Embracing the Ephemeral

Yakshagana Performance  watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

 "Embracing the Ephemeral" is the title of the this series of sketches on Moleskine Japanese Album sketchbook 5 x 8 1/4" I started end of last summer while I was still in India with my m-i-l.  I stopped working on it when my mother passed away and only recently picked it up again, determined to complete the last few panels, text and lettering. I wanted it finished before my trip to India again this summer :)  

Musician with Chande Watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

The first few sketches are from when I went to watch the classic art form of Yakshagana at the Jaganmohan Palace Art Center at Mysore.  The last sketches in my earlier smaller Moleskine Japanese album were of this palace as I was waiting for the show to start. Click on these links to check them out:  A Palace for Art  and  Time is Life

Musician with Maddale  Watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

Yakshagana, literally Song of the Celestial Beings is an expressive art form: poetry, dance, drama, music and storytelling with elaborate costumes. Accompanying musicians are called "Himmela" - there are  usually atleast two artists playing the drums Chande and Maddale - very crucial to set the mood and a Bhagavatar, a singer narrator with cymbals in his hands.  Together they enact stories from the epics and mythologies, dispense morals and spiritual teachings too.  Always the good is victorious over the evil. 

Jumping and Whirling watercolor sketch  Meera Rao

The elaborate costumes and face paints 'Vesha' clearly indicate who the actors are playing.  Even though now the performances are indoors, and last only a few hours, until a few years ago they were all night outdoor affairs with climax happening around 4 or 5 am in the morning ! I remember attending only a couple of them when I was a school girl, dozing off most of the night and woken with a start when the drums beat with vigor! The jumping and twirling by the actors are spectacular. My brother and I would try to emulate them for the next few days! Check out this link for a taste of the art from a 2-hr performance in Washington DC by a visiting troupe.  Traditionally all parts were performed by male artists only but now there are all female troupes too! More information on Yakshagana can be found here. 

Rajavesha watercolor sketch by Meera Rao

sharp focus

Sketch of my thumb reflected on a shiny knife blade as I cut a mango

 by Meera Rao

The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.

Leonardo da Vinci

Earlier in the year looking for ideas for daily sketching I came across many suggestions : draw your thumb, a reflection, sharp edges, a fruit etc.. Of course I could not make up my mind. As always, stalling the decision making I stepped into the kitchen.  Cutting a mango  for lunch suddenly I knew what to do :)

A palace for Art

India Sketch Book 2014 panels 27,28 by Meera Rao 

The last four panels of the sketch book are filled with details from the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery and Performance center at the Jaganmohan Palace.  The performance hall has many beautiful stained glass windows. The beautiful building is unfortunately crumbling and in dire need of renovation and restoration.  

India Sketch Book 2014 panels 28,29 by Meera Rao

The arches on the many doors on the hall were also decorated with colorful paintings and sculpted relief.

The circular motif sketch is from the front facade of the building - there were about 10 motifs on each of the pillars and each was different scene.  This was the lowest one that I could see clearly :) 

India Sketch Book 2014 panel 30 by Meera Rao 

I was able to sketch only a couple of the stained glass windows before a 'Yakshagana ' performance started.  I did not sketch on the back side of the pages as the sketches had bled through to the other side on a lot of the sketches. 

Sketchbook spread out on the floor 110" x3.3" 

I tried to take a picture of the sketchbook all spread out little over nine feet long ! This was the best I could do  :)

A Long Journey

View From Balcony Sketchbook India 2014 June 4-7 by Meera Rao

View From Balcony Sketchbook India 2014 June 6-8 by Meera Rao

"Then India, everyone has his own idea of India"

-Milton Hays.

I have been here in India almost two months and yesterday I did the last sketch in the small Moleskine Japanese accordion style sketchbook.  I have finally figured out (for now!) the quirks of the computer and the programs here and been able to successfully post the first two photos from my sketchhbook :) 

First few sketches in a new book are always tentative in nature as I am learning what will work best. On the opening page (which I forgot to photograph) I tried out color pencils, watercolors and Faber-Castell Pitt basic color  brushpens. I mainly used Prismacolor Verithin color pencils, Prismacolor fine line marker pens and micron pen on these four pages. The hard lead color pencils are good to sketch with but difficult to color and shade on the slick beige Moleskine paper. I may build color with my regular Prismacolor soft pencils once I get back home! The background washes are watercolor (Koi watercolor field kit) and I am yet to master using them on this paper! The accordion style sketchbook gave me freedom to sketch wide and an opportunity to link these different sketches.  The idea was to have continuity though here I may be only partially successful as I don't plan ahead of time and am not sure what my next day's sketch will be! I sketched everyday but often took a couple of days to complete a panel - so it has taken me almost two months to finish 30 panels in the book that opens into one long 5.5" x 105" page  :) 

About the sketches: As the title indicates its the view from second floor balcony. I was excited to see the papaya tree top laden with fruits of various sizes right by the balcony, the collection of little lamps, the electric pole with its wires and a branch of "Kadam" /Adina Corifolia tree sporting a badminton ball like composite flower mass.

Today I will start using the large Moleskine Japanese album sketchbook  (5x8" when folded). It has 48 accordion pages. If anyone reading this has suggestions, constructive criticism and helpful hints on using these sketchbooks please feel free to pass it on in the comments section :)

Passions

My Passions sketch by Meera Rao

I want to sketch something everyday but there are days when my muse doesn't show up or sometimes life gets in the way! Once in a while I will check daily painters lists for ideas.  'My Passions'  came about when I combined two different such lists. One listed sketch your hobby; sketch an heirloom said another . I decided to combine the two :I would sketch an heirloom and add my camera review pane around it ! I am feeling very clever and pleased  :)  

This sketch was done in couple of months ago and I did not post it then. I am in India now, my annual visit to take care my Mother-in-law.  I am unable to post the sketches done here as google platform and microsoft PC seem to be at odds when it comes to posting photograpahs :(  Blogger won't recognize crops and edits done in Windows and I can't seem to import into Picasa to do my edits there to upload to the blog!!! I hope I will find a solution soon or I will have to wait till I get back to my own computer to post my sketch book.

I am trying something new this time - using  Moleskine Japanese style accordion sketchbooks in two different sizes.  The smaller  one that folds into 5.5x3.5" is almost full.  I love how it unfolds and I can vary the width of my sketches depending on the subject and how the sketches are not in isolation but run into each other reflecting life itself. I am excited about how it feels and can't wait to post them. I hope I will know more about how to work this computer  soon!!!!   As the saying goes :Thunderstorms are as much our friends as the sunshine.” ― Criss Jami  Challenges make life interesting and I am banking on being a bit more computer savvy by the end of it!!!

Sketching Outdoors

"Matteson Trail" En pleine aire sketch by Meera Rao

One beautiful day early in spring, during my daily walk I was inspired to stop and sketch the scenery. I usually carry a small 4x6 book of Arches post cards with me and on that day I had a pack of brand new Faber-Castell 6 PITT artist landscape pens that I wanted to try.  The trail was quiet with not too many walkers.  I leaned against a tree and spent a few minutes taking in the scene and then set to work. I was somewhat satisfied with my results. I later gave it a watercolor wash for sky and water -mainly to test and see if the pen marks would bleed. 

Here is a shaky photo I took with my phone before I continued with my walk -it was a challenge to hold the camera in one and the sketch in the other and manage to click :) 

  

I just finished reading an article 'From sketchbook to Studio"  by Iain Stewart in the June issue of Watercolor Artist. I like what he has to say about sketchbooks : "A sketchbook has no other responsibility than to serve you. It is completely private unless you decide to share. Safe from the critical eye of jurors, it is a place where you can explore with abandon all your ideas. It's also the best tool I can think of for preparing to work in the studio. "    His advice is to be 'an observer, an editor and a recorder'. He writes: " When I return to the studio, I find that those observations can serve as well or better than any of my photographs"   

Most importantly he states :"Don't let anything you do early in your process limit what decisions you make later in your painting. Be willing to change anything, but remember your game plan." 

Comfort In Rituals

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 14 by Meera Rao

Any event usually starts with a prayer to Lord Ganesha -the god who is the remover of all obstacles. This plate with clarified butter - ghee, and the special spoon was used in a ceremony, Homa, asking for blessings- at the start of the festivities, about a week before my niece's wedding. All the rituals are filled of symbolism and are beautiful --even though in this day and age they seem long! But it forces one to stop and give thanks as well as contemplate our role in the Universe. 

I loved the patterns, reflections in the plate, shapes and the colors and had to sketch it. I wish I could have captured the sound of the melodious chanting of the prayers too.

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 15 by Meera Rao

August 15 is India's Independence day and Jan 26 is Republic day when you see Indian flags flying everywhere.  Here, an autoriksha driver is attaching the  flag to his vehicle to show his patriotism.  The already colorful vehicles decorated with the tricolor flags are sight to behold. 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Page 35 by Meera Rao

Grace Under Pressure

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 12 by Meera Rao 

Speedy delivery by motorcycle of various things is nothing out of the ordinary  in India. I came upon this fellow with bags of flowers hanging off the motorcycle handle bars. The motorcycles weave through the heavy traffic and guarantee dropping off  of parcels faster than in a car or van! I saw his bike with flowers parked by the road and started taking a few pics when he returned from his delivery and posed for me for a quick second. He did have an helmet which he wore soon after and then drove off to the next stop. 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 13 by Meera Rao 

Some days I have time only for a simple sketch -- but then, here it is the trusty pressure cooker - the most important equipment in a household in India! I used one everyday  for cooking - it is an art and a science to master!  At least three pots are stacked inside each cooker with dal/lentil/bean in one, rice in the second and a vegetable or two in the third :) This  saves time, cooking gas (which is very expensive) and is super efficient.  These come in many brands, sizes  and varieties. I had to constantly consult my Mom and sisters-in-law over the phone on the finer points of using a pressure cooker - so I would not end up with either mush or under-cooked food! I really appreciated the cooker when I could not use it for a day - somehow I had miscalculated the amount of water/time needed and the valve blew due to lack of liquid.  But no worries, just down the street, in a tiny tiny shop, it was fixed in no time at all :) 

Here is a short history lesson on pressure cooker :" In 1679, the French mathematician and physicist Denis Papin invented the first pressure cooker or steam digester as he called it. The story is whilst he was presenting his new steam digester to the Royal Society it exploded, leading him to invent the safety valve. Three years later he represented it to the Royal society and gained positive reviews.

The pressure cooker title was first seen in print in 1915. In 1927, the first pressure cookers were sold in Germany and in 1939 the world’s first commercial pressure cooker made by National Presto Industries was exhibited at the New York World’s Fair.

In these early days, there are accounts of people thinking pressure cookers were the results of witchcraft because of their continued hissing."

In my home in US I now have a electric pressure cooker with a timer which I absolutely love, along with a much used stove top cooker that I have had for over three decades. 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Page34 by Meera Rao 

Stacks of Creativity

India Sketch Journal 2013 Page 33 by Meera Rao 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 11 by Meera Rao 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 10 by Meera Rao 

As always, I am surprised how even if I have paid no attention to have a theme for each page when I sketched them in India earlier in the summer, as I start blogging about a page, I see the connection very clearly!!!

It never amazes me to see the many innovative ways things are stacked - like the bright blue rain water harvest barrels being transported here in a little tempo or the white eggs in colorful crates at the local provisions store. I love the designs and shapes I see in the ingenious solutions people come up with - sometimes even defying common sense and gravity ;)

Trial and Error

India Sketch Journal 2013  Page 32 by Meera Rao 

"Perspective is the rein and rudder of painting" said Leonardo da Vince. I think I lost both in these two sketches. I was really tempted to tear out the page and start over but had to remind myself that it is only a sketch book! 

India Sketch Journal 2013  Aug 8 by Meera Rao 

This father was a worker in a team of people fixing water pipes along the road by our building. He and his wife were both working and the kid was playing & running around near them for a while. Later, when the  child started fussing, the father checked with the house owner by the street and tied a cradle from their roof by the porch. The baby was settled inside the cradle and Dad swung it a few times - until the baby fell asleep and then he was back at work! I only had a a few minutes to sketch the father as he stood there. The rest of the sketch was done leisurely as the baby slept for a while. 

India Sketch Journal 2013  Aug 9 by Meera Rao 

There are always at least a couple of cows by this traffic circle and I watched them every day when I went on my errands. Cars, buses, bicycles, trucks just go around them.  I was so engrossed in getting the cows right, I did not realized in the end that the vehicle was a bit too small :) Sketching with pen means the lines cannot be erased and I leaned to a lesson I won't forget! 

Weaving a Way of Life

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 4 by Meera Rao

India Sketch Journal 2013 Aug 5 by Meera Rao

On one of my walks in the city, I came upon this amazing set up of a weaving stand right by the road side in front of a closed store. There was a ditch right there and a couple of bamboo poles were laid across to cross it.  There were bamboo ladders and poles tied around to help with the weaving as the screen/mat that was being woven got bigger! There was even a bright blue tarp for shade. The stones as weights on the weaving 'loom' are quite simple and innovative as well.  This link shows that the technique is an ancient one dating to BC!  I was so taken by the whole scene that I decided to devote two days of sketching and give the loom part with the stones its own little sketch :) 

India Sketch Journal 2013 Page 30by Meera Rao

“A weaver who has to direct and to interweave a great many little threads has no time to philosophize about it, rather, he is so absorbed in his work that he doesn't think, he acts: and it's nothing he can explain, he just feels how things should go.”

 Vincent van Gogh