Tree trunk in shadow - A soft pastel painting

"Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven." Rabindranath Tagore

Beautifully written quote by Rabindranath Tagore. Trees are such an essential part of beautiful nature that surrounds us. I have been doing a series on "Trees" using different mediums and my love for this subject continues to grow. 

This particular tree on the banks of river Kaveri, was in the shadows and the sunlight perforated through the foliage to light up the raised areas of the exposed roots. The light and contrast in the scene appealed a lot to me and I selected this scene for my soft pastel work. While in Dubare forest area last March we got the opportunity to photograph many such strongly rooted beautiful trees and I will be painting many of them soon.

Tree trunk in shadow

A soft pastel painting on Canson Mi Teintes paper

Size 6.5"X 8"

I started this work on a black coloured Canson Mi Teintes paper which was taped on to a hard board for support and then I placed this board on the on the Easel. Having purchased a table top Easel is a great advantage and I am putting it to use for most of my art works. It is very convenient to work with the easel as I can look at eye level and sketch. Once placed on the easel I begin with the first step which involves creating the basic outline of the tree trunk and the exposed roots. At this stage I put in efforts to check on the design and composition.

Step 1

Creating an outline

keeping in mind the design and composition

Next came the "BLOCK IN" stage wherein I carefully selected the colours keeping in mind the values and I filled in the masses. I keep the detailing for the final stage.

Step 2

Blocking in the colours

paying attention to the values

In the final step I add the details and the darker values to create the depth. I also add a few pastel marks in earthen shades on the trunk to suggest barks and other growth on trees.

I got into drawing and sketching trees somewhere in 2014 when I was making a transition from "Still Lives" to "Landscapes". That is the time when I felt the need to understand the anatomy of the tree in order to paint it well. From then on I have created a series on "Trees" and continue painting and sketching them.

This weekend I had a great workshop in soft pastel medium with three participants who were very passionate about art. They learnt the basic techniques involved in creating a soft pastel painting and then went on to create a soft pastel painting of "Santorini, Greece" and "Maya Bay". I shall be posting the images of their works soon in my art workshop page.

Thanks for browsing through my works and please do leave your comments.

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.

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.

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

Willow charcoal drawing - A scene from End point, Manipal

Of late I have been doing a lot of charcoal drawings and sketchings in an attempt to explore the possibilities of using "Willow charcoal" along with my other commonly used tools. Willow charcoal on its own is definitely great for preliminary studies as it helps in blocking in of bigger shapes. However when used along with charcoal powder and pencils the effect can be totally different. As an artist I will have to consider if it goes well with my kind of techniques and art work.

I am using Scholar drawing paper for my present charcoal works but this was the last of the pieces with me.( I used it earlier for charcoal portrait works). Since I am loving it I may go ahead and purchase my new stock soon. The scene that I have referred to for my presend charcoal sketching is from End Point, Manipal ( Karnataka ).

I have used willow charcoal, charcoal powder, Camlin charcoal pencil, Conte charcoal pencil, General charcoal pencil, blending tools and the kneaded eraser to complete this work. For my next work I am contemplating using Canson c a grain paper and all my above mentioned tools except the willow charcoal. That will help me analyse and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using willow charcoal in the final work.

Charcoal sketching on Scholar drawing paper

Size 5"X 7"

The willow charcoal that I am

presently using ( Chinese brand )

Charcoal powder

( Available in any stationery shop )

Posting an image of the General charcoal powder

Which I plan to use in future.

As an artist I love to paint and sketch. Blogging is equally important to me. However to find time and to manage both becomes a difficult task. Therefore I have decided as of now to write posts at regular intervals if time. My works can also be seen at my Deviantart Gallery. I also have a FACEBOOK page for my artworks and if you like my works please share.

An interesting quote

"I don't say everything, but I paint everything." Pablo Picasso

Working with willow charcoal, charcoal powder and charcoal pencils

The charcoal scene as below is a scene from End Point, Manipal ( Karnataka ). I started this charcoal sketching with the intention of getting the dense forest effect using willow charcoal in combination with the charcoal powder ( Not a branded one. Easily available in art stationery stores ). 

This sketching went through stages of correction or rather I worked a lot more on it to experiment with different techniques so as to arrive at the end result that I wanted. To a certain extent I was successful. However a lot more can be done using the pencils, willow charcoal and the powder. The charcoal sketching helps me in the tonal value study and someday I may recreate the same scene using the soft pastel medium.

At Endpoint, Manipal

Charcoal sketching on Scholar drawing paper

Size 5" X 7"

A painting is like a visual poetry. When I create a painting or a sketching, it is my interpretation of the scene. I paint what I see and observe. For me it is more than just drawing and sketching. It is my visual perception that I give shape to. For every painting that I create, I have a story behind its creation. My passion drives me to paint and sketch on a daily basis and I am grateful for having started this blog in January 2014. Having a blog and the thought of blogging keeps me focused towards my art and it inspires me to work with more dedication. 

Ending with one of my favorite quotes,

"If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint." Edward Hopper

A Charcoal sketching of an early morning view at End Point, Manipal

I just completed a Charcoal sketching with reference to a view from "End Point, Manipal"(Karnataka ). During one of my morning walks that I came across this scene and it appealed to me a lot. The distant land slowly faded away and merged with the Arabian sea. The wild growth in the proximity and the intertwining blades of grasses and branches all around made the foreground very dramatic and in all I loved the composition.

For this particular sketching I made use of willow charcoal to lay down the initial leaves as seen on the left. Later I added the details and the variation of values using my different charcoal pencils. For the background I have used my charcoal smudging tools. Since the view is taken from a cliff, the land at the distance is pretty much hazy, so I did not have to add any details to it.

A morning at End Point, Manipal

Charcoal sketching on Scholar drawing paper

Size 5" X 7"

I have started integrating the willow charcoal in my charcoal works quite recently and feel that I am still on an experimental level. Every time I create a small work I get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each tool. As I work more and more, my technique will slowly evolve. I have started two more small works in the same medium to get a better understanding of this beautiful versatile medium.

When I have time on my hands I devote a little of it to browsing through some beautiful photgraphs of nature. I recently came across some stunning photographs taken by Kalyan Verma who is a wildlife photgrapher, a naturalist and explorer dedicated to documenting wildlife and enviornmental issues that define our time. 

Ending the post with a very meaningful quote

"A good artist has less time than ideas." Martin Kippenberger

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. 

Tonal value sketch of a scene from Coorg

A study work

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

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.

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

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.

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 recently. From 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.

Completed another soft pastel painting of a Landscape as seen in Coorg

Finally completed this Coorg Landscape painting, which was incomplete since last month. ie I had just blocked in the major values and sprayed it with a fixative ( Winsor and newton ). Later because of my busy schedule of last exhibition I could not pay much attention to it.

It took me a little longer than usual to complete this work as I feel that when a painting is done in one go then it gets done faster( As you are totally immersed in the study of the work and are mentally prepared with all the ideas of the techniques etc ) . But if there is a break, then somewhere the rhythm, the momentum is lost and then I have to restart with a lot of self motivation.

This particular scene as in Coorg ( Karnataka ) appealed to me a lot and I wanted to take care to put in my best. I paid attention to aerial perspective or rather I call it " Colour perspective" where in things far away or in the background have hints of blue and violet in it. Every landscape that I choose is a much thought over deliberate decision because it has something new and different, and when I try doing it I know for sure that I will learn a few important lessons.

Walk in the woods

Soft pastel painting on Fabriano Tiziano paper

Size 11" x 15"

I have used couple of Camel soft pastel chalks on this art work. I found them pretty good. They are soft and quite like MUNGYO in many ways.

Next I am working on a Langkawi- rocks and reflection, painting which should be completing soon.

If you have any queries with respect to PURCHASING my available paintings you can write to me at manjupanchal@hotmail.com or call me at 0091-22-9820683983 ( Mumbai, India )

My paintings can also be viewed on my facebook page

www.facebook.com/charcoalspastelsandmore

For most of my soft pastel paintings I normally use a fixative and after having used several brands my personal favourite is Winsor and Newton. I have never had any issue handling it and it falls sprays very uniformly on the paper without breaking into droplets.