Plants & Pots in watercolor - II

Kindly click on the image for a bigger view

Title: We Are Glowing

Medium: watercolor on Fabriano 300 gsm cold pressed watercolor paper.
Size: 19 3/4" H x 6 1/2" W
 
Status: Available for sale.

Price: Kindly leave a comment here or 

send me a message at my facebook page here:

www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfinearts


Alternatively you can also mail me at: 

dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]com

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved

Plants & Pots in watercolor - I

Title: Few Leaves.
Medium: watercolor on Fabriano 300 gsm cold pressed watercolor paper.
Size: 19 3/4" H x 6 1/2" W

Status: Available for sale.

For more information regarding this, kindly leave a comment here, 

Or send a mail at:
dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]comvisit my facebook page at:


Or send me a message at my facebook page mentioned down below or
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfinearts

© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Long format sketching

Sketching on an unusual format, a plant from our neighbour across the street.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 13" H x 5" W
time: 45 min approx.
Source: live.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Season of water melons

 

I think this is the time of the year for watermelon as they are available everywhere. From roadside vendors, small carts, neighborhood shops to supermarkets, everybody is selling them. Considering the daytime warm temperature Bangalore is going through, this fruit is the right choice to have now. And of course for some painting too as they are great examples of complimentary colors !

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

When you have such an interesting element in front, you can not just have only one sketch! So, here's the 2nd one I did of this watermelon !

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

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Quick study sketches

A page of quick study sketches.

Left: Facial structure/forms with simple planes. Rough composition.
Middle: Quick tonal value placement.
Right: Color Study in Ink & Watercolor wash

Medium: Graphite, waterproof ink and watercolor on Photocopy paper.
source: From Own reference picture.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights resrved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Step by step lesson

Here are few steps about how the initial observation was done and carried over next stages to the final render of the flower plant sketch done in graphite from live. Your feedback is welcome.

If you are interested to learn more something similar like this, Kindly leave a comment below.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Small flower painting available for sale

It's time for those beautiful flowers all around! This small flower painting is available for personal collection or you can also give it as a gift to your dear ones. Feel free to leave a comment here or write a mail to know more about this !

Title: Purple and Blue
Medium: watercolor in 300 gsm archival paper
Size: 6 3/4" H x 4 1/2" W [painting area]

Status: Available for sale.

Kindly leave a comment here or mail at -

dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]com

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart.

Old wine in new bottle - an Ink & Wash sketch.

"Old wine in new bottle"! Same China Pink flower plant sketched for the third time now. This time in ink and watercolor wash. If you want to view the previous versions, kindly browse through my previous posts.
Thanks!

medium: waterproof gel pen with watercolor on sketchbook
size: 6 1/2" H x 5" W
time: approx. 60 min.
source: live

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Color temperature experimantaion

playing around with different color temperatures and color combinations, hence experimenting different moods with the same composition. so, which one do you prefer??!! let me know on the comment below! just cover one of them at a time and try to experience your feeling about it!

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 5" H x 6 1/2" W
time: approx 30 min each.
source: from own reference picture.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Retro Suv car doodles

more car doodles. I think this is kind of retro SUV !

medium: waterproof gel pen and felt tip sketch pens on photocopy paper notebook.
source: imagination

another fun doodling of a imaginary car......!!!

medium: waterproof gel pen with felt tip sketching pen on photocopy paper notebook
source: imagination

another one. this time a conceptual truck...

medium: graphite on photocopy paper notebook.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Sketching shapes of light and shadows

If there are interesting shapes of light and shadow, anything can become an inspiring element to work from. Also non conventional vantage point adds extra interest. Sketched this from our living room window around post lunch time when the Sun hits hard on the roof creating hard edged shadow.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 6 1/2" H x 5" W
time: 75 min approx.
source: live

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Chrysanthemum flower plant

Did another sketch of the chrysanthemum flower plant wifey got from Bangalore Flower show last month.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 6 1'2" H x 5" W
time: 90 min approx.
source: live

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

China Pink in watercolor & Graphite versions

Me and my wifey got this beauty Dianthus Chinensis, commonly called as China Pink yesterday and couldn't resist to sketch it when I saw this under early morning sun today. I loved the cluster of its flowers and the grass like shapes of the leaves, a challenge to capture. But every time we pick up a pencil to sketch or draw and a brush to paint, its a challenge to overcome. Every single time!!

