Figurative watercolour painting

"You were born an original work of art. Stay original." Suzy Kassem

Today I am posting small water colour painting of a pretty young girl from Rajasthan. She sits, dressed up in her colourful attire, waiting probably for her friend to arrive so they can engage in some playful activity.

I started this painting quite some time back and it was a little incomplete. So I took out some time yesterday and did the needful. I have mostly used Winsor and Newton Cotman colours for this artwork. Portrait work as a subject, be it any medium, is very challenging. However I enjoy creating them. I plan to do many more and in the same series.

Waiting for a friend

Water colour painting on acid free paper

Size 5" X 7"

It feels good to be doing portrait works once again. I have reorganised my "Charcoal drawing tools" in a new box as I plan to initially create a few charcoal portraits on toned paper before getting into water colour portraits. Charcoal being a dry medium is more easy to handle as compared to water colours. Moreover it has been long since I last did a complete water colour portrait.  

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Two Women - Charcoal figurative work

"The vision must be sharper than the pencil". Bob Brendle

Inspired by the Indian tradition and culture, I had started a series on "Portraits and figurative works" in 2004. Back then I was a lot into charcoal medium. I have restarted my portrait works and am also working on some of my past incomplete works.

The Charcoal drawing "Two women" has been inspired by the beautiful women of Rajasthan. The painting is an attempt to portray their unparalleled grace and beauty.

The two women, draped in long veils, who stand together, in silence, dressed in their traditional attire, looking on at the distance. 

Two Women

Charcoal drawing on acid free paper

Size 11" X 15"

There are more charcoal drawings such as these and I am enjoying once again, bringing them back to life. Portrait and figurative works are more challenging than doing landscapes. However I love both these subjects and will continue painting both of them.

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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.

Mona Lisa in charcoal - a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci

As we move on in life, we get inspired and motivated by lot of people. Leonardo da Vinci, ( 1452 - 1519 ) is one such artist from the past who not only painted but was also one of the greatest anatomists of his time. He made discoveries in the 16th century that would take the rest of the world 5 centuries to discover. 

I recently came across an article written by Clayton Cogmon Jr and got to see some beautiful drawings and sketches done by Leonardo da Vinci. Mona Lisa is one of his best works till today and I remembered having done it many years back when I was learning the charcoal medium. 
Back then I used charcoal powder, Ambassador charcoal pencil and blending tools on Scholar drawing paper. Ambassador pencil is no more available these days and I have shifted to Conte and Primo pencils.

Copy of Mona Lisa

Charcoal painting on Scholar drawing paper

Now when I look at the Mona Lisa created by me in the past, I realise that I need to work a little on the face. However to have attempted a detailed work like this years back in order to get an understanding of using the charcoal medium reminds me of the patience and determination

with which I pursued my art and this encourages me further to continue my passion

of drawing, sketching and painting.

Thanks for visiting my blog and you can browse through my latest artworks in other mediums on Instagram page.