Orange Rose

I love Roses and after finishing up the previous Yellow Rose, I set out to create a series of Roses - all on 8x10 inches size. So I chose Orange, which is the color of Energy, Joy and Creativity. Hopefully I will continue with my series further with different color Roses... Lets see how many I could do this year...

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Orange Rose, 8x10 inches, Watercolor on 140 lb Coldpress Watercolor paper

Code# PK_19_006 

Available - Click Here

White Plumeria Duet

It had been long that I painted a White Flower. I browsed through all my saved reference pictures and this White Plumeria appealed the best at the time. So cropped the picture and this time I thought I would create it on paper glued to canvas. I will eventually varnish the  painting before I send it over to frame it. The framing for this painting will not required glass. I am thinking a floater frame would be the best option, but there may be other frames that would work good too!

I used Golden Soft Gel on one of the 12x12 inch Canvas boards I had. Then carefully pressed the paper all over it so that there wouldn't be bubbles or uneven patches. Once the surface was ready, I did the drawing. Then started playing with colors. Hope you like it!

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White Plumeria Duet - 12 x 12 inches, Watercolor on 140lb coldpress Arches Paper

Code# PK_19_003 

Available - Click Here

Blue Iris

Wanted to paint in blue for a longest time. Did this painting back in May and did not upload it. Now catching up with posts on my blog, posting stuff that I missed earlier this year!!

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Blue Iris, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on 140lbs coldpress Arches Paper

Code# PK_18_004
Available - Click Here

Waterlily Reflections 2 - SOLD

This is my first post of the year 2018. Feeling quite a bit behind compared to previous years. But this year I took up the fitness challenge rather than painting challenge. So I am finding it challenging to balance the daily routine with good sleep, fitness and painting.
In December, I had painted a pink Waterlily and had several reference pictures, so felt the urge to paint another one with its little baby too.
It was fun to come up with all different shades of greens. The Pink really stands out among all those greens and blue!!

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Code# PK_18_001
SOLD - preranap@hotmail.com

More paintings and Fine art prints are available here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/preranap

Spirit of Holidays - Poinsettia

Feeling Red... is all I can say, this turned out pretty interesting. I am considering to do a larger version of this painting eventually. I finished this in about 3 days on and off doing demo in my booth at Sawdust Art Festival, Winter fantasy 2017. I one point I was so much engrossed painting this that a lady had to call me few times to ask me pricing on my Greeting cards... Not a good situation while at the booth, but otherwise I was pretty watchful of people stopping by and was talking to them. Sometimes getting up and showing them rest of my work. Many people stopped by just to see the process and to ask questions. Below are some more pictures with me doing the painting as well.

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Spirit of Holidays - Poinsettia, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on 300lbs Coldpress Arches paper

Code# PK_17_019 

Available - contact me - preranap@hotmail.com

Booth demo at Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy 2017

My Booth at Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy 2017

Welcome Spring

My friend posted quite a few wonderful pictures of hummingbird on her facebook. One of them I liked so much that I asked her if I could use her photo as inspiration for my painting. I had never painted hummingbird before and there were striking Gulmohar kind of flowers along with it!! So it was a must to paint this. We recently celebrated Holi and with that in mind, the background became Holi like.

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Welcome Spring, 11x15 inches, Watercolor on Archespaper, 300lbs Coldpress

Code# PK_17_011
Available - contact me - preranap@hotmail.com

Soul Searching Rose

In my last post I mentioned that I am ready to move on to a different color. Sure enough, I tried, but had to use some hints of PINK, This pink color is called Opera Pink and is available in Winsor and Newton Artists color. I could not do without it.
As always I am working on catching the light effects on the flower. The original background of my reference picture was different and so was the flower. But I used my artistic license to make it look the way it is.
For those who know Marathi language - the song that I was thinking about was - Tya phulanchaya Gandhakoshi.... I love the song!!

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Soul Searching Rose, 22x30 inches, Watercolor on Arches 300lb coldpress paper

Code# PK_17_007
Available - email preranap@hotmail.com for more info

(I am entering this painting for a juried exhibition, so for about couple months I will not be able to sell it)

30in30_Jan2017_Day18 Pristine White - Plumeria - SOLD

Now this was a challenging one I thought, white on white paper! I pushed the darks more darker and for the light, gave a thin wash of yellow. At some places I left the white of the paper to show through. The flower looked quite ugly in the beginning stages. But after I started doing the background, it all started to make sense.
White is the color that represents purity in many cultures. But did you know that white flowers have a much more stronger fragrance than the bright and colored flowers?