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 6 1'2" H x 5" W
time: 90 min approx.
source: live

The graphite version of the flower pot sketch I posted earlier today. This is part of a simple step by step process I have decided to do of how simple way we can analyze and structure the underlying line drawing of a fairly complicated subject which I will post soon. so stay tuned !

medium: graphite on 75 gsm photocopy paper.

 
© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

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.

________________________________________________________________________________

 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.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Featured at www.neralu.in

a small feature of me at www.neralu.in  blog

 http://neralu.in/dhruba-mazumder/

the statue of Edward VII

In conjunction to the Bangalore Tree Festival happening on 8th and 9th february, 2014 in this city, Neralu Blog has posted a small writeup about me and my love for sketching/drawing trees from around this city and why they feature prominently in my paintings. You can read more about it in the link below.

thanks a lot Radha Rangarajan for the effort !

http://neralu.in/dhruba-mazumder/

© dhruba mazumder, 2014.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Chrysanthemum flower plant sketch

finally sketched the chrysanthemum flower plant my wife bought from the Bangalore flower show a couple of weeks back. thanks wifey for this sweet little thingy !!

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: approx. 60 min.
source: live

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Color swatehces - a study

Fellow watercolor artist Nirupam Konwar has recently posted this beautiful, moody and atmospheric image clicked early in the morning hours from his native in Assam and it immedietly caught my attention. It has limited but nice color range. I did a small exercise of picking up the existing colors into swatches, both warm and cool hues and also analyzed their postion in tonal value scale from light to dark. These kind of exersize can help to simplify and narrow down the color range to a limited palette creating harmonious color combinations. Also the grey values help to build the solid underlying structure bringing out the more saturated hues inside the picture. Hopefully I will post a quick sketch based on these studies soon.

Original picture courtesy Nirupam Konwar.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Commission portrait

recently did this commission work for Suvitha Ramaswamy, of her husband and their son which she gifted him as a surprise birthday present! thanks Suvitha for trusting me with this work!!

medium: watercolor on Fabriano, 300 gsm archival cold press paper.
size: 11 1/4" H x 8 1/2" w [A4]

© dhruba mazumder, 2014.
dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]com
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Comparision of sketches done over a period of time.

Do you keep your old, older and oldest sketches for comparison with your recent ones to see how much improvement you are doing over a period of time?! Do you ever take them out?!! Here are three sketches of mine done of the same subject over 3 years and their analysis.

#1 was sketched in early January '11 when for the first time I started going for plein air studies. It was very hard to handle overload of details. Tendency was to look at 'subjects' rather than interesting shapes. Focus went on everything including the distance vegetation. Struggled on the reflection and on the main foliage of the tree itself. Was not happy but I was hopeful to overcome these obstacles.

#2 was sketched on a sunny afternoon of December '12. Improvement on the foliage of the main tree, bolder approach to render them as masses of shapes and not individual leaves. Reflection was better though not confident strokes and I still went on to add unwanted details on the faraway vegetation. and that red roof on the right attracted too much attention. more lessons learned, more improvement required.

# 3 was sketched recently on January '14 from a reference picture by Shyam Deshpande. Tried to simplify as much as possible and visualize everything in shapes of different value masses. Background vegetation was kept to a minimum hint. foliage from the main tree were just a group of different colors all mixed together and the reflection was done in minimum strokes. also tried a different format for dramatic effect. better applications of brush marks. still need improvement.

Its a good idea to take out our old study sketches and do some analysis to understand where we have improved so far, where we still need to improve and where we may be actually going wrong. After all, sketches are or can be for studies, right?! well sometime they themselves are pieces of finished artworks too!

