Extra Ordinary or Ordinary?

It is strange, sometimes there is a moment so ordinary that it could miss you all together or just linger as suddenly as it manifests.A few mornings ago, out in my garden, the sun seemed deliciously warm and I chanced to look up at the sky. Before me was a simply seamless expanse of deep blue. The green leaves of the champa tree stood out majestically against the deep blue as cotton white clouds floated by in silence.

It was so simple
It was so powerful
It left me breathless.

 Bringing out the form with the help of a strong background is what I find exciting. Here the blank whiteness takes form as I fill my background. Strong browns and soothing hues of green interact to frame the face, which I leave devoid of much detail...it feels poetic to me to let a few lines define the obvious.

Fun on a colored sheet.

The boldness of  brightly colored paper fascinates! Can't resist making a figure using a few color pencils and some quick strokes. A design starts to emerge. It seems compact and complete, I don't like leaving open ends of color. I'd love to print that on a T shirt, it would look 'cool' as my kids would say. May be I'll have fun this week just with my color pencils!
Looking again at the design, it reminds me strongly of the mythological tale of the birth of the River Ganga, which I remember reading years ago.Ganga emerges from the head of the god Shiva cascading to earth in all her glory. Well the drama of the event is missing in this quick sketch.

Illustration Friday..... "Acrobat"

Delhi Roads! Only an acrobat can navigate the pot holes, the craters, the simply bottomless pits we encounter on our city roads everyday!

images of the Buddha

A while ago I had done a series of Buddhas.

Here are 2 of my favorites.
Watercolour on paper, I enjoyed doing these.

Illustration Friday..... "Immovable"

Tantrums! Tantrums! Every parent's nightmare...try moving this kid without dislocating your arm or losing your balance! No way...he's immovable!

Illustration Friday..... "Star Gazing"

 

A princess and her friend gaze at the stars

The stars and celestial bodies are of great significance in Hindu mythology. The seven stars of the"big dipper" were known as the "Sapt Rishis" or the seven learned sages who rule the skies and were keepers of the divine laws. They guide all beings on earth spreading knowledge and make the sun rise and shine.

Indian  stories and folktales are all about gods and goddesses, kings and queens, princes hunting game, princesses dancing in tropical gardens to the singing of birds . As the night falls and the moon rises, a thousand oil lamps light the palaces and the royal gardens come alive to the sound of  fountains and streams.

Illustration Friday..... "Caged"

This week's word is "caged". The first thing that comes to mind is a helpless bird in a cage. Being caged is losing your freedom.One interesting instance where being caged is actually liberating and positive is turning into a butterfly,which I have illustrated here.