Impression of wonderful coorg morning

This is a scene from our last trip to Coorg, walking through coffee plantation and to know arabica and Robusta coffee from our guide nithin and lead to wonderful scenic view where elephants known to bath, and the morning was fantastic with friends and kids which echoed comradery. This is been a while gathering with friends who are known to be buddies of lifetime.

I started off with value pencil sketch of the scene from photograph taken during the visit, and it worked. Later stretched 270gsm paper to board and worked on it. 30-40 mins before my younger koido wakes up finished almost, and baby wakes up. One hand baby and on right hand brush balanced to make final touches to it.

Later mounted on IKEA RÖDALM frame.

Mid year paintings

Most of the paintings has been completed in studio itself. The subject chosen is in and around Bangalore, which has become second home.

USK Kochi Meetups

Like everyone else, life wasn’t exactly easy during COVID. For more than a year, my job meant working with unfamiliar faces from different places—meeting virtually, day after day. It became incredibly convenient and efficient. You could almost forget there was a world beyond the screen… even family at times, ha ha.

But for an aspiring artist, breathing inside four walls isn’t enough. Creativity needs open air, changing light, real conversations, and shared silence. I believe that’s how USK Kochi was born—almost suddenly, yet at the perfect time. Kudos to the founders for creating such a meaningful space.

The primary goal is to encourage outdoor painting—en plein air. Artists from different genres come together to sketch, connect, and learn from one another. There’s immense joy and an overwhelming sense of inspiration in this evolving community, slowly shaping a culture that will surely elevate skills and artistic vision in the years to come.

I’ve been fortunate to get a few opportunities to sketch with them, and each experience has been truly enriching.

Childhood Memory of our playground | watercolor

Watercolor on chitrapat, coldpressd 270gsm paper

Quick Watercolor Demo | Watercolor Tutorials | Quick Painting

Good if you have these Art Supplies

Urban Scapes

Watercolor on 400gsm paper

After a short gap practicing watercolor . Quick painting of workplace from photo reference taken last day.

Munnar Boating

Watercolor on 440gsm Handmade paper

Quite impressive paper. Dries very steadily. Collected from itsy bitsy store near HSR Bangalore.

Highlights

Remembering Kodungallur Bharani

Watercolor on fabriano

Trials in the bottom. Final one looks way better than the trials. :p. For more read previous Post.

value painting 1

Postcard Size

Remembering Kodungallur Bharani: Postcard size Painting

Neighbourhood from hometown turns red in the month of March. The annual festival at the Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy temple situated at Kodungallur in Thrissur district is known as the Kodungalloor Bharani. 

value painting 1

value painting 2

The festival usually starts with a ritual called ‘Kozhikkallu moodal’ which involves the sacrifice of cocks and shedding of their blood, which forms an important feature of this temple.

Devotee in red after rituals

Devotees seem to be very aggressive visually after the rituals. Witnessed the festival every year from 2006 to 2010 hence it is located enroute to my college. Will be trying a large size painting  very soon.