Traditional Art in Pencil

I am a huge fan of all things artistic. Specially if they have tradition attached to it. I havent learned any form of it till date, but I do dream of learning some before it is not too late. But to draw something traditional, I thought I need not wait till I get the formal education. So I set forward to do some traditional art in the form I best know - Pencils. So thats how the picture below was born out of my hand.

The original has been beautifully done in Kalamkari by a very talented fellow blogger. You can find this wonderful artist and her fabulous works of traditional Indian art at http://mathu-art-adventure.blogspot.com/

Sketching my way

Of late, I have been into some amount of sketching. So here I go to record it to check on later if I am making any progress at all in this department. :)

The first of it is a very English house that had filled my imagination as a kid when I used to read all those very English novels. Looking at this house in the latest book I read drew me to sketch this one for a keepsake.

The Dream English / American House

Art in the Cooking List

The second on the list is a list itself. Looking at it for the first time delighted me at the creativity of the artist. Yes, I am only a copy-ist. Well, I added some ingredients to the list but a look at it will say for the original artist. I dont know who the original artist is but I found it on the web with a googling for the grocery list art image. The original image can be found here. Truly creative. My thanks to the original creator if whoever it is, is hearing. Thank You very much.

 This boogie needs a special mention. Yes, this is the original one from which the below sketch was born. Not that I can pride about it in any way. But this original does need a mention, that it was created by a 93 year old. What say?? Isnt it inspiring to find such people who can create such wonderful pieces of art with what might be a lot of energy for them.

This is my humble dedication to the young mind of the creator of this masterpiece in wood.

Knitting Adventures of the Past

This post is to inspire myself from my long hiatus in knitting. And to create a library of sorts for the projects I have done so far.

The first project that I knitted was the Calorimetry from Knitty.com which was done under the able guidance of my knitting teacher Ms. Heather of the Denver Public Library. Worn around the head to suit heads with long hair, this is one project that was made easy even for a beginner.

The second project was for knitting in the round. I have no idea where this project came from, but the end product suited the cold Denver weather very much. I still have one more skein of this yarn and currently working on a matching head gear but taking a hell lot of time in deciding what to do. Even after deciding on something, I am unknitting more that actually knitting. Phew!!

My first glove project and till date the only one and truly the most useful thing I have knitted for myself, having worn it even in Chennai.. Hold on.. Of course in the office under the ice cold air conditioning that my colleagues loved and I despised. This one introduced me to double pointed needles and I am sure that is the scariest things I have handled in knitting till date. If I am any less scared today, credit goes to Heather.





My first test scarf which had a combination of basic patterns that I got from the net. Was one cool project but am sure would have looked better in a brighter colour. So that was the lesson learnt from this one.








This beanie cap went in doubles for the Knitting for our Troops which was organised by the Denver Public Library. Happy to think that it should have helped in keeping somebody warm, though I might have my own opinion on wars that has become a part of daily life in many parts of the world.

Finally.. The one hat I had knitted all by myself without any pattern in hand. Having made the mistake of not writing it down, I now have only a vague idea of how I did this in 2008. But I am informed by my friend that it serves the purpose well for the junior for whom I had knit it then. So that makes up for the forgotten pattern. As long as the product is put to good use. :)

The Knitting Adventure

Knitting. The new old thing that I have started doing again. Being a knitting novice, I embarked myself to knit something completely on my own. With the basic knit and purl stitches, I tried to do something for my mobile phone and it ended up something like this. Too snug.. But well.. not bad either.

So here goes my first post on this age old craft that I learnt almost 3 years back in Denver. My instructors were the wonderful duo Ms. Heather and Ms. Janie. This is my dedication to my gurus. My present guru that clarifies the endless doubts jumping in my head is the guru of all things known to man today. The one your using to read this article. :) Love it..

Should I.. or Should I not...?

Well.. That heading is precisely what has been going on in my head for a long time.. Back in September 2008 I had thought that I will be a regular in the blogging space.. And it turned out to be the exact opposite.. what with coming back to India and starting to work and manage home and all that.. Okay.. Thats the shortest reasoning that could be given to the longest.. (errr.. not so sure..) break.

Now that I want to be back.. I am posting one of my old pencil drawing done in the year 2006.. Just so that I can encourage myself to do more of the same in future also..

Before I embark on new creations, I will post whatever I have done so far in the crafts segment in the days to come..

The Pressed Flower Workshop

So.. I am back after a long hiatus.. not that it was anything intended. just that I suddenly found myself with no time at my disposal.. Anyhow I am sure I am not going to be stuck like that anymore..

Ok.. now coming to my latest fascination in the arts and crafts area - Pressed Flowers. I had the good fortune to attend a pressed frower workshop conducted by the Denver Public Library. I sure enjoyed the experience of learning something new in the world of crafts. Ever since I have been to this workshop, it has taught me to see the regular plants and trees in new light. Anyhow I have already been fascinated by the seasonal changes of these plants and trees in this beautiful country which is more like them speaking a language to the environment around them. It makes me feel their presence more often than I did in the past. The workshop has made me more keen in finding out the wild flowers and leaves that will be made immortal in my craft even if they didnt like me plucking them out of their place.. :)

So.. I hope there will be more of my craft work on display in the future on my space here. The one that I have posted is the first step I took in just putting everything at my disposal on the paper to make my first bookmarks. I hope the next time around there will be more clarity in my work and less of messing up. Well.. Hope is eternal.. ;)

Krishnaarpanam

I thought it should be appropriate for me to start off my blog (Yes, I am one of the latest to join the blogging community) with Bala Krishna, one of our favourite gods who gives us fond memories of our own childhood.. This is a drawing I took a little less than 6 hours to complete within a span of two days. That was after I had almost spent about 6 months just looking at the picture when I offer my daily prayers.. I am sure all you guys must be thinking that this is the heights of procastination.. :) I should agree it is..

There are quite a number of flaws for one with a detailed eye.. but when I did complete the drawing, I was surely happy with the result though it was'nt the best or the most perfect..

And at this point I am surely indebted to my friend Divya of mixtomatch blog for her encouragement. During my recent visit to her blog I came to know of the Purva's Krishna and Ganesh Chaturthi event for which I thought of sending this art of mine..