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.

Happy Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving to everybody who celebrate this day of gratefulness.

My sincere gratitude to you all for your blessings, kindness and encouragement which keeps me going. My thankfulness to my dear wifey for your constant support, for walking beside me, for showing your trust in me and for motivating me to keep my focus centered. I am thankful to God for showing me the correct path.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W.
Source: all live except the flower on bottom right which is from a reference pic by dear wifey .

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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.

Deers at Guwahati zoo

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Did these deer sketches at the Assam State Zoo, in Guwahati, few days back. In my growing up days, visiting this zoo was one of my favorite activity whenever we used to travel to Guwahati. I think, this time I went there after more than couple of decades.

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.

Sketch of a Fishermen boat

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Quick sketch of a simple fishermen boat on river Brahmaputra. The water is so shallow at some places, they were fishing with nets in less than knee length water . Hope they had a good catch.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size 5" H x 61/2" W
Time: 20 min.
Source: live

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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.

Sketching a Teddy in Graphite

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As on the page says, sketched my niece's teddy bear . In spite of going out yesterday and today, I couldn't do any sketching. I prefer to use colors only at daytime, hence decided to do a graphite one instead. This was fun to sketch using graphite after a long time ! I think I'll do couple of more teddy sketches in different mediums including watercolor.

Medium: graphite 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.

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.

Boats at River Brahmaputra

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The mighty river Brahmaputra runs almost whole across the state of Assam from east to west and definitely one of the biggest river in India. You have to see it to believe it where at places it's almost couple of kms wide!! Along with this, there are numerous other small and big rivers flow all over the state from the surrounding hills, into the valleys and merging with Brahmaputra. Not long time ago, there was only one bridge connecting both banks of this river. Hence these boats of different sizes and shapes were the only mode of commuting option for common people to cross it. Even now, these run on the heart of Brahmaputra. This boat is capable of carrying not only people but also couple of small vehicles on the open space in between the enclosed cabins. Traveling on these boats across this river is a memorable experience.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook.
Size: 10" H x 13" W
Time: 120 min.
Source: line work on location, colored at home.

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Fresh Olives Sketch

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While roaming around yesterday near the jetty in Guwahati, I noticed few street vendors selling fresh olives. Now these brings back my childhood memories when we used to climb the olive trees to pluck them fresh off the branches. We used to shake the branches for the ones not reachable by hand and there would be a shower of riped olives !! Here olive is a popular fruit to pickle in a very traditional age old way. Btw, olive oil in our cooking is only a recent addition!!

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 6" H x 5" W
Time: 40 min. approx.
Source: live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved

Boat at Guwahati Jetty

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Did this quick sketch today at the jetty in Guwahati. These are one of the many versions and sizes of boat available that runs between both sides of Guwahati ( Guwahati and North Guwahati) over the mighty river Brahmaputra, helping thousands of commuters every single day to cross it. These wooden boats are around 50 feet long. People sit on the roof also along with two wheel vehicles!!

Medium: ink on recycled paper journal
Size: 4" H x 6" W
Time: 20 min.
Source: live

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 © Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Tree Trunk Table

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Guess from what the bottom portion of this table is made of !!?? Let me tell you. This is made of a tea tree turned upside down. Found in many households in the north eastern region of India, the legs of these tables are the branches of the tree with the trunk holding the top. Though this one has only few legs, sometime they can be many depending on the number of branches. Tea trees may have life ranging from 60 to 100 years of plantation. These furniture are made from old trees at the end of their lives. Tea tree may normally grow to 12-15 feet in height , but in tea gardens, the branches are cut around a height of 18"-24", around winter, so that new branches can grow with fresh leaves. Hence these beautiful branches.

Medium: watercolor on sketchbook
Size: 10" H x 12" W
Time: 60 min. approx.
Source: live

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.

Night Jasmines

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Winter is the perfect time for these Night Jasmines and this brings sweet memories of my childhood years growing up in Assam. The name comes because this flower blossoms at evening\night and it has a very sweet but strong fragrance spreading all around. In our childhood, we used to pick these flowers in early mornings of winter days from the dew soaked grasses from underneath the trees. These flowers are also cooked, it has a bitter taste and very healthy.

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

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© Dhruba Mazumder, 2014. All rights reserved.