Day 3 - 30 Paintings in 30 days - Orange

Juicy Orange with its reflection! To make it interesting, in my setup I placed a glass on the cloth and then the Orange. It was fun to paint the reflection. And now I am ready to make Orange juice!

Available - contact me at preranap@hotmail.com for purchasing information.

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Orange - 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Code# PK_13_022
Available here

Day 2 - 30 Paintings in 30 days - Watermelon

Quench your thirst with this juicy watermelon!

We have an "ant attack" at home. So after I set up this still life, I had hard time preventing ants to crawl even nearby the setup.

I am doing a small series of fruits as you might have guessed. Lets see what I can do tomorrow...

All paintings are for sale, contact me for purchasing information on preranap@hotmail.com.

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Watermelon - 6 x 6 inches, Oil on Canvas panel

Code# PK_13_021
Available here

Calla Trio

I am teaching one day workshop this Saturday to a group of friends. Painting a Vase with flowers was requested for this painting project. We wanted something simple and identified a photo from Wetcanvas Reference Library that seemed simple to do. So this is how the completed painting will look like:

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Calla Trio - 12x16 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

 Reference Photo from Wetcanvas Library:

Wild Strawberry Bloom - SOLD

In our backyard there was a very small plant of Strawberry and the gardner cleaned the rest. Between spring and now the whole empty patch is covered with this plant and it even has mini strawberries! Few plants still have such blooms and that inspired me to paint this on one of my mini canvas. This is #3 in the itty bitty series of paintings. It can be displayed on a mini canvas on a small easel or can be used as a christmas ornament!
Let me know how you like it.

Wild Strawberry Blossom - 3x3 inches, oil on canvas

SOLD

Contact me if you would like to have one of these. The other 2 in this series are:

Pansy - 3x3 inches, Oil on Canvas
http://celebrations-ppk.blogspot.com/2013/07/pansy.html



Tulip - Pink or Purple - 3x3 inches, Oil on Canvas
http://celebrations-ppk.blogspot.com/2012/01/tulip-pink-or-purple.html

Desert Tune

Imagine warm, but crisp fresh air... a Desert Tune being played... and far away there is a caravan of camels crossing the desert in this sand dune setting! And now look at the painting... don't you think you have already reached your destination!?

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Desert Tune - 11x14 inches, Oil on canvas panel

 By the way, I got the reference image from the weekly challenge on Wetcanvas online artist community. Click on this link to see reference images and the challenge if anyone is interested in following:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1321114
It was hard to choose an image for reference since all of them are so good. But I setteled for this sand dune, since it reminded me of the trip to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on sand dunes. We had sooo much fun there, there was no sign of any vegetation and everywhere there were big and small sand dunes. We spent hours climbing the sand dune and then rolling down and then back again. Fun fun...
Normally I should have posted a picture at 2 hours into the painting, but I lost track of time as I did a little bit in the mornings over three days. I believe it must have taken me about 6 hours.

Blue Camas Lily Fields

I haven't seen the real beauty of these fields in person. But the photo was so beautiful that I was tempted to paint it. I found the photo reference in Wetcanvas Reference Images.
This feels like a perfect place to go and relax or have a nice picnic or go on a hike!

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Blue Camas Lily Fields - 11x14 inches, Oil on canvas panel

Down the Shady Path

I painted this from Susan Sarback's book titled - Capturing Radiant Light & Color. It had been long time I had not tried out any demo from this book, so it was fun doing it.
After finishing and signing the painting, I felt I should have painted the first tree on the right, a little more shady; Painted a man sleeping under that tree with a basket on his side; and a few monkeys on tree with caps on. It would be a perfect illustration of the story "Cap seller and the Monkeys". Do you know this story? Ok, see the painting first and I have the story below it for you to read.

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Down the Shady Path - 8x10 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Here's the story:  Cap seller and the Monkeys
Once a cap-seller was going to sell his caps in a village market. He was going through a forest. He was carrying a basket of caps on his head. It was very hot and he was tired, so he lay down under a tree to take rest. He put his basket on the ground. He fell asleep.
There were monkeys on that tree. They came down and took the caps. Then they climbed on the tree. When the cap-seller woke up, he was surprised to see that all the caps were gone from the basket. He looked up on the tree and saw monkeys were wearing his caps. He became sad. He thought of a plan. He threw his own cap on the ground. The monkeys also threw down their caps. He collected his caps and went away.
Moral: Wit works where strength fails.

Bird Enjoying Spring

This bird is sitting on a rock and singing spring time song! I painted this landscape for my Oil Painting Class I am currently teaching.
Artisans Winsor and Newton - water mixable oils are used in this painting. I was fun to use a limited palette from the beginner's set - U. Blue, Ali. Crimson, Yellow, White. 

