Food illustration

Food illustration.

What comes to your mind immediately? Art or food? Are you a foodie? Do you draw food? Have you ever tried food art? Arranging the table, taking pictures and then drawing elaborate servings?

I started food illustration fairly recently when I came across 'Still here still life' (they host a weekly challenge) though I had been collecting some food pictures for some time now. And no, I wouldn’t call myself a great foodie. Drawing/painting food is actually fun – the volumes, the textures, the arrangement of varied pots and pans and wares, the patterns, the play of light. A delicious still life!

My eating habits are not one to follow. I eat to live that’s how it is as of now though none would think so looking at me. There’s a common-tease back at my family home that no one needs to worry over not having enough food if I drop by unexpectedly during lunch-time. "You could just scrape the pan and that’s enough for her!" I don’t enjoy the joke though (J). I eat part meals and I can’t have a proper quantity at a time. I have problem with my digestion since I have undergone cholecystectomy (it’s nothing serious but refer dictionary, in case J). Considering all that, I find food illustration fun. I can’t seem to keep up the weekly challenge though. I just intervene now and then when possible.

Are you into watching culinary shows? My daughter and I used to enjoy it particularly a TV channel called Fatafeat (which is perhaps obsolete now) that telecasted food roller-coaster rides of Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Giada de Laurentiis, Ina Garten (very own Barefoot Contessa) and many more. Later, closer home Madhur Jaffery (our very own ‘Godmother’ of Indian cooking), Tarla Dalal, Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna, Aditya Bal and so on. Recently it’s my neighbour (from Bangladesh) Nadiya Hussain (on Netflix).

For one who isn’t a foodie, you may think this is far too much of a list! I used to enjoy cooking and feeding, it has dampened these days. Like experimenting in art, I used to experiment with new recipes too after watching my favourite shows of the said celebrity chefs.

All that said, in case you wish to check it out for the pleasure of seeing all the wonderful food arrangements, the food itself, variations in the submissions etc. do check out - Stillherestilllife

Here’s a couple of illustrations from the weeks I had joined:

(images 1, 2, 4 and 5 - gouache and 3 - sharpies)

my first food illustration with Still here still life

Any favourites here?

Digital Collages and a poem

I have often being told that I should stick to one medium and one way of painting as that would be easy to define and create a signature style of one's own. But I can't seem to be do that, I have tried many times and failed, miserably to my amusement. One of the reasons could be because I am self-taught I find everything fascinating. I love working on multiple mediums; that holds my interest. Most of the techniques and mediums I come across and that I find appealing I wish to try it - just try it at least once. Also I have phases like for acrylic, watercolour, glass painting, pen and ink and so on. The current one is a mix of water colour and gouache. I have been in love with gouache since I found them. I also like to mix and use materials, maybe I can term them as mixed media though I don't use papers, fabric, found objects etc. on it (I intend to but just not now).

The ones in this post are digital collages of my different watercolours and gouache paintings with one or two images. It was actually a submission for a well-known exhibition that was held recently here in Dubai but, unfortunately for me, were rejected. 

The last one is a poem that I wrote recently. As many of you who follow my work may know that I like to paint as well as write.

Welcome to all the new faces who are visiting today. My first post this year, hoping the best for everyone.

Details of some digital collages and a poem:

Do you have such phase or do you stick on to one technique? Do you experiment? What are your thoughts on it?

We're Islands - a series of watercolours from 'IGNITE-from within the confines-'

Art is a journey sometimes moving into the core, sometimes outside the line, sometimes along the periphery but unsure of where the lines actually are. Nonetheless, each one undertakes a journey of one’s own since there’s no choice; one simply can’t choose inertia. 

Art, in any form, breathes life into me; I find it quite meditative and reflective. “We’re Islands” is a series I started in March when the lockdown began. It is not necessarily a commentary on Covid19 but what I felt during the lockdown confined within the four walls in a foreign land away from the family. I have used watercolours to capture the “fluidity” of the moment; it was not a conscious, pre-meditated choice though. Choosing the medium is always intuitive. some times it does depend on what I choose as a subject. I have also used polychromos, inktense pencils, white gel pen and Pitt pen to achieve the desired effect. I apply washes and then work on layers to get the raw-rustic effect instead of the refined look. I have chosen a limited palette here, a couple of warm and cool colours as I like the mix of both; bright, eye-catchy, palpable colours in most of them to suggest a distinctive, dreamlike introspective emotional state or “mindscapes” as I call them from a strong female presence and perspective.

