Illustration Friday: 'Journey'

(click to enlarge)

Mixing up some Shakespeare and the Indian Railways :) For me, train travel beats everything else! I'm yet to meet a cute boy on a train though :P

Coco

Illustration Friday: 'Bottled' 2

This was the result of googling 'bottled' and coming up with the craziest hit.....the 'bottled' city of Kandor, apparently the capital city of Krypton. Superman trivia crash course :D And the idea of a bottled city! Too cool :) I tried to imagine a quaint Cinque Terre-like village inside it's own bottled world :) 

Illustration Friday: 'Bottled'

(all reference pics from Getty)

Just some quick sketches of bottles (perfume and otherwise) and glass jars, to experiment with two things: (i) painting glass, which I've never attempted because of some stupid artistic fear, and (ii) trying out watercolour pencils, which suprised me with their brilliance :)

Happy accidents all around. I'm loving the learning experience :) and my first time making two submissions for a single topic! Here's a start.   

I NEED a dog. Soon.

Illustration Friday: 'Duet'

I had another idea for the topic, which I will do later, hopefully :) But Wall-E was playing on TV and I couldn't resist a very hastily-done scene :) CANNOT get enough of this movie. Period. :)

Transplendence

The first time I heard a performance of Angela Ahn's was on the unplugged version of 18 til' I die...that video has some serious move-you-beyond-the-limit-of-music power! Then recently I came across an old performance she gave with her sisters (The Ahn Trio) at TEDWomen talks. I love how they move and get absorbed in the performance. Music like this makes me want to slap myself for not listening to as many classical peices as I'd like to.

P.S. A first attempt at flesh tones in watercolour...it's all about keeping the layers at a minimum, I'm coming to learn :) anyone's got tips on painting skin in watercolour? Would appreciate it!

Illustration Friday: 'Toy'

I was more of a toy to Strawbella than she was to me. She beat out the competition from my crazy collection of 13 Barbies and consumed half my childhood as my favourite doll.

I think it had something to do with her scented dress and strawberry-shaped purse...or maybe it was the way she came into my life. The day before my 8th (or 9th?) birthday, I spotted her in the only big toy shop in Vellore (the now extinct Nataraj...sigh) and pleaded in vain with Mum to buy it. But no, my parents had already gotten me a dress...frilly pink! God knows how I wore pink in my youth! :)...so a doll was ruled out. I tried not to cry and ruin my day, but vivid dreams of this doll with a gorgeous red dress hardly helped with the sleep.

The next day I woke up teary-eyed to the traditional birthday breakfast table of cake and flowers. But in the midst of all the hibiscus from our graden, there she sat. Strawbella.

I nearly died of happiness. And have since loved my parents a little bit more hahaha :D 

Illustration Friday: 'Cultivate'

(click to make picture beeeg-er!)

The first thing I thought of was Totoro helping Satsuki and Mei magically cultivate those acorns! :D One of my favourite scenes from the movie... Studio Ghibli love all over again! :) 

Happiness is a stencil effect

I had to make someone pink, and Mr. Starr fit the bill :)