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Bird Enjoying Spring - 14x11 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel



Portrait of Anushka

I wanted to paint a portrait for this year and feel very accomplished. I probably will tweek a little here and there on this painting still, but this is 99.9% finished. Hope you like it and do send me your comments:

Portrait of Anushka - 11x14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Here is how the painting progressed:

Anushka - Stage1

Anushka - Two



Anushka - Three



Anushka - Final

Dew Drops Dream - SOLD

I am dreaming... Early morning as I stepped out in the garden, I felt a refreshing breath. The air was filled with a combination of fragrance from roses and morning mist. I wondered where all the roses are, couldn't see a thing in the mist! As I walked in the direction of the fragrance, suddenly SURPRISE SURPRISE !!.... I was greeted by this beautiful Red Rose bud on my path. I admired the dew drops on it. Extended my arms to bring the Rose bud near me to see the dew drops closely. OH NO!.. a thorn pricked me on my finger and I was AWAKE. The garden quickly vanished from my thoughts and I hurried to get ready for a full working day.

But here is the Rose bud of my dream! Isn’t it beautiful?
 

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Dew Drops Dream - 5x7 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD

This time I made sure to take pictures of my process:
Below is Stage 1 - the underpainting...

Dew Drops Dream - 5x7 inches, STAGE 1

 Next is Stage 2 - adding local colors

Dew Drops Dream - 5x7 inches, STAGE 2

 Stage 3 - Refining and adding variations to stage 2.

Dew Drops Dream - 5x7 inches, STAGE 3

Stage 4 is the final stage - adding more variations, highlights, I added the dew drops in this stage. See the very first picture of the final painting.

A Glimpse of the Beach City

The air is sultry, noise level is high, hustle and bustle of people, and gray atmosphere could make someone dizzy. Nevertheless, against all odds, this is a city of opportunity – the commercial and entertainment capital of India – Mumbai. To balance out the “dizziness” there is this vast ocean where one can take a deep breath, look at the horizon and feel the promising air – a definite assurance of a bright future! So friends here is an attempt to capture a glimpse of the beach city.

Enjoy!

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A Glimpse of the Beach City - 8x10 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Common Coot with its Young

With this painting I have a riddle for you all. The young one of Duck is called Duckling, young of Hen is called Chick... Now here is a Common Coot - whats its young called? You can post your answers in the comments...
Spring is fast approaching, in US the official start of spring is on 20th March. So as you must have guessed, spring time is the inspiration for this painting.

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Common Coot with its Young - 16x20 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

MetroCity - Mumbai Coastline

It always amazes me - tall buildings right next to ocean... This is an attempt to capture Mumbai coastline from a distance.

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MetroCity - Mumbai Coastline - 8x10 inches, Oil on Canvas panel

Did you like it?

The Beach, The People and some Fresh Air

A walk on the beach, that ocean breeze is always refreshing. And when you meet your friends there, it could be all the more fun. You come back home light hearted!
I have been trying to get a crowd of people on the beach for some time. Here is another attempt...
Hope you like it!

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The Beach, The People and some Fresh Air - 8x10 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Tulip - Pink or Purple? - SOLD

Here's a miniature experiment - 3 x 3 inches oil painting. I thought I will finish this painting in a breeze. But no.. I realized that it is in reality harder to paint on such a small surface and so takes quite some time. I completed this in about 2 hours. And yet could not do it "alla prima" (- i.e wet on wet painting that is done in one single session). I could not manage to get straight 2 hours sitting time. I am itching to try this technique sometime...

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Tulip - Pink or Purple? - 3x3 inches, Oil on Canvas

SOLD

A Paradise of Coconut Palms - from Goa, India

This painting is done from my own collection of photos. It took me down the memory lane. Fun times! - my Husband and I went on a trip to Goa. On the way to one of the beaches, we passed this paradise of Coconut Palms. Needless to mention, we stopped there to take a picture! :)

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A Paradise of Coconut Palms - 11 x 14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Hope you like it! Your comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

The Playful Prints - SOLD

We go to the beach, for us the Pacific Ocean is the closest. But almost all the year round the water is very very cold - ice cold. Even the idea of dipping the feet in the waves gives a very cold feeling. But still looking at the magnificent ocean, the rythmic sound of waves, the fresh open breeze... how can one come back without experiencing the waters - at least by getting the feet wet in that chilly waters of the ocean !? This is the moment I wanted to capture in my painting... waiting for the first wave to hit on your feet, but at the same time moving a bit backwards as the wave is approaching. There is an excitement in that freezing cold feeling and once the first wave hits, it becomes a play to move forward in the sand as the wave leaves... and then move backwards as the wave comes again. Look down at your feet, and there is a pattern of your own footprints - very interesting.

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The Playful Prints - 11 x 14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD

Life is Wonderful

Looking at this fresh rose bud, I remember the quote by Albert Einstein:
“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.”

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Life is Wonderful - 8x10 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel 

Fiery Sunset on the Pacific

The sunset came on the Pacific with kind of a fire in the sky. Interestingly it lasted for barely a few minutes and the sky was dark. I felt lucky to take a picture and then paint at home at my leisure. One day I hope to do plein air i.e painting live outdoors.

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Fiery Sunset on the Pacific - 9x12 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

Ducks at Sunset - SOLD

Friends, here's another one from few weeks ago. Again the photo really doesn't do justice, the actual painting is much more bright. This one was painted as a wedding gift and absolutely fun to paint!

Ducks at Sunset - 16x20 inches, oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD - Commissioned painting for wedding