We're Islands-1

30x40cm, watercolour with polychromos, inktense and pitt pen

The limitless mind in general and the inner workings of the feminine in particular captivates me the most. Most of my works are autobiographical. Myths, dreams, people and their tales, the emotions and the unbridled feelings kindle my creative juices. The protagonists create parallel realms and enjoy detachment, solitude but they are rarely alone. There’s melancholic melody and are deeply reflective of their emotional states; exuding a sense of passivity but hopeful and optimistic. The interconnectivity of man and nature, the subtle rhythms that beat through the spine of the environment, the invisible thread that ties us all even when man fails to realize it, is what I like to stress. There’s duality as we are complex beings. 

We're Islands-2

15x15cm each, watercolour with polychromos, inktense and pitt pen

We're Islands-3

30x40cm, watercolour with polychromos, inktense and pitt pen

My works tend to delve deep within the self, interspersing it with what I hear and/or view from the outside world. How a situation or news hits me is what is reflected in my works. They are stories in layers. At times, there're health instances that quite disturbs my days and processes and overcoming it forms other layers as well. Isolation is nothing new to artists, we actually nurture on it, and yet I craved for home, to be with my family. I suddenly felt trapped, we became units/compartments within the home where one was for school, one for office and I squeezed in between doing art for my own self and sanity. 

We're Islands-4

15x15cm each, watercolour with polychromos, inktense and pitt pen

We're Islands-5

30x40cm. watercolour with polychromos, inktense and pitt pen

“We’re Islands” is an ongoing series. It showcases this external and internal turmoil, implications, suffering, and conflict while the lamp of hope is still lambent.

My greatest inspirations are T K Padmini, Amrita Sher-Gil, Paula Rego, Kathe Kollwitz, Frida Kahlo, Lee Krasner, Hilma af Klint, Alice Neel, Paul Klee, Edward Hopper and Aleah Chapin, Lisa Brice and many more.

It is the very thought of not being in inertia, as mentioned earlier, that helped me shape this brainchild of mine - IGNITE-from within the confines-, inspired me to conceptualize and curate the exhibition at this time; one of my pet projects that I was harbouring for a long time finally found light with a group of amazing artists and poets. Though I started it on an impulse to do something worthwhile during this time of confinement, it grew profound each day until I managed a team of 16 and then we set sail. Each day since then had been a learning experience for me - visualizing, organizing, preparing, coordinating, conveying and all the elements that went with an online event. 

Find the post in IGNITE blog with the poet link and the Art & Poem segment. To read more about the exhibition, please check ABOUT and CURATOR'S NOTE.

IGNITE-from within the confines- A Thank You Note!

IGNITE-from within the confines- has wrapped up! It is of course the beginning of something new in due course.

This was one of my pet projects - I had a dream that I had envisioned for quite some time, finally found the courage to pursue, conceptualize, plan and organize... everything from scratch. That dream found light when the artists and the poets to whom I reached out were on board to be part of IGNITE-from within the confines- I received a couple of enquiries asking who my patrons are. I have none, I had no other backup other than the determined hold of my daughter, Anoushka who is also my Video Editor, and we persevered. It all feels so surreal!!

 

Thank you Ahlam, Anindita, Devan Sir, German, Lauren, Liz, Yamini, Ardra, Ellora, Gitanjali, Joseph, Minichechi, Namratha, Radhakka and Sonia for becoming the integral part of IGNITE-from within the confines- and entrusting me with your works. Thanks to Rubyji, our Inaugural guest.

I thank Vibhin P C (@vibhin_pc) for doing an awesome job designing the invites, poster, profile pictures, and all the thumbnails and the Finale video. Above all, the Signature Intro Clip of IGNITE that everyone recognizes now! 

I thank Anoushka Sunil (@v1ntagefilm) for the wonderful teasers, Art & Poem videos and Introduction edits. She understands my vision and concept to its essence!

I thank the media – The Hindu, Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, The New Indian Express, Gulf Mathrubhumi, Khaleej Times and RJ Roshni of Club FM 104.8 for featuring IGNITE.

I thank Sonia, Namratha and Ellora for helping me spread the word on online platforms. I thank the online platforms - Women’s Web, Sharing Stories, KEEKLI an Ode to Innocence, and Meera Bharath of Letsmakestories. Bloggers Chinmayee Sahu, Meenal Sonal, our very own Ira (Ellora), Sonia and Joseph.

As they say last but not the least; I thank each one of you who followed our journey all along. Without your love, support and encouragement we would not have achieved what we did. Thanks for being there!

You can still catch up, our links are still available:

Official blog: https://ignitefromwithintheconfines.blogspot.com/

You can visit all the artist and poet profiles on the above mentioned blog.

Official Instagram: @ignite.fwtc.2020

Teasers and glimpses can be found on the Instagram.

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJQhklsmPqHkaU6FmMmhEA?view_as=subscriber

All the videos - Introductions of Artists, Poets, teasers. Art & Poem segment and All art videos can be found on the channel.

8 Artists - 40 Artworks

video by Vibhin P C