Commission, Inktober and Hopes

The past couple of weeks has been really busy with a lot of stuff to do and not having enough time! I finished a commission work for a dear friend in Abu Dhabi. He had selected a work which was originally commissioned by another friend 7 years back when we were in Dubai. It was a gift for her daughter's teacher. So here I was working on it and it felt fabulous! I could see the changes in my work though I was working on the same painting. It's folk-inspired style as my friend had wanted it that way when I first painted it in 2011. In both pictures, however, the colours aren't true to what meets the eye. I don't know why that is so!

 I have used acrylics with gouache and embellished it with semi-precious stones for the ear studs and the nose-pin. It's A3 size.

2011

I am also preparing for Inktober, trying to select a theme of my own since I feel so restricted with the official prompts. I want to work on my shortcomings and what better way than to chose one's own theme to improve a particular skill or aspect of ones drawing/painting. Last year was the first time I participated and I had a whole lot of fun!!! I drew insects - "Tiny, But Me!" - 31 of them and yes!! I did complete the change! It was a great feeling! In case you want to check it out the rest, here it is - Week2, Week3, Week4 and Week5. I wrapped it up with an Inktober Insect series calendar. I was asked by many friends on why I didn't make a zine at the end of it...so this time I am thinking of making a zine as well. In case anyone is interested, do let me know.

"So anyone here joining Inktober?"

It would be great fun!

Thanks to Jake Parker for Inktober and here's what it's about and the official prompt list:

Currently, I am also doing small studies for potential paintings, projects that need some positive "Go ahead" green flags! Here's a sneak-peek...fingers crossed! 

Detail of a work in progress - study for a potential painting

Floods, Fluids and Flowers

It's over a month since I posted and I really can't pinpoint on one thing...I am really sorry guys for not having posted for that long! But seriously, I needed a break not from blogging as such but to help me stabilize on certain things. I was emotionally amock particularly with the floods in my region and the aftermath of it all. Our place and people are slowly recovering. We were in a safe area but there are loads of people who have suffered disastrously. We tried helping them out a bit by buying them the essentials like food and stuff, and dresses and also a bit through our art.

I seriously couldn't touch my paint and brush for almost a month other than the two flood relief ones, though I did sketch and splash colours casually to relax in between. 

Created these two paintings as part of raising funds for Flood Relief. The event was hosted and organized by Kalakar Keralam and Kerala Lalithakala Akademi in Durbar Hall Art Gallery premises and displayed in the Gallery. Around 500 artists from all over the State participated and collected around 7 Lakh rupees by the end of the fourth day of the 5-day event.

 My two paintings - The Lily pads in the first one is referred from Pearfluer and the girl in the boat (really tiny) is referred from Pinterest. Jellyfish are also referred from a photo on Pinterest.

On the walls of Durbar Hall Art Gallery. 

Both the works sold and the money went to the Chief Minister's Flood Relief Fund

Paul, studying in Grade 4 - my young buyer, youngest so far! 

Loved the zest in his sparkling eyes to get it! So extravagantly satisfying!

Just splashing some acrylic inks - fluid colours on postcards...to see where the colours travel...

Can you spot the hint of gold there?

'White Flowers in Glass Bottle'

I think I saw this picture in one of my Facebook friend's wall. 

Wanted to try the glass badly,

was trying glass for the first time and this was before the flood. 

Something pleasant to end with.

How have you all been doing?