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.

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.

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.

sketch of a sunny afternoon

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Sketched this after a gap of almost three weeks. Felt rustic but still nice. The weather is nice now in this north eastern part of the country. After few days of continuous rain it's sunny and a bit warm now but soon the temperature will go down. Welcome winter.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 6" W
Time: 60 min. Approx.
Source: live

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Charcoal sketches [soft charcoal]

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After almost a gap of 2 years, I did these few sketches in soft charcoal and it is absolutely fun. Though I used simple photocopy papers, this fluid medium works amazingly even on these cheaper papers which hardly has any teeth to absorb the charcoals. I loved how easy and versatile this medium is to play with soft and hard edges just by smudging with hands or paper tissues or by adding stokes. Also lifting lighter areas including highlights and adding dark patches is quite easy. It's called a medium between drawing and painting as it is very fluid like paint but the application is like drawing. I am going to give it some serious try on proper surface. Till then, enjoy these small sketches.

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Just to add, since it has been raining a little bit here in Bangalore these last few days after a long and dry spell for months, the sky has suddenly become beautiful with fluffy clouds of different shapes, sizes and values making it one of the pleasing elements to observe now. And I think charcoal is one of the most convenient medium to explore and study and capture this element!

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The 3rd one from the exploration with soft charcoal. I was trying to capture mood and atmosphere with light and this dry but fluid medium is excellent to play around as it can be smudged, edges can be softened or defined and tonal values can be lifted or added at will!


mediums: Soft charcoal on bond paper.
size: A4
Source: Imaginations

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.
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Sunshine

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Title: Sunshine

Medium: Watercolor on handmade paper
Size: 8 1/2" H x 12" W

Status: Available
Price: Kindly send leave a comment here or mail at

dhrubafinearts[at]gmail.[dot]com

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved
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Watercolor Workshop Demo at Chennai, 26th-27th April, 2014

My demo on Techniques of Watercolor at the recent 2 days Watercolor Workshop in Chennai on 26th - 27th April, 2014. 

We practiced from simple washes to building tonal values with transparent watercolor layers, differences of using various pigments, usages of warm and cool colors within a composition, some brushstrokes and fun tricks too. 

Thank you everyone for your participation and I am pleased to see your passion for this beautiful medium! Looking forward to meet you all again!!!

Medium: watercolor on 300 gsm Fabriano paper [cold pressed]
Size: 10 1/4" H x 14" W

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.
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Quick and Small sketches

Quick and Small sketches in watercolor on handmade paper.

Just to let you know, I'll be teaching in a workshop on watercolor techniques on 26th-27th April, 2014 in Chennai. Come and join me to learn these techniques of painting in watercolor and lift your artworks to a higher level with confidence. Only few seats available!

For more details visit the blog post here:
HERE

You can also leave a comment below or write to me at:

dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]com

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Sketching around City Central Library, Cubbon Park, Bangalore

Did this sketch of City Central Library situated at Cubbon Park, Bangalore, yesterday morning. It was a warm day but still feels good to go out and sketch on location..

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 5 " H x 6 1/2" W
time: 45 min. approx.
source: live

 A picture from yesterday's on location sketch at City Central Library situated at Cubbon Park, Balgalore.

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 Here is the 2nd sketch from yesterday at Cubbon park, Bangalore. it was a very warm day and people were gathering for a cool drink at this vendor.

medium: waterproof ink and watercolor on sketchbook
size: 5" H x 6 1/2" W
time: 40 min approx.
source: live

And above is the on location picture from yesterday's 2nd sketch at Cubbon Park, Bangalore. a cool refreshment for all in a warm sunny day!

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved.
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As the colors flow

a quick water color study today. wanted to pain as loose as possible with more suggestive brush marks than defined elements.

medium: watercolor on canson paper
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: 30 min approx.

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 © dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved

Another source of inspiration

a sneak peak about my source of inspirations for these kind of quick sketches. there is always something interesting around you to capture in the paper. for me, it's the play of light and dark abstract shapes that catch my attention at any place and time that inspires me most, a thing i can't ignore ! it's a good idea to give another closer look at these shapes trying to observe them in abstract manner and not as simple subjects what we are logically aware of. and if you still find them interesting it's the right time to do that quick sketch!!

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 © dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved

Late afternoon mood

I love observing the sky and how much mood it can create in an artwork, love the various colors its reflects back and specially in the evening when the sun is going to set. in this view, I was interested how portion of the evening sky was similar in color as the structure itself.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 8" x 5 3/4"
time: 60 min approx
source: live

Thanks for viewing!!

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 © dhruba mazumder, 2013. all rights reserved 

From the roof

 

this view is on my roof. it got my attention because of how different kind of shapes, lines and angles are created by these two structures and the lovely foreground shadow created by the water tank. and its a pleasure to sit on the roof underneath this shadow in the late afternoon with cool breeze blowing.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 5 3/4" x 8"
time: 75 Min approx.
source: live  

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 © dhruba mazumder, 2013. all rights reserved

fun with colors! experimenting with new mediums on my left over pages of last year's sketchbook and it seems fun so far. these are camel transparent photo colors and very very intense. first i splashed some colors on a randomly wet page and let it dry. once dried, i sketched this view with pental brush pen from live. than i added few more colors on specific areas, like the foliage and roof to define them more.

medium: pental brush pen and transparent photo color wash
size: 7" x 10"
time: may be 1 1/2hrs for the whole sketch in 3 different installment :)
source: live.

