes I use in order to create them. In one of my upcoming posts, I shall try and give a detailed description about the different brushes used by me.

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 browsing through my blog and being a part of my art journey 🙏

Sunday, 8 November 2020

Ship at berth - A water color painting

 “Watercolor can leave me totally deflated and wondering why I chose it as a medium and then I am seduced again by a beautiful wash or the lacework of an intricate detail which is impossible to create in any other medium.” Joseph Zbukvik 

Last year I had the opportunity to visit my husband’s ship which had arrived at New Mangalore port for loading cargo in bulk. One morning when I got up and looked out of the porthole, I saw this “Bulk Carrier” parked at the jetty on the opposite side. It had probably arrived at night for loading. The atmosphere was a bit hazy I loved the scene, the mood and the composition. I had decided then that someday I shall paint the story of this ship. Painting is quite like story telling. I paint what is on my mind and leave the rest to the viewer to interpret it in his/her own way.

I am shuffling between Chitrapat handmade paper and Arches Cold pressed paper as both of them are my personal favourites now. Chitrapat paper is more reasonable as compared to Arches, however for this artwork I wanted to use Arches paper and undoubtedly, using a quality paper makes a big difference. The ship was the focal point of this painting and for the rest of the port infrastructure on the right, avoided too many details. It gave an abstract feel to the painting and I loved the way it turned out.

For most of my water color paintings, I like to use very limited Colors in the palette. For this work I have mainly used ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna, permanent orange, and light red. Lesser Colors in the palette, I feel, helps simplify the painting process.

A Ship at berth , A watercolor painting on Arches Cold pressed paper

Ship at Berth
A water colour painting on Arches CP paper
Size 5” X 7”

A Bulk Carrier at Mangalore Port

Reference photo taken at 
New Mangalore port

I have already created a few water color paintings in my “Ship series” and plan to create some more very soon. I have also started doing charcoal tonal value sketches of ships and some are already posted on my INSTAGRAM feed. Do check them out.

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

Sunday, 18 October 2020

One Step at a time - A soft pastel painting

“ You can get anywhere if you simply go one step at a time.” Dave Ramsey

Sometime back I tried this soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes light grey toned paper. Every landscape scene has its own challenges. What I loved in this scene was the steps leading into the forest and the misty background. I used muted grey toned colors in the distance to create depth and used light strokes of pastels to create the branches and foliage.

I normally work with a mix of different brands of soft pastels, namely Kohinoor Toison Dor, Mungyo and Sennelier. Out of these if I have to recommend one brand which is great quality apart from being economical is Kohinoor Toison Dor.

Sennelier is extra soft and it easily blends into the paper and I love its quality, however it is far more expensive than other brands. I normally use it as a last layer to apply finishing touches to my painting.

A soft pastel painting of forest scene on Canson Mi Teintes paper

One Step at a time 
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size 5” X 7”

I created a post regarding the use of different papers I use for my soft pastel paintings. CLICK HERE to view the same.

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. 


Saturday, 10 October 2020

A Slice of Watermelon - A watercolor painting

 “Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky

The magic of still life painting is that it can show us a new way of looking at subjects around us. Still life painting helps me to experiment and explore, with color mixing, composition and new techniques which I feel is very essential for any artist to evolve in the long run.

Yesterday I used a “Slice of watermelon” to create the water colour painting as posted below. For the background I have used a mix of all three primary colors and just when the paint was damp ( Before drying up ) I sprinkled little on it which added a little texture in the background.

For today’s artwork I have used a graphite pencil to sign at bottom right. Normally I use my rigger brush for the same. However the foreground being very light I decided to go with graphite as it would not interfere with the main subject. I recently came across a few artists who sign regularly in graphite pencil and I quite liked the idea. On a small sized painting it’s a struggle to to do a miniature signature and it can be frustrating.

A watercolor painting of a slice of watermelon on Chitrapat handmade paper

A Slice of watermelon
A water colour painting on Chitrapat handmade paper 
Size 5” X

My paintings in the gallery format can be viewed on my INSTAGRAM feed where I have been posting regularly since last few years.

Thank you for browsing through my artworks. It motivates me to continue my painting journey.

Thursday, 7 May 2020

Rocky Seashore - A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” Robert Wyland

Canson Mi Teintes  has been with me for a long number of years. It has been my favourite paper surface for most of my “Soft Pastel Paintings”.

