Thursday, January 5, 2017

Art on Wall




I had painted this half of the living room wall in teal a couple of years ago. Recently, we got some new furniture for the living room and I wanted the wall to have a new look. I did not want to spend too much money on it but at the same time I wanted to make it personal. Since I knew how to draw and paint I decided to create a mural. It was a little daunting but a practical and commonsense approach made it manageable with a happy end result. Here is how I did it:

1. Since the wall was already painted blue, I decided to paint the mural in white. I used motifs and images that could be easily scaled up. At the same time, I avoided geometric or repeat designs to save on time. I used motifs that I am comfortable drawing such as flowers, leaves and birds. If you are starting with a white wall, you may want to paint your mural in many colors. 


Details



2. I used ordinary craft paints (FolkArt) since they are not messy (unlike house paints) and are washable with water. Which meant that if any part of the mural did not come out the way I wanted, I simply wiped it off using a damp paper towel and painted over again. 



I used wax paper as the palette for the paint. It is cheap, easily available and disposable.




3. I used charcoal pencils to loosely draw the various elements. Charcoal pencil drawings, again, can be removed with a damp paper.

4. I used inexpensive round brushes in various sizes. It is good to have 1-2 smaller sizes (0-2) for adding details. A liner brush can also come handy. You can find inexpensive set in the art aisle of any craft store.



5. Finally, what helped me most was the thought that I was creating art not on the ceiling of Sistine Chapel but just on a little corner of my living room. I only had to please myself. 

I hope you feel inspired to create your own art on wall. If you feel unsure, start small in an area that is not too visible. Experiment with designs and colors and see what works and what does not. Once you feel comfortable, go big.

Thanks for visiting.









Sunday, January 1, 2017

Sparkle




On new year's eve, the temple stays open till midnight to herald the new year. Celebrating the start of a new year at a temple is something many Hindus do. Last night,  I went with my husband and daughter to the Venkateshwara temple at Bridgewater, New Jersey to ring in the new year. As we came out to the car I stopped for a minute to capture this image. 


Thanks for stopping by.

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Happy New Year!



Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017! 

Art work done on black vinyl cloth using Prisma neo pastels. Linked to Paint Party Friday

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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Best Nine on Instagram!


It is always interesting to note which ones get most likes. Some of these are my favorite too!

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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Super Moon of December 2016



On December 13, last of the three Super Full Moon of 2016 occurred. According to Indian astrology, the area of the sky lit by this moon is known as Mrigashirsha (meaning: deer's head) located in the constellation of Orion. I particularly enjoy illustrating astrnomical phenomenon, especially those relating to the Moon. I did a quick illustration of this one using vinyl chalkboard and Prisma Neo pastels. I started simply with a bright full moon and the trees cast in dark silhouette but when it seemed incomplete I added the deer behind the Moon. Somehow, the deer seemed to add to our knowledge of this super Moon. Maybe it is just my fancy.

Thanks for visiting.

Linked to Paint Party Friday. Thanks to Kristin and Eve for hosting.
Linked to Art Journal Journey (darkness and light)
Linked to Moo-Mania  (Trees)

Monday, December 12, 2016

Reindeer Days




Lots of doodles decorate this reindeer in a festive red and green backdrop right in time for the holidays. I used micron pens and Pitts brushes for the artwork. The collage is made of vintage music sheet (of Jingle Bells song) and scrap paper.


I finished another pouch with lots of doodles drawn and painted. Photos below.







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