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Pristine White - Plumeria, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_17_005

SOLD
A fine art print can be made available on request - contact me - preranap@hotmail.com

Check out my etsy website for more paintings - https://www.etsy.com/shop/preranap

30in30_Jan2017_Day16 An Orange Miracle - Plumeria

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein

What do you believe? I think everything is a miracle - including the creation of this Orange Plumeria painting !! When I got started, it was a blank white paper and to be honest it was quite intimidating to think what will come out of it... Nevertheless, I put some pencil marks based on the photo reference I had of the Orange Plumeria. Then for planning the light and shadows, I put in my first color statements as light and dark colored brush strokes. By then, I was in the flow and was more confident on what colors I am choosing. I didn't finish the painting in one sitting, worked on it for at least three days, as and when I was able to set my time aside. But I had the painting in my mind's eye already, so it was not hard to make good progress each time I sat down for painting. Of course there were times that I kept working on a certain area, over and over, until I thought I would ruin the painting. But at that point, I miraculously stopped and worked on another part to get some overall progress. That's how the painting process is for me, some parts flow real smooth and on others I feel I am pulling my hair out.
So Yes, I do believe everything is a miracle, including this little orange gem !!

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An Orange Miracle - Plumeria, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_17_004
Available - Click Here

A larger size print can be made available on request - contact me on preranap@hotmail.com

30in30_Jan2017_Day11 Pink Plumeria Duet

This is my third Plumeria painting in a row...and they have been singing for me... have been obsessed with this color and also have been trying out different colors for the dark shadow colors. In this one, I experimented with blue as a dark shadow color on the plumeria petals. Specially on the left side flower, notice that I used a hint of blue for each shadow on the petals. I loved how it adds a drama on the painting as a whole!!

Also see below progress shots of how I painted this one!!

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Pink Plumeria Duet, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on Arches paper

Code# PK_17_003
Available - Click Here

Fine art print of each of my watercolors can be made available on request. Contact me: preranap@hotmail.com

30in30_Jan2017_Day04_PinkPlumeriaObsession

The pink of the earlier big Plumeria painting was still fresh in my palette. Obsessed with the pink plumeria, I love the color. Very attractive and pleasing to the eye!!
Too many things going on for me currently, so I have decided to focus on painting everyday, even if it is for a less time, rather than going crazy over finishing a painting. I am loving this pace, and hoping that it will continue the whole year rather than just this 30 days in Jan.

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Pink Plumeria Obsession, 6x6 inches, Watercolor on Arches paper

Code# PK_17_002
Available - Click Here

Backlit Plumeria Medley

Posting this couple days late since I go busy with end of the year festivities.
After doing a series of small watercolor florals during the year, I wanted to conclude with a bigger watercolor painting in 2016. So I picked out a reference picture which turned out to be quite complex for me. This reference picture had backlit pink plumeria buds and blossoms and quite a few of them.
I finished the painting one section at a time and then finally did value adjustments when I had covered all the paper area. In watercolor painting, it is very hard to wipe off dark paint and put a lighter color note on it. This took me sometime to carefully change things around, but I did it!!
Love how it came out and phew... got it done before 31st!!
 

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Backlit Plumeria Medley, 16x22 inches, Watercolor on Arches paper

Code# PK_16_024 

SOLD 
Fine art print available upon request, contact me - preranap@hotmail.com

Delightful Orange Rose

During my last Art showing in Allergan Holiday Boutique (Nov 30), a lady came up to me and asked if I have an Orange Rose painting. She wanted Orange Rose specifically because her mom used to love Orange Rose. After I came back from the show, it was on the back of my mind to create an Orange Rose. Luckily we had been to Huntington Gardens in Pasadena recently and I had ample photo references of Orange Rose. That was my inspiration to create this painting!!

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Delightful Orange Rose, 6x8 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_16_023
Available - Click Here

My First Poinsettia - SOLD

I haven't posted since August!! Didn't realize that it was so long.. For a while I was busy sharpening my sketching skills. Then for about a month, I was training for the Century miles bicycly ride to San Diego. Then after that, just about a month focused more on the Kathak Dance recital coming up.

