tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50628370594868441632024-03-18T18:13:20.428+05:30madras or thereaboutskbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-49355984846706405552015-08-14T18:27:00.003+05:302015-08-14T18:27:59.607+05:30Third workshop and finally.....Colour!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OlXL5-fEL34/Vc3dphfhi5I/AAAAAAAAHAI/NiXsxblbE0U/s1600/USKSING-17-nina-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OlXL5-fEL34/Vc3dphfhi5I/AAAAAAAAHAI/NiXsxblbE0U/s640/USKSING-17-nina-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
An entire week has sped by and I realised I'm only halfway through my workshops. For those of you following my blog closely sorry for the delay! And for those just stepping in here are my previous posts on the symposium:<br />
<a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2015/07/setting-off-for-my-first-urban.html">Part 1</a><br />
<a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2015/07/registration-and-new-friends.html">Part 2</a><br />
<a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2015/07/workshop-with-frank-ching.html">Part 3</a><br />
<a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2015/08/capturing-people-in-action-and-crowds.html">Part 4</a><br />
<br />
The first day's workshops had been entirely pen and ink work. The next morning I was doing <a href="http://singapore2015.urbansketchers.org/programming/workshops/workshop-m-light-in-the-spaces-between-a-watercolor-workshop/">this workshop</a> with Nina Johansson. Given that ink outlines with a watercolour wash is my favourite medium, I was really looking forward to this workshop. <a href="http://www.ninajohansson.se/">Nina's work</a> is terrific.<br />
<br />
The workshop was talking about two things - the first was how light gets eaten up as it comes down into the city, into the urban scene that you are trying to capture. We all know and feel it instinctively but the best way to capture this is by doing tonal studies. So our first exercise was a pencil sketch focussing on which surfaces get light, how the shadows are cast and how gradations happen. Part of it was trying to understand more consciously why one wall is darker at the top and another is darker at the bottom and so on. A good tip at this point was to squint and look at the subject so you see tones and shapes rather than colours and outlines.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtARw4cXMdI/Vc3hv-7PNEI/AAAAAAAAHAg/IqyJKStVyNY/s1600/USKSING-18-nina-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jtARw4cXMdI/Vc3hv-7PNEI/AAAAAAAAHAg/IqyJKStVyNY/s640/USKSING-18-nina-2.jpg" width="386" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The second focus of the workshop was how to paint with bright colours, how to mix darker shades and get gradations within a colour without making it muddy. This part was all about colour mixing. Using the complementary to get a darker shade and not adding black (or white) to change tone. The second exercise was to choose a very simple small subject so that we could focus on pigment mixing, and we were all asked to focus on one building <a href="http://www.ghettosingapore.com/selegie-arts-centre/">The Selegie Arts Centre</a>. It's a peculiar building with a striking form and the colour of the ground floor walls is different to that of the upper floors. So while trying to capture that I didnt quite get any sort of gradation at all!<br />
<br />
And finally we got to do our own watercolour sketch in the last half hour. Subject of our choice but keep in mind the tones and gradations and the nature of light from the first exercise but remember our colour mixing too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1E78QGiLu8/Vc3hwi4Rq9I/AAAAAAAAHAs/EF48p55mw6w/s1600/USKSING-19-nina-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K1E78QGiLu8/Vc3hwi4Rq9I/AAAAAAAAHAs/EF48p55mw6w/s640/USKSING-19-nina-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Choosing my own subject freed me up and I guess I fell back to my usual style but I did try to keep a few points in mind. These 3.5 hour workshops have all been super intense. You are assimilating on the go. I'm hoping a lot of great things I learnt will start showing slowly in my sketches to come but all in all I really liked the structure of this workshop and the two previous exercises came together to make perfect sense in the third.<br />
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-91277344666387530852015-08-06T19:02:00.000+05:302015-08-06T19:02:08.777+05:30Capturing people in action and crowds <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUdr3oGrQF0/VcNauzkf75I/AAAAAAAAG7c/whxoGg60eAM/s1600/USKSING-10-marc-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUdr3oGrQF0/VcNauzkf75I/AAAAAAAAG7c/whxoGg60eAM/s400/USKSING-10-marc-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Straight after my <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2015/07/workshop-with-frank-ching.html">workshop with Ching</a> I went into an afternoon workshop with <a href="https://citizensketcher.wordpress.com/">Marc Holmes</a>. The focus was on capturing people while they went about their business of doing whatever they do. Essential stuff for urban sketching as you can't ask them to pose for you.<br />
<br />
We started off sketching each other very rapidly trying to capture the "head shape and hairshape" and soon moved on to capturing the hands. Again a handy trick. Get the hands down immediately after the head and then even if they move away you can fill in the rest later!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiJnfXFjvvI/VcNavRS123I/AAAAAAAAG7s/mzTa301MnEY/s1600/USKSING-11-marc-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="443" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xiJnfXFjvvI/VcNavRS123I/AAAAAAAAG7s/mzTa301MnEY/s640/USKSING-11-marc-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
So we were sent off into the market area in front of the chinese temple on waterloo street. In twenty minutes we gathered back. I had these 6 people with head and hands which meant I had captured them doing whatever they were doing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4Kzt0ovzfw/VcNavcroVqI/AAAAAAAAG70/-w0t8e2L7G4/s1600/USKSING-12-marc-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4Kzt0ovzfw/VcