Color More than Skin Deep

I recently read two very interesting articles in 'Science Daily' about colors in bird feathers. According to Yale university researchers 'some of the brightest colors in nature are created by tiny nanostructures with a structure similar to beer foam or a sponge.' One of the paper's authors also explained that better plumage meant better mate :) In the second article " Birds: Feather color more than skin deep" a team from Spain reported on how the red feathers get their color: " the red carotenoids that give the common crossbill its red coloration are produced in the liver, not the skin, as previously thought " Even though I don't need to know these facts at all, I appreciate nature's ingenuity as I try to reproduce on paper the beauty of the birds, the flowers and other wonders.

In "tourist attraction" done in watercolors (15x12"), I tried wet on wet for textures and color variations and changes. I choose some colors from references and others from my imagination. The colorful birds and the flower needed the dark background to shine and that only came about after many days of pondering! My apologies for the reflection in the photograph - I didn't notice it until I posted it on the blog.

No direction But Beauty

Today's 'Writer's Almanac' listed among the day's birthdays Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda and Thoreau. I love their writings. When I was photographing this painting this morning, that bit of information I had read earlier triggered the memory of a poem 'Water' by Nerudo. Below are the last few lines from it :

Water is different,

has no direction but beauty,

runs through all dreams of color,

Takes bright lessons

from the rock

and in those occupations work out

the unbroken duties of the foam.

I painted "Golden Beach" (watercolor, 9x12") on Fredrix pre-stretched watercolor canvas. I ordered the canvas from Cheap Joe's. It is a 100% cotton artist canvas already coated with gesso for water-based paints. I found it a bit difficult to work on that surface even though or may be because it was very easy to take the paint off. I tried the canvas to see if I could get away from framing expenses but I think the painting still needs to be sealed since I found the watercolor paints on it comes off too easily when it is not sealed or under glass. I have not tried any spray sealants yet as I don't feel confident about spraying it evenly without any pooling or dripping since that would defeat the purpose! So, it is waiting to be resolved and I welcome any advice or suggestions :)

Another Season

This is a small (5x9") painting I did on a whim couple of days ago on a piece of leftover paper. I used watercolors and watercolor pencils dipped in water to paint it. Because of the size of the paper, I had to simplify the scene, be selective and put in just enough elements to capture the essence of the landscape that is a familiar sight in rural India. I can see a lot of things I should /could have done differently but I think I also see a simple, quiet solitude in the scene.

I went in search of information and tips on landscape painting today and came across a good article in the Smithsonian Education web site. I will be going back there for more reading and learning. And, of course, I will keep on sketching and painting. Its comforting to know that even Paul Cezanne felt "Painting is damned difficult- you always think you've got it, but you haven't."

Another Season watercolors and watercolor pencil 5x9"

A Declaration!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness."

Happy Fourth!

Boston, MA. Digital photography

Meditation

Over the past few years, one of the things I have been really amazed by, is the dramatic colors of the water and sky during sunrise and sunset. It is a most wondrous sight - and changing every second with no two ever alike. Sometimes they look so surreal, I feel no one will believe it unless they see it with their own eyes! This scene 'Fishing' (watercolor, 12x16") is from a vacation by the sea sometime time ago. I never saw these people actually catching anything and I think this was morning meditation in disguise.

Speaking of colorful and dramatic, Artist David Lobenberg has created a blog dedicated to what he calls "Self Portrait Global Love In." He issued a challenge to artists to share their self portraits in that blog. Its packed with wonderfully creative self portraits by artists from all corners of the world. He has generously given his time and efforts to put up the site. My painting from the post "One of Many Faces" is one of self portraits in that collection. The self portraits are dramatic, colorful and wonderful as, I am assuming, the artists themselves :)

Fishing Watercolor 12x16"

Golden Spiral

Last week when I was on my way to a friend's house, I came across a small garden full of sunflowers and was surprised they were already in full bloom. I had been reading "Divine Proportion- PHI in Art, Nature and Science" by Priya Hemenway and drawing the 'golden spiral,' studying the use of golden-angle, -proportion, -section, -ratio, -rectangle, etc. in composition in art through the ages. I am fascinated by how pineapple, sunflowers, daisies and strawberries appear to form two systems of spirals radiating from the center - a pattern created by Fibonacci numbers. On further research, I discovered that "The fibonacci numbers are named after Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci, although they had been described earlier in India. The Fibonacci numbers first appeared under the name 'matrameru' (mountain of cadence), in the work of Sanskrit grammarian Pingala (Chandah-sastra, the Art of Prosody, 450 or 200 BC). Prosody was important in ancient Indian ritual because of an importance of the purity of utterance. The Indian mathematician Virahanka (6th century AD) showed how the 'Fibonacci' sequence arose in the analysis of meters with long and short syllables. Subsequently the Jain philosopher Hemachandra(c.1150) composed a well known text on these. A commentary on Virahanka by Gopala in the 12th c. also revisits the problem in some detail." WOW! In a strange coincidence, there is also a site called 'Sunflower Revolution', which does fundraising for Parkinson's and has links to latest research etc. Ever since my Dad was diagnosed with it I go there in search of information.

So, I decided it was time to post this painting 'Sunflowers' (12x10") in watercolors and water color pencils. It was painted from a still life set up. I like the way the colors in flowers turned out. I would like to paint another with only the bloom when the lone sunflower plant our back yard blooms.

Sunflower 12x10" watercolor and watercolor pencils.

One of Many Faces

Last week, when I was almost done with this self-portrait, my husband took his first glance at it and said "no, this is not you. That look is a very rare expression. You always have a big smile" Since then my smile has been even bigger -if thats possible.

I started sketching using a mirror and then used the camera eye on my computer to snap a photograph so I had a reference photo to use in completing it. I tried warm color for underpainting on the hair and eyes and cool on the background before finishing with black grape as final layers. Some day I will try again with my big smile :)

One of Many Faces color pencils 9x12"

Colorful Life

I am always inspired by the patterns and colors in nature. These hydrangeas blue, pink and in-between are all from a single plant from our backyard. I have been photographing them and admiring the nature's color palette. I am aware that alkaline soil colors it pink but its still an amazing sight to see the range in those blooms. There is also a wild species of Morning Glory snaking down the edge of our yard whose blooms are light pink to white in the morning and they turn blue later in the day. One thing I have learnt from all this that there are no absolutes and not to be afraid of experimenting with color combinations in my art.

Hanging Fire

This afternoon, against my better judgement, I spooned onto my plate a big dollop of special red hot chili mango pickle that I had brought with me from India during my last trip. I really love the taste even if my mouth invariably is on fire, my eyes water and my sinuses start clearing up in a hurry. Its an indulgence I occasionally give in to. I remembered reading that peppers crank up the capsaicin content for self defense and fully appreciated the creativity behind the evolutionary weapon! Two days ago I was excited when my husband brought in first four shiny green Jalapeno peppers of this season, from the garden. Over the years I have also enjoyed painting (in color pencils) the peppers. I love the bright red color of the ripe peppers. Hanging Fire (16x12") is painted in watercolors on hot press board. I carefully misted the paper with water after painting the peppers and the basket with geraniums.

Learning to be Spontaneous

I thought having a blog will make me paint and draw more on a regular basis. But procrastination is a habit hard to drop. So, today's post is  'Star Climber' (watercolor, 14x11") -painted a few years ago. I learn something new every time I pick up my brushes to paint. I still vividly remember that I was delighted to discover the power of  'artistic freedom' to change and imagine my own background for the clematis.  I really wish I can instinctively carry over the lessons I learn learn from one session to the next.  

Today I came across a series of short but informative  'artworks' videos on How Stuff Works. The topics range from The Last Supper, Van Gogh to Lava Artists in Hawaii. Watching, studying, and reading about art is both an excuse to postpone my own painting and acquire new ideas and insights. And when I do get to painting, its exciting to try out and uncover my version of those ideas and insights. Happy results though are not always guaranteed!