So, dig out your old sketches and start doing that honest comparison! You don't have to share however it will be nice to see the self analysis. I am sure, analysis of the #4 will be interesting too when it will be done in coming time. Still way to go, more to learn. it's a lifelong learning process.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Fun car doodling

fun with car doodle...

medium: graphite, micro tip pen, felt tip sketchpens, correction white...
source: imagination

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Sketch of a cute goat

we met this goat on our vacation at Kerala 4 1/2 years back at Alleppy or Alappuzha on our house boat trip. we had some cheerful time with it as it came to eat some banana skin.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 7" H x 9" W
time: 50. min approx.
source: from own reference picture

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Inspirational sketch

"there are inspirations for art everywhere all the time. it's up to us how we respond to these inspirations, by contemplating and expressing in our own ways."

while traveling yesterday morning, i noticed this person with a selling cart under the beautiful morning light. it was a glimpse of only few seconds from a distance as i was riding and had to bring my focus back on road. however the quick glimpse was good as i could grab only the essence of it rather than focusing any details. after coming back home i did a very quick, rough sketch trying to put the vague image on paper. satisfied with what i got, i did another bigger sketch with added elements to it.

medium: watercolor on paper.
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: 50 min. approx.
source: from memory

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Fun with colors on a portrait

fun with colors with a portrait study....

medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: 90 min. approx.
source: from a reference picture

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Value shapes comparision

we often talk about using different numbers of value as shapes for compositional purpose, for example either of 3/4/5 etc. also we often do a quick thumbnail or detailed value sketch before going for the colored version to use as a 'road map', more specially for watercolor, to construct the composition in stronger way. but afterwards how often do we check or know if we have achieved it closely if not exactly.

so this is a small exercise i do most often if not every time after a sketch or a painting has been completed in color and turned into a digital format. i not only often do a value sketch before the colored version, but also convert the final digitized color version back to grey scale or completely desaturated it discarding all its colors keeping only the value shapes to see if the colors i have used holds the desired initial value shapes.

as you already know, all colors apart from their hue and intensity also holds a value of its own. all colors are relatively more or less darker or lighter than the other ones and vise versa and more than often we ignore this hidden but important aspect of colors as we get carried away with our emotions while applying the beautiful hues. and at the end the results may be disappointing because of not using enough value range and contrast from light to dark resulting the painting as 'flat'. by observing a finished painting or sketch as a grey scale or desaturated image helps us to check and analyze this again how close we are to our initial planned value sketch.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Portrait of a Goat

A portrait sketch of a goat from couple of days back. thanks Cipa for the beautiful reference picture!! I love it when there are beautiful patterns of light and shadows.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: 60 min. approx.
source: from a reference pic

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Ulsoor lake sketch

sketched this view of Ulsoor lake situated at the heart of bangalore city from a picture clicked by Shyam Deshpande. this lake has these small islands in the middle with their specific names and some trees on them which give them beautiful contrast to their backgrounds. it's also a nice place to visit early in the morning or to view the sunset.

medium: watercolor on sketchbook
size: 9" H x 7" W
time: 60 min approx.
source: from a reference picture.

Reference picture courtesy Shyam Deshpande. Used with permission.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Quick still life studies

when we do not have enough time in hand, it's better to go for a simpler still life setting to do a quicker study. few fresh vegetables, natural light from the window and here are couple of studies in different mediums.

graphite and watercolor on cartridge paper sketchbook

© dhruba mazumder, 2014
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

Sketchbooks project

here are few sketchbooks i recently stitched and bounded. these all are hardcover sketchbooks with brilliant quality acid free paper ideal for a quick sketching in both dry and wet medium. graphite, pen, ink, watercolor works very well on the papers. they are lightweight and easy to carry anywhere.

these are available for sale. if you are interested to purchase in any of these and to know about exact availability with details, kindly send a message or write a mail to me at...

dhrubafinearts[at]gmail[dot]com

btw, i also use the similar kind of sketchbooks :)!

kindly note: the cover designs may vary for actual available sketchbooks than the pictures shown here!