When I like a paper a lot and it agrees with my kind of techniques, I make it a point to buy a good number of them for long term use. So during my initial years of pastel days, I went ahead and purchased quite a few of them in different shades. Then as I began my pastel journey, I realised that some dark toned shades went well for “Forest paintings” whereas “Seashore” subject did well on pastel toned papers.

Today after years of my working experience with pastels, I have realised that I love “Twilight” toned Canson MT much more than other colors. However, I am now left with one last sheet in this shade. My stock of other sheets too has diminished. So once the Covid Lockdown is over, I will be placing my order for my requirements. In the meantime I am trying to work small, ie 5” X 7”  or 6” X 8” sized works.

Today’s soft pastel painting is inspired by the beautiful rocky seashore at Bogmolo in Goa. I have used a mix of Mungyo, Sennelier Toison Dor and Sennelier soft pastels for the artwork.

A soft pastel painting of Bogmolo beach by Indian Artist and art blogger Manju Panchal

Rocky Seashore
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper 
Size: 6” X 8”

I keep my pastels organised color wise in different trays. Being in touch with each other the pastels get coated with pastel dust ( Multiple shades ), hence it requires to be cleaned up on a regular basis. Therefore every once in a way, I take a break and clean up my pastels and reorganise them so that the original vibrant shade is clearly visible. CLICK HERE to view my post on the same.

Thank you for browsing through my artworks and do visit my INSTAGRAM feed to see my latest artworks. If you happen to like my works, I would appreciate if you share it with others. Thanks.





Monday, 4 May 2020

The Morning Calm - A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Nature is the art of God.” Dante Alighieri

Goa has some beautiful beaches and Bogmolo beach is one of them. I happened to be there last December and captured the beach at different hours of the day using my mobile. The soft pastel painting that I am posting today is a morning view of the beach from the higher floor of our beach facing hotel. I loved the white buildings in the distant hills and the morning calm at the beach. At the beach, life is different. It is always a very relaxing experience. I look forward to being at the beach again.

Canson Mi Teintes is a great paper for pastel works and I have used it once again for my present seascape painting. As of pastel brands, I start my first layer using Mungyo pastels and then go on to use the Kohinoor Toison Dor and Sennelier in the subsequent layers. To create the small figures at the beach I have used pastel pencils.

A soft pastel painting of seashore from Goa by Indian artist and blogger Manju Panchal

“The Morning Calm”
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper 
Size: 5” X 7”

I plan to create few more paintings on “Bogmolo Beach series” soon using both water colour and pastel medium.

To know about the papers I have been using for my pastel artworks CLICK HERE. ( I have created a detailed post in the past )Thank you for browsing through my artworks and do visit my INSTAGRAM feed to see my latest artworks.

Friday, 1 May 2020

Deeper into the forest - A soft pastel painting

In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks.” John Muir

Of late, I have restarted working with my “Soft Pastel” medium. I began my journey with Mungyo pastels and then like any other artist, went on to add other brands like Kohinoor Toison Dor, and Sennelier. Now I use a mix of all these brands to complete a painting.

Today’s post is a complicated scene in my “Forest” series and I have used the textured side of Canson Mi Teintes paper for a change. In general I go with the smooth textured side. However I know of many artists who regularly use the textured side and I wanted to give it a try.

A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper. By Indian Artist Manju Panchal

Deeper into the forest
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size : 5” X 7”

Selecting a subject for painting is a very personal decision. Some years back I was a lot into “Portrait drawing and sketching”, and then over a period of time as I traveled to different parts of the country, I was fascinated by the stunning beauty of nature. I felt the connection and decided to capture the beauty of nature on paper using pastels and water colour medium. In a way I feel my paintings are an “Ode to Nature”.

To know about the papers I have been using for my pastel artworks CLICK HERE. ( I have created a detailed post in the past )

Thank you for browsing through my artworks and do visit my INSTAGRAM feed to see my latest artworks.

Tuesday, 28 April 2020

Frothy Sea waves - A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Choose only one master - Nature”.  Rembrandt

Today’s soft pastel painting is inspired by the beautiful “Frothy sea waves” which reach the shore after a long journey. When observed closely, the froth creates interesting shadow patterns on the sands below. Soft pastel, I feel, is a great medium to capture the beauty of these waves on paper.

