1st sketch of 2015

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A new year, a new day and start of a new sketchbook as well. Though the day began with rain even before the dawn, the day turned from gloomy to beautiful sunny by afternoon with a very nice weather. It was good to go out to the Musical Fountain Park again to sketch as well as meet and greet many people. I hope you have also started your new year with some beautiful colors. Happy New Year, 2015 to everybody!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 7 1/2" H x 5 1/2" W
Time: 60 min.
Source: live

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Here are couple of pictures at the Musical Fountain Park, Bangalore from the 1st of January, 2015. A beautiful sunny evening to end the day with.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2015. All rights reserved.

Skyscape sketching

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After last couple of days of gloomy atmosphere, The beautiful sky and the sunny weather of Bangalore today has inspired me to do this quick sketch. The sky was beautiful, clear blue and big clouds hanging around. Added the imaginative landscape to complete the picture!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W
Time: 30 min.
Source: live & imagination

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved

Sketching at Venkatappa Gallery and Government Museum

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It's a gloomy and cold day today here in Bangalore. The Sun is hardly showing its face. Went to Venkatappa Gallery and Government Museum to sketch with few others and did this sketch early in the morning. It was great to meet many sketching people there on the last Sunday of this year!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 60 min.
Source: Live

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My second sketch from today at Venkatappa Gallery and Government Museum, Bangalore. It has a nice lotus pond with a bridge across it.

 

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 8" W
Time: 60 min.
Source: Live

 

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved

Sketching at Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park

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Today's sketching effort at Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park, Bangalore. Doing that quick and small tonal value sketch before starting the colored one was more than valuable.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 90 min.
Source: Live

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The 2nd sketch of the day at Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park, Bangalore. Done very quickly just to capture some tonal values and aerial perspective in the late afternoon sun.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 30 min.
Source: Live

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

 

Today's sketch

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Today's quick sketch at Claytopia cafe, Koramangala, Bangalore. Looking for big shapes, using loose brush strokes and complimentary colors, building tonal values as well as edge variations.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" w
Time: 20 min.
Source: live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Plein air sketching at NGMA, Bangalore.

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My plein air sketching effort at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore this Sunday. It was good to go out, sketch and paint.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 90 min.
Source: live

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Few more sketches from same day that I did at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore. I always find it handy to carry more than one sketchbook while sketching on location. While a wash or layer may be in the process of drying [sometime it may take forever] it's good to utilize the time observing and doing quick sketches of other interesting elements and views around.

Medium: watercolor & graphite on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 13" W, 3 3/4" H x 6" W,
Source: live

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved

Areca nut and Betel leaves

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Areca nut and Betel leaves are used in northeast region of india in all sort of formal occasions and rituals, apart from chewing for their mild stimulant effect. Known as 'Tamul' [areca nut] and 'Paan' [betel leaf] in Assamese, not long ago, they were used to offer in pairs as a formal wedding invitation to guests [ along with verbally explaining the whole schedule of the event!] and other formal of occasions. The Areca nut tree may grow approx. 30 feet in height and the betel leaf plants are grown on the trunk of these trees. The husk of areca nut is green while it is fresh and the nut inside is soft, as it ripens the husk turns orange and the nut hardens like wood.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W
Source: live

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketching with Graphite.

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I think it will be a nice idea to share with you all one of the many graphite sketches that I keep doing constantly for studying composition, shapes, values, edges etc. This one was done way back in February this year.

Medium: Graphite on photocopy paper.
Size: A4
Source: Own photo reference

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Ordinary subjects, interesting shapes of different tonal values. Another quick studies to study composition.

Medium: Graphite on photocopy paper.
Size: A4
time: 20 min.

Source: live  

 

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketching at Kids' Carnival

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Yesterday I had the chance to attend a Kids' Carnival in the city organized by one of the internet service provider for their employees' kids. It's an annual day event and I accompanied Toon Master Dinesh who was invited to do live caricatures of the children! I took the opportunity to do few sketches as well in midst of loud music, running children and busy parents!

Medium: Ink and watercolor wash on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 60 min.
Source: live.

 

 

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The 2nd sketched that I did at the kid's carnival on Saturday afternoon. It was great to see the exciting kids, their parents, balloons, the colorful environment all around!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 30 min.
Source: live.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Concrete Jungle

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Constructions everywhere, it's a concrete jungle. This is a very common site now in every small or big cities. Concrete structures are growing taller than the tress around.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2"
time: 90 min.
Source: Live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sky Studies in Watercolor

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Couple of quick sketches that I did earlier this year which I missed to share. One thing I like about Bangalore is it's beautiful clear sky almost all through the year.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 6 1/2" H x 10" W.
Time: 20 min approx for each.
Source: live.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Importance of Observation Skills for Artists

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For artists improving observation skill is as much important as the painting process itself. Looking for interesting view is also a part of art. They are everywhere, needs to keep our eyes open. Missing any one means missing an opportunity. This was sketched from my recent trip to Guwahati at my brother's place while seating at the balcony.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W
Time: 45 min.
Source: Live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketching on a Long Distance Train

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Few of my recent sketches done on board while traveling by a long distance train. Traveling by train in India is a unique experience, specially if it's a long distance route passing through different states with their own uniqueness and to be able to see the beautiful rural landscape and their settings. Every states has their unique lifestyle with different vegetation, houses, people, landscapes. You wake up every morning to see something different and interesting. My decision to travel recently by train after many years turned up to be a nice one as I was excited to see the beautiful landscapes every single day.

Medium: ink on recycled paper journal
Size: 4" H x 6" W
Time: very quick ones
Source: live

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Gratitude

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At times we often ignore the simplest of things in life. Grateful to be blessed for everything.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W.
Time: 45 min.
Source: live.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Banana Flower or Banana Heart

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Banana flower is a large, red-purplish blossom that is at the end of a stem growing out of the banana tree. When the protective covers are peeled off it, the small bunches of flowers are revealed which grow into bananas. This flower is eaten with meal in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. The slight bitternes of its taste may vary between different varieties. Btw, it's also known as 'banana heart'!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W.
Time: 120 min.
Source: live.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Some Inspiration to Sketch

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Some sun, some shade and every thing looks interesting and inspiring to sketch, draw, paint. One requires to develop the observation skill for it. What is your inspiration story!?

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W
Time: 120 min.
Source: live.

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Greater Adjutant Stork

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Sketch of a Greater Adjutant Stork. Saw this big bird at the Guwahati zoo. It has a white collar ruff at the base of its bare neck and a pendent like inflatable air pouch which connects to the air passage. The life span of this bird is 35 years.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W
Time: 60 min.
Source: from own reference picture.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketching by Brahamaputra river at Guwahati

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Went again today to the jetty by the river Brahmaputra in Guwahati and glad to do couple of plein air sketches, specially this beautiful view towards west. On farthest distance is the glimpse of the Saraighat bridge which connects both north and south banks of the grand Brahmaputra river. This is the first bridge constructed over river Brahmaputra which was opened in 1962 and has a motor road on top and railroad underneath. The closest hill on left is the Nilachal hill and on top of it is situated the famous Kamakhya Temple, towards the west of Guawahati. As winter is approaching, the water level of the river has gone down revealing the beautiful sand. It's pleasing to sit down by the river, feeling the fresh wind and looking at the busy boats crossing every now and then.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W.
Time: 60 min.
Source: live.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Gheela Peetha and a cup of Tea

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Being a rice growing region, a lot of the local and traditional snacks, cereal and sweets are made using rice as it's main ingredient in Assam. Peetha is one of the most popular snacks/sweet and it is made in various shapes and sizes during the festive time of Bihu. The one in this sketch along with the cup of tea is called Gheela Peetha and is made from a mixture of rice, jaggery and condiments and deep fried. Interestingly many things which are kind of a disc shape but solid and smaller in size may be referred as 'gheela' in Assamese language. In fact, the knee cap is also referred as 'gheela' in this language! Btw, this one is sketched after a piece is bitten off :).

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6 1/2" W.
Time: 60 min. Approx.
Source: from own reference picture.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketchin at Deeghali Pukhuri, Guwahati

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I don't know what this old structure is but this is a beautifully decayed one situated just off the water level on the north side bank of 'Deeghali Pukhuri' in the heart of Guwahati. In Assamese language 'Deeghali' means long and 'Pukhuri' means pond. This is a naturally developed pond from a discarded portion of the river Brahmaputra, it's very long and hence the name!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook. (Touches of opaque white for the cranes)
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 100 min. Approx.
Source: live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.