Now finally back to my studio and in the spirit of Christmas, pulled out a Poinsettia photo reference to paint. The first couple days I found it hard to sit, but quickly got into the flow as I was about half way there. Loved doing the light effects and how each leaf unfolded. I feel each leaf has its own dance and yet they all stand together as if in a dance pose !!

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My First Poinsettia, 8x10 inches. Watercolor on Arches paper

Code# PK_16_022 

SOLD 

An Art print can be made available on request, 

contact me - preranap@hotmail.com

Desert Yellow Jewel

I had taken a picture of this bloom in spring break during a bicycle ride with my daughter. These cactus blooms are amazing in our area and they come in different colors too. I like to call them desert jewels because really they make the raw scenery of the desert so charming !!

The speciality of this piece is that I have the painting is on watercolor paper,  pasted on a board. I will be varnishing this to protect the painting. Then it can be mounted and framed without glass, just as any oil painting. Normally watercolor painting is always framed with glass and either you have to buy an expensive non glare glass with the frame OR just be happy with bit of glare. In this case the painting will be seen without glass and I think it adds to the beauty. I have some deckled edge on the paper too, it will look fabulous in a floater frame!!

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Desert Yellow Jewel - 12x12 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_16_021

 Available - contact preranap@hotmail.com

Day 2 - 30 in 30 Challenge Jan 2016 - Happily Hanging

This year "no theme" is going to be my theme for the challenge :).
Well the first one took longer, so I thought I will be able to catch up by painting 2 watercolor paintings in a day. But guess what.. it didn't happen!
Completed one and half finished the second. I do have in mind to paint at least 12 floral watercolor paintings - so that I can add them to my notecards collection! So here is a flower I really liked from wetcanvas.com reference library. Don't know its name, but I loved how it is happily hanging upside down!!

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Happily Hanging - 7x5 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_16_002

Available - Click Here

PS: If you know the name of this flower, do write to me in comments...
A larger sized print can be made available on request - preranap@hotmail.com

Glowing Hibiscus

Painting in watercolors is my childhood passion and I love painting flowers. This painting is inspired by the great American Painter - Georgia O'Keeffe.

"When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else."
Georgia O'Keeffe
American Painter

Glowing Hibiscus, 7x5 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_15_049

Available - Click here

Morning Glory

I came back from walking our dog in the morning, opened our backyard door to get in. Right behind the door in a dark corner, I saw this flower shining bright - back lit by fresh morning sun. I couldn't resist taking a picture! I tried some different ways to get texture in the background, wasn't quite happy. However a good learning experience!

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Morning Glory, 5 x 7 inches, Watercolor on Arches Paper

Code# PK_15_046

Available - click here

Exotic Pink Plumeria

Flowers are my favorite for painting and this exotic Pink Plumeria caught my attention while browsing through reference pictures for painting. I liked the play of light and shadow on the flower. In my painting I tried to paint this light and shadow on the flower.

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Exotic Pink Plumeria - 7 x 11 inches, Watercolor on Arches paper

Code# PK_15_043

Available Here

In different cultures, there is different symbolic meaning for Plumeria flowers and it was interesting to read from ehow:

Hawaiian Meaning
For Hawaiians, plumeria represents perfection and the bond between everything good. In addition, plumeria is the symbol of new life, springtime and re-creation of the nature.

Chinese Meaning
In China, plumeria flowers are tokens of love. Chinese consider plumerias even more precious than orchids.

Hindu Meaning
In Hindu culture, plumeria flowers represent loyalty, and young brides wear plumerias in their hair on their wedding day to show their loyalty to their new husbands.

Vietnamese Meaning
In Vietnam, plumeria is the flower of the educated and westernized upper class. Therefore, plumeria flowers are used to show status in society.

Day 21 - 30 Paintings in 30 days Jan 2014 - From a Bee's Eye View

It had been long time since I worked with watercolors and I was tempted to paint my favorite subject - flowers. This time it is a view I presume bees or butterflies would be able to see through their eyes as they fly for honey towards the center of the flower. It turned out to be very soft colors, I like it!

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From a Bee's Eye View - 6 x 8 inches, Watercolor on Arches paper