If you have been regularly watching my blog and INSTAGRAM feed, you will know that for most of my pastel paintings, my preferred choice of paper is undoubtedly “Canson Mi Teintes” which is available in many different shades. I settled for this paper for the following reasons:

1. It is an acid free paper, guaranteeing longevity
2. Available easily on many online stores in India
3. It is available in 42 different shades which helps the artists in picking the right one depending on
    the subject.
4. This paper has a dual surface, a rough textured the and smooth textured. Both sides are usable.
5. As compared to many other papers, Canson Mi Teintes is very reasonably priced and for beginners
    it is an excellent choice.

A soft pastel painting of seawaves by Indian artist and blogger, Manju Panchal

Frothy Sea waves
A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper
Size: 5” X 7”

These days I am into both the “Water color” as well as the “Soft Pastel” medium. I enjoy working with both of them and am trying to keep a balance between the two. 

Do browse through my INSTAGRAM feed to see some of my latest works and thanks for visiting my blog.

Monday, 27 April 2020

One Morning at Bogmolo beach in Goa ( Chitrapat handmade paper )

“The day will be what you make it, so rise, like the sun, and burn.” W C Hannan

When I started with watercolors, a few years back, I decided to work with many different papers available in the market. ( Check out on my INSTAGRAM page for my works and reviews of different papers ). Over a period of time I realised that I enjoy working with only a few of them. Chitrapat handmade paper is one of my preferred choices for the following reasons:

1. It is very reasonably priced as compared to imported papers.
2. It has good water retention quality
3. It is an acid free paper so helps preserve the quality of artwork in future
4. Works good for wet on wet technique
5. Easily available online in many art stores across India

Watercolor painting by Indian artist Manju Panchal

“One Morning at Bogmolo Beach”
Watercolor painting on Chitrapat handmade 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. 

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

Friday, 28 February 2020

A water color painting on Chitrapat paper

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. R. W. Emerson"

I purchased Van Gogh watercolor set from Amazon.in some time back and decided to use it on Chitrapat handmade paper. The subject I chose is a simple seascape with "Boats in the distance" and a bright sky. I normally use the wet on wet technique to create the sky but for this painting I decided to use the simple wet on dry wash technique. The colors I used for the sky are Azo yellow medium, permanent red light and Ultramarine blue deep.

In conclusion, I personally feel that Van Gogh watercolor set is small, easily portable, has all the essential colors required for a basic watercolor painting and is very economical too. It also comes with a great brush and has a removable six well palette too.  The painting as created below has come out looking more brighter as compared to the ones in which I use Camlin Artists watercolor tubes. I would definitely recommend this set to all watercolor enthusiasts.

A water color painting on Chitrapat handmade paper by Indian artist Manju Panchal

Boats in the distance
Water color painting on Chitrapat handmade paper
Size 5" X 7"

This is my first post of 2020. I do have plans to be more regular, so that I can share in details about the materials I use and the techniques I use in my painting, however a lot of my time goes in painting and other related activities which leaves me with little time to be on the computer. But I am taking out time to post a lot of my works on my Instagram page. Do browse through them and if my works inspire you, please share with others.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Sunday, 3 November 2019

Sailed out - A water color painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

"Watercolor with all its subtle color and value gradations and its many welcome surprises, is the perfect medium for capturing mood.” Ray Hendershot

 The watercolor painting that I am posting today has been inspired by a photograph taken by my husband while he was at "The Bund", in Shanghai. There were a few more shipping vessels in the vicinity but I decided to keep just one in order to get a better composition.

It’s a morning scene, with a little warmth in the sky and a few clouds scattered across. A small cargo vessel is headed towards its next destination. This painting to me is the story of this shipping vessel and it’s journey ahead. 

A water color painting on Chitrapat paper by Manju Panchal

“Sailed Out”
A water colour painting on Chitrapat handmade paper 
Size 7” X 10”

For the above artwork I have used Chitrapat paper and Camlin Artists watercolor tubes
Thank you for browsing through my artworks and if you wish to see my latest works and techniques you can follow me on my INSTAGRAM page.

Sunday, 20 October 2019

About Fabriano Aquarello water color paper

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art.” Leonardo Da Vinci

I have not posted anything in my blog for a long time now. However I have been painting and uploading my works regularly on my INSTAGRAM page, which takes a little less time and is fairly simple. Moreover it also helps me keep a record of my paintings, papers and paints I use etc.

Today’s post is a Still life painting of “A slice of Apple” on Fabriano Aquarello 200 gsm paper. I placed this cut apple near my kitchen window in the direction of sunlight, to get the desired composition.

