This is the portrait of my grandmother. Till now this has been the toughest portrait to pencil-sketch. But I love the end result. My mom says that it looks pretty real. So I am happy!!

- Shalini

A watercolor painting from me this time.

Day 1: March 18

This is from my friend Preethi’s photograph… She had clicked a snap when her husband and her little son were reading a book… Dad and son ‘reading’ a book.. Atul is just 8 months old. I loved it so much that I thought I should probably try to paint the pic. If it comes out well, then.. well… the completed picture shall also be uploaded. Otherwise I will pull this one down too; and try such things only with pics of people we don’t know. I don’t want to hurt a friend!!

Update 1: March 19:

Here is today’s updated painting. I am taking this one slow.. Partly because I can’t sit for a long time trying to paint. It is too exhausting. So today also, it is a Work-in-Progress!! This time instead of scanning the painting, I took a snap of it.

Update 2: March 20:

Photograph

Scanned

 Today again, I didn’t complete the painting. I added a lot of detail to it, which took me some time and concentration. By then it was evening and I didn’t really want to continue painting in artificial light. So tomorrow it would be!!

I have reached the most difficult portion of it all. The hair!!! There are so many shades in it! I am terrified of even starting to paint it!

I have uploaded both the photographed and scanned versions of the latest; since by the time I completed today’s work, it was evening, and I didnt have good light to take a photograph in.. Well, turns out that even in that light, a photograph looks better than a scan

Update 3: March 21: COMPLETE

Yippeee!! I have completed the painting finally! Not bad!! I would have had no guts to do this, had I not joined up the EDM group. And then, I just let myself indulge a bit – with the decision that I wouldn’t worry about what the end result shall be! I have a good feeling about this one now (Go Me!!)

Thanks to the weekend in between, I couldn’t really uploaded the completed painting, though I finished it on Saturday!

Thanks to ALL of you who had been following up with my progress, and for encouraging me all through!

- Shalini

Today I sketched one more face into my Facebook. 2B, 4B and HB pencils. Using 4B is a bit tough on small sized sketchpads. So at many places I had to use a Q-Tip to shade up sharp lines.

I am enjoying this self challenge!! I hope my friends are able to identify the faces though..

- Shalini

Portrait upload today. I followed the instructions from Nina Johansson’s website and made a small sketchbook. I decided to call it my Facebook, since I intend to fill it up with faces. Though they would be small and quick, it would give me a chance of practicing quick facial portraits.

The first picture I drew was of a dear friend – Vibha. Sketched with 2B and 4B pencils.

- Shalini

Just yesterday it was sunny and cheerful. And today it had to rain! As I sat near my window looking at the droplets on the branches of the tree outside, I noticed that the higher branches actually have developed small buds for new leaves of the season! So yeaahhhh!! Spring is really close!

- Shalini

I was enjoying the bright sunlight, looking out of my window. Almost all of the snow is gone.. I hope it doesn’t snow more. Well, even if it does, how long will it!!? So cheers!! I noticed my neighbor enjoying the sun too.. Though you still have to wear your jackets, it certainly looks more cheerful today..

I loved painting the cheer. So this is my first journal entry of any kind, with a splash of colors. So what if it is a bit skewed..?

- Shalini

This is my version of Wigs and Manequin Heads painting, the original picture of which was put up by Karin Jurick for Different Strokes by Different Folks. It was fun trying it out. Though initially I thought that maybe I will go ahead and slowly paint to match the picture, soon enough, with the kind of peppy music that I was painting with, I just had my own ideas for the backdrop and colors. Finally though, I amvery  happy with what I could turn it into..

- Shalini