Pink Magnolia

I did this watercolor after using the reference photo given in the book “creative colored pencil workshop” by Carlynne Hershberger and Kelli Money Huff. They offer exercises using colored pencils and other mediums. I adapted one of the exercises, the pink magnolia one, using only watercolor. In the original exercise, the background is left blank; but I felt my painting looked dead with blank background. So I added background colors in this one. The original painting has no resemblance with the one I have produced here.
Pink Magnolia
Watercolor
7½ x10¹⁄8 inches
July 2008

Self-Portrait Series No.1

9 by 12 inches on heavy-weight drawing paper using HB pencil and 0.7 mm mechanical pencil. My very first self-portrait! After drawing a few portraits of film personalities, I felt curious how it would look like drawing my own portrait. It felt a bit weird drawing your own portrait but it was a unique experience. Since you are already very familiar with your own facial features, you won’t have that “rediscovering” experience you get when you draw others’ portraits. So I guess that must be the basic difference. And now you saw how I look like! 😀

Portrait # 8

Portrait : Brooke

9 by 12 inches on heavy-weight Academie drawing paper using 2H,HB and 2B pencils.

I really don’t know what to make out of this drawing of Brooke Shield. I am okay with the fact that this looks like an amateur drawing because I am in the learning phase. However, I can’t help criticizing. Somehow she seems to be looking younger than the one in the reference photo. I have no idea how that came about. I spend a lot of time on her lip and the small gap between her lip. Her lips made me run in circles. Finally I settled for what I could best come up with.

Portrait # 7

Drawing Quote

“Drawing can be a potent problem-solving aid for both children and adults. A drawing can let you see how you feel.Putting that another way, the right brain, by means of a drawing, can show left brain what the trouble is.The left brain, in turn, can use its own powerful skills – language and logical thought – to solve the problem.”

 – Dr.Betty Edwards,”Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain”

Portrait : Drew

9 by 12 inches on heavy weight Academie paper using HB and 2B pencil. I really like her freestyle hair; gave me hard time to draw the hair going in everywhich direction.

Portrait # 6

CityCreek Park

12 by16 inches on 140lbs Canson watercolor paper. This was one of the paintings I did when I started doing watercolor paintings during the summer of 2001. It was a plein air painting ( painting on-site) done at the City Creek Park in downtown Salt Lake City. I discovered then that I absolutely hated painting outdoors. Since it was summer, it was so hot and there were bugs flying around driving us crazy. The painting reflected all the characteristics of a beginner’s work. It looks so flat and uninteresting. There is a lot of room for improvement. But then, I was just learning how to paint in watercolors. I had a hard time remembering the color wheel  which made it difficult for me to mix colors.

Triptych 03

9 by 6 inches on a 140lb watercolor paper. For this again, I used only watersoluble Darwent GRAPHitone 8B pencil. The reference image is from Manasi. Whew! The triptych part is done. The picture is not exactly similar to the photo. I exercised some of my artistic license while painting to make it look more interesting. 

I am happy with the outcome of this triptych and so with much gratitude, I say

Om sree maha ganapathaayay namaha!

Note: NOT FOR  SALE. Artist collection

Triptych 02

9 by 6 inches on 140# watercolor paper using just Derwent watersoluble GRAPHitone 8B pencil. I did this from a reference photo taken by the talented Manasi. By now, I believe you must have guessed what the third part of the triptych is gonna be :). I think I will relax this time around and take time to do the third one.

Note : NOT FOR SALE. Artist collection

Triptych 01

9 by 6 inches on 140# watercolor paper using just Derwent watersoluble Graphitone 8B pencil. I did this as a part of a triptych – hopefully if all goes well :). I thank Manasi for her kind permission to use her photo for this painting.
I am getting to know how to use this pencil. That is why you see an unevenous in the shading especially at the lotus area. The only limitation is that you cannot lift the paint once it is dry. So if you wish to do whatever adjustment in the shading, do it before the water dries up. The safest best is to glaze starting with the lightest tone and make sure to use plenty of water for even shading and to retard drying.

Note: NOT FOR SALE. Artist collection.