I have been using Fabriano Aquarello 200 gsm paper for a quite some time now. I find this paper very good for the following reasons:
  • It is acid free
  • The colors stay bright on the surface
  • It is made of 25% cotton, is a student grade paper but a high quality paper to begin with.
  • Very economical compared to many other similar papers.

 This is my personal evaluation and from artist to artist the opinion always differs. I purchased my Fabriano Aquarello pad from Amazon.in , however there are many different online art stationery stores which sell this paper today and it can be 

Still life, water color painting of a slice of apple by Indian artist Manju Panchal

A Slice of Apple
A water colour painting on Fabriano Aquarello 200gsm paper
Size 5” X 7”

The paints used for the above still life painting are Winsor And Newton Cotman tubes and find them really good for the price that I have paid for it. I purchased individual tubes of those colors which I use predominantly in most of my paintings. 

Thank you for browsing through my artworks and do go through my INSTAGRAM feed to view some of my latest works and techniques.

Sunday, 7 July 2019

Watercolor Still Life painting of "A Slice of Apple"

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

The above quote is so very motivating. Anyone who is passionate about painting will connect with it immediately. I try to paint a little every day and it drives up my spirit instantly. I always look forward to painting a new subject everyday, be it still life or landscape.

Today's post is a still life painting of "A Slice of Apple", which when placed near my kitchen window in the direction of the sunlight, cast beautiful long shadow across the table. I wanted to capture this moment using watercolor medium. I created this artwork on Arches cold pressed paper,
which is a great acid free, high quality paper and I plan to use it a lot in the future.

Still life, water color painting of a slice of apple on Arches Cold pressed paper, By Manju Panchal

The Light and Shadow
Water color painting on Arches Cold Pressed paper 300 gsm
Size 4" X 5.5"

I love working with still life objects as it gives me the freedom to experiment and explore. It provides me with unparalleled learning opportunities be it design and composition, mixing colors or understanding more about depth and perception. When I get saturated with my "Landscape" and other works, I take a break to do a still life painting and it immediately refreshes me.

Thanks for browsing through my artworks. To see all my artworks, visit my INSTAGRAM profile.

Monday, 1 July 2019

Dramatic sky at the beach - A water color painting

"Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirits fly.” Van Morrison

There are days when you get to witness the dramatic sky at the seashore. The diffused sunlight through the clouds, reflecting on the waters below made for a good composition. Inspired by this scene ( Photo reference: minera13/Pixabay ) I created this watercolor painting on Fabriano Acquarello watercolor paper.

I got more involved with watercolor quite recently and before getting into this medium, I went on to purchase many different brands of watercolor papers. Fabriano Acquarello happens to be one of them. So in the past few months I have tried all the papers at hand, and got to know so much about each one of them. ( Check My INSTAGRAM account  ). Now that I have resumed my blogging I will try and post a little about each one of them.

Fabriano Aquarello ( 200 gsm ) is a student grade watercolor paper, however in this category I find it pretty good to use. It is a professional grade, acid free paper and economical too.

A water colorA water color painting of a dramatic sky at the beach on Fabriano paper, By Indian artist Manju Panchal

Dramatic sky at the beach
A watercolor painting on Fabriano Aquarello paper
Size 5” X 7”

In the above painting, I used both Camlin and Winsor and Newton cotman tubes. My palette consisted of very few colors and I like it that way. It helps in simplifying my painting procedure. I enjoyed working on the sky. 

As I already mentioned, I am presently totally involved in watercolor medium but soon plan to get back to my charcoals and pastels.

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

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

A watercolor painting on Chitrapat handmade paper

“Our deep respect for the land and it’s harvest is the legacy of generation of farmers who put food on our tables, preserved our landscape and inspired us with a powerful work ethic.” James H Douglas Jr

Today’s post is a water colour painting of a morning scene at Charkhi Dadri, a small town 120 kms away from Delhi. These farms belong to our family friend and I am grateful to him for sending this reference photograph, which inspired me to create the painting as seen below.

This painting is a gratitude to all the farmers in the world who are involved in this noble profession. We get food on our tables, because someone, somewhere is working in the fields to produce it. I have once again used Chitrapat handmade paper for this painting.

water color painting on chitrapat handmade paper, by Indian artist Manju Panchal

Field of Crops
A water colour painting on Chitrapat handmade paper
Size 6” X 8.5”

The sky in this painting has a mix of warm and cool colours and I used wet on wet wash technique to complete the sky. I have used Camlin Artists watercolor tubes

Thank you for browsing through my artworks. To view my works in other mediums as well you can visit my INSTAGRAM profile.