Happy Accidents!

‘Time and tide wait for none’, if there's one thing I could ask for, it’s more time. There is so much to do and so little time!. I started painting as a hobby when I was little and it was only in the recent past that I started pursuing it again and squeezing time to spend it with my childhood dream.

Browsing through my old paintings, I found these first few oil paintings that I worked on, which are a few years old. A look at them and I see various places of improvement. But it brought me those happy memories of painting them and the creator of this technique – Bob Ross himself with his words echoing ‘we don’t make mistakes, we only have happy accidents’. These works are based on Bob Ross’ wet-on-wet technique. For those of you who haven’t heard his name, he was an American painter known for his calm, patient nature. He came to prominence as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting.

oil on oil paper - 18"x12"

The way he would create his happy world in half an hour is mesmerising. Unlike some of the works over which people fret over and still not get a clue what they are, these are simple and fun. Some may call this a laid-back approach of painting, however in his own words, Bob ross would say " I paint, because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it. Shoot, if you want bad stuff, watch the news."

oil on canvas board - 18"x12"

Especially for those with not much time in their hands, but would want to make the most of it, or for those beginners, I would say this may well be a technique to follow. I might not have been able to hit the half-hour target with these paintings, but I must admit I had absolute fun painting them!

oil on oil paper - 18"x12"

Many artists and art universities might not regard this technique with respect, art investors might claim this is not an investment art, according to Bob ross they do sell as hot cakes and this method of painting has received lot of appreciation around the globe. In my opinion, the important point to note here is believe it or not, this technique of painting has brought a ray of hope to many of those who never thought they would paint one day!, be it due to lack of confidence, time or enthusiasm!!!

oil on oil paper - 12"x18"

Happy painting!

Fairy Peacock...(Card series #7)

Thread work and markers on paper - (5"x7")

This is one of my recent additions to the card series. This is created using threadwork on paper for the centre piece along with some highlights using markers around it to bring out some floral effect.

Happy home and tranquil shore

acrylic on satin fabric - (9" x9")

Satin is a very glossy fabric. To make the fabric firm I coated raw satin with a layer of adhesive and let it dry, before rendering colors. This couple of paintings is inspired by one of my visit to this wonderful cottage and of the shores of Sharavati river in Honnemardu in Karnataka state, Southern India.

acrylic on satin fabric - (8"x8")

Strokes with chinese brush

Chinese ink and watercolor on rice paper (5"x7" each)

I was trying my hands on chinese brushes which are quite different from the normal brushes. The rice paper that's used for chinese paitntings can be challenging, especially while putting strokes with watercolor. These being very thin and semi-transparent, need proper consistency of the paint, else can easily blot. But on the other hand, this can be used to the advantage of creating some special effects or to bring out the effect of field of depth.

Mountain View

Oil on oil paper - (15"x22")

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you...
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.
-John Muir

By the lake

oil on canvas - 35"x24"

Each moment of the year has it's own beauty!

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

I am fascinated by Bob Ross.' works. The way he created mesmerizing works in half hour using his wet-on-wet technique are just amazing. This work is an effort to create a reproduction of Bobross' wet-on-wet technique with minor changes.

Crochet table placement

crochet wool table placement

Here is a very interesting pattern for a table placement. The crux of this pattern lies in the outermost circle where the petal formation takes place, giving it multiple layers. Getting the number of stitches right is also very important to get the correct pattern. Ofcourse, it goes without saying, the primary key to any form of art is PATIENCE! and this one demands a lot of it too!!!

Tea Coaster

Crochet Tea coaster

A perfect blend of colors and intricate designs is very appealing and adds a dash of color to the dining space. Elegant tea coasters are perfect as a gift or in adding value to the interiors. This crochet tea coaster is designed by using variation of Afghan stitch and basic stitches.

Table placement

crocheted wool, Palette collection yarn and thread

When I have remaining bits of yarn, I transform them into table placements very often. These placements can be handy and can never be too many. This piece is crocheted by mix and match of left over yarns. I used white thread so as to aid in blending the two different yarns yet keeping them distict on either sides.

Summer handbag

Crocheted from Palettle collection's yarn

I wanted to try crocheting a bag. These colorful yarns had been lying in my collection for a long time before I gave them some form. This has been accomplished using Afghan stitch and variations of chain stitch. These yarns are colorful and textured in that even basic stitches can give good appearance. However the downside is one would need some prior experience with crocheting else may lead to naughts very easily, making it certainly not the pick for the first time or beginners in crocheting!