© dhruba mazumder, 2014
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

A little bit about Artistic Block

artistic block is a term where one get stuck without much inspirations to work on, self doubt, lack of creative influence, failing to express etc. leaving a person blank. this can be momentary, few days, weeks or even months if not years. it gives the feeling that, all the creativity is over and we cant do anymore expressive works, we are finished in artistic term. however if we think positively, this is also a good time to experiment, experience and learn new things and scale new horizons with very less expectations. this can be either experimenting with a completely new medium, approach and style, subject, working time letting yourself more open towards experimenting new things with much less expectations for end results unlike of regular artworks that you have been doing so far. this may be the correct time to browse through the inspirations that you have always tried to explore. you may never know what new ability you could discover of yourself just because that you have never given the chance to experiment.

a very quick experimental sketch based on a profile picture of Kruttika Susarla. thanks Kruttika for the pic.

watercolor on awoen sketchbook.
size: 7 1/2" H x 5" w approx.
time: 35 min approx.
source: from reference pic.

© dhruba mazumder, 2014

Looking at the shapes of Light & Shade

give me some light and shade and i will try to capture it the most abstract way. many have wondered how i capture the most mundane objects. well its those beautiful light and dark shapes attract me most. when i saw this view, i had hardly any time to capture it on my sketchbook as the settings sun vanishes in quick seconds. so i captured the basic shapes in simple lines and added few notes for future reference. later on i completed this sketch with color from these notes.

it's almost impossible to let go a view like this in vein! happy sketching/drawing/painting!

© dhruba mazumder, 2014

Wish you everybody a Happy Magh Bihu, Lohri, Pongal, Sankranti

*********************************************************************************
Wish you everybody a Happy Magh Bihu, Lohri, Pongal, Sankranti...!!!
*********************************************************************************

this one is from couple of years back. a simple still life setting with natural light coming in from windows. a graphite sketch first for the composition and the watercolor version. a reminder to myself, i need to do these more often...!!

mediums: graphite on cartridge paper
watercolor on handmade paper

© dhruba mazumder, 2014

On location at Varkala Beach, Kerala.

this one is from beautiful Varkala, Kerala. there's a pure joy when one sketch/draws/paints on location as you can feel the atmosphere, sound etc around you, hence the other senses are also connected to it and keeps the artwork even more refreshing in one's memory.

medium: watercolor on cartridge paper sketchbook

© dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved.
www.facebook.com/dhrubafinearts

Keeping the color palette clean with frsh colors

well, according to the master watercolor artist Charles Reid, one way of judging how fresh the colors are in your just finished painting by looking at the color palettes you have used to mix colors for the painting. if the colors are still fresh in the wells and mixing areas, chances are they will be fresh in your painting as well. these are my palettes after a finished painting today. the wells were not cleaned up in the middle of the painting process and used from start to finish. apart from only few, most of the colors used were allowed to mix directly on the paper.

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved

On location viewing UB city, Bangalore

found an old on location picture from last year after the completed sketch along with the subject.

watercolor on sketchbook
size: 9" H x 7" W

this beautiful picture is courtesy Priya Sebastian. thanks priya!! you can check her illustrations at Priya Sebastian's Illustrations!!

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved

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.

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © 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!!

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2014. all rights reserved

From doodles to final painting - stage by stage approach.

sometimes my original paintings are based on ideas generated from random and quick doodles done in fun way. here's an example how the idea was conceived for the watercolor painting 'Deep in the woods'.

kindly click on the image to view a bigger version. thanks!!

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2013. all rights reserved

Another WIp post.

Few stages with added notes of a recent sketch i did live from our kitchen window of the street in front couple of days back.

Kindly click on the image to view a bigger version. I would like to hear your feedback. kindly leave a message!

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2013. all rights reserved

Doodling fun cars.

It is doodling time with fun colors!! Tried some vehicle sketches again after a long time and I always have fun doing these where I can be free of any real expectations and just see what is evolving in the paper itself by putting line after line.

medium: permanent ink with felt tip sketch pen
size: 4" H x 6" W
time: 10 min approx. each
source: fun!

visit my page at: 
www.facebook.com/dhrubamazumderfineart

 © dhruba mazumder, 2013. all rights reserved