Showing posts with label eyes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eyes. Show all posts

Monday, 24 October 2016

Mother Teresa - A portrait study work on toned paper

Quotes by Mother Teresa

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." 

" I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."

Mother Teresa ( 1910 - 1997 ) was a Roman Catholic nun, who devoted her life to serving the poor and destitute around the world. She spent many years in Calcutta, India where she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation devoted to helping those in great need. in 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace prize and has become a symbol of charitable selfless work.

Given below is a Portrait study work of "Mother Teresa" which I created using white pastel pencils and a charcoal pencil on a simple gray toned handmade paper ( It has cost just about Rs 30 for a full sheet ). In February I created a portrait study work of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on black Strathmore paper. Working on coloured paper has its own challenges and I am slowly getting used to it.

 Mother Teresa, portrait study on toned paper using charcoal and white pastel pencil. By Manju Panchal

Mother Teresa
Charcoal and white pastel pencil on gray toned handmade paper
Size 6" X 8"

I recently purchased a "Table top Easel" which is working real good for me. Now I can sketch at eye level which is very convenient and does not strain my neck. I will be posting about it soon.

Thank you all for visiting my blog and do watch my artworks in INSTAGRAM too.

Friday, 26 August 2016

Charcoal and white pastel pencil sketching of an old man

Portrait sketching


I am slowly getting back to my "Portrait sketching" moments. In my initial years I only worked with charcoal on white paper. Then began all the exploring and experimenting and somewhere on the way I realised that it is very exciting and challenging to create portraits on toned paper. I have tried working on black paper, beige paper and my all time favorite grey paper.

The portrait as below is of an old man, eyes dim with soft stillness, in his quiet moments, immersed deeply in fragrant memories. Starting on a blank piece of paper, I create, step by step, the turban, the wrinkles, the hair, and then working on the eyes that begin to glare at you softly. A story starts developing in the mind, about the person that is coming live on the paper. It is a beautiful feeling from start to end, a journey of creation. 

I enjoy creating landscapes. I love doing portraits. Any subject that is beautiful to the eye inspires me.
Every night I sleep with endless plans in mind, waiting for the next day to arrive so that I can restart fresh on a new project  which starts as an "IDEA" in the mind. Painting and sketching is like giving shape and form to my ideas.

Charcoal and white pastel pencil portrait sketching of an old man by Manju Panchal

In quiet moments
Charcoal and white pastel sketching on hand made paper
Size 6"X 7.5"

To view my earlier portrait works CLICK HERE. 

Ending today's post with yet another beautiful inspiring quote. It is so important for all of us to believe in what we are doing. Believing makes it happen.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." Theodore Roosevelt