 

in this picture u can see the splashes. in the middle section or page, i have already sketched the structure and the trees on top of the base splash which started the similar way with random splashes as the right side page. unfortunately i lost the 1st stage picture from my comp. in the left picture i added few more colors and enhanced the tonal values to define some element like the roofs, some walls and the foliage.

 

 

this was sketched just in front of my house. i wanted to sketch this almost at the end of the day just before the sun goes down as at those moments light is always very nice and glowing and the shadow is really interesting too. so i did the line work initially and observed for few days at what time i should start the sketch and reach that special time of the day when i can capture the shadows. at this hour of the day, sun moves very quickly and shadow fades away in minutes. i am glad finally i could capture this working in couple days with breaks, a nice experience!!

medium: waterproof gel ink on sketchbook
size: 8" x 5 3/4"
time: 60 min approx total
source: live

this is showing the initial line work and the loose watercolor wash on top it. 

this is sketched on a late afternoon in front of my home. i am always fascinated by the glowing late afternoon light and the long shadows it casts when the sun is going down at the end of the day. had to work very quickly also as the sun moves so quickly.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 5 3/4" x 8"
time: 45 min approx
source: live

for the last couple of days, i had a good experience of trying to track and following a parcel  sent to me by cipa from romania and i was going from one postal office to another postal office to find its where about. finally i went to the foreign parcel office at Museum Road, Bangalore. it has a very old building along with its new customer care section building. this structure is very old [no idea yet about the year of construction though] and it is very beautiful with its walls and specially the tiled roofs. i had to wait there during the lunch hour and i did this sketch during that time. i was very happy to utilize the time in a nice and pleasant way sketching peacefully under a tree :)!

medium: pental brush pen on sketchbook
size: 5 3/4" x 8"
time: 40 min approx, added few washes later on
source: live

i had been working on a watercolor commission project for almost 1 1/2 half month since the 4th week of november '12 and on the 7th of jan '13, when the final delivery was over, i really needed a break to do some on location sketches. so i went towards cubon park and did couple of sketches which was very refreshing.

the first sketch i the statue of Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar Bahadur, Maharaja of Mysore 1881 - 1894 at cubbon park, bangalore. sketched on 7th Jan '13 afternoon. i was thinking of sketching this for quite some time now and i am glad i did it!!
 
 medium: water color on sketchbook
size: 5 3/4" x 8"
time: 60 min
source: live

 
then i moved further and did the 2nd sketch of the day, the state central library @ cubbon park, bangalore. the sun was going down for the day and i am glad i could manage is just in time. the afternoon ended with a satisfied note!!

medium: water color on sketchbook
size: 8" x 5 3/4"
time: 60 min
source: live

i also started the new sketchbook gifted to me by urban sketcher and watercolor artist from Singapore, Madhu Kumar and this sketchbook works fairly well with wet mediums.

the new year 2013 started with a nice skethwalk in the afternoon starting from Brigade road-M.G. Road juncture ending at Government Museum at Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Bangalore. Madhu Kumar from Singapore visited the city and wanted to sketch together for a day and it was pleasure to meet such nice person and prolific Urban Sketcher and watercolor artist who currently stays and works in Singapore and a native of Mysore. i had to wait for him for about 40 minutes as i reached a little earlier and thought of sketching the metro station at the mg road. i added the colors later on at home.

medium: waterproof gel ink with water color on Aowen sketchbook
size: 10 1/4" x 8 1/4"
time: 30 approx. min for ink & 45 min approx. for watercolor.

then we walked further towards Cubon park and stopped in front of Bible Society. we both sketched the Oriental building at M.G. Road. which houses an office of Life Insurance Corporation of India. my 2nd sketch of the afternoon sketch walk of 01-01-2013. we were joined by another fellow sketcher from bangalore, Adithya BN.
 
 medium: watercolor in 300 gsm, cold press brustro paper
size: 9" x 6 1/4"
time: 60 mins approx
source: live

then me and madhu moved towards the Government Museum at Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Bangalore. my 3rd sketch of the day on 1st of jan '13 afternoon sketchwalk.

medium: waterproof ink and watercolor wash on 270 gsm matte textured watercolor pad.
size: 9 3/4" x 7"
time: 45 approx. [added the texts back at home later on :)]

source: live

we ended our sketch walk at the government museum as it got dark and it was a nice experience to sketch along with madhu and adithya on a pleasant afternoon of 1st january '13. we also discussed about various art materials and art. madhu gifted me a nice sketchbook and couple of brush pens too! i hope too see and sketch along with him again in future!! 

wish u everybody a very very happy new year 2013!! hope the coming year brings u good health, prosperity, success, love and most importantly, lots of peace and joy!! do lots of artworks and share the joy :)!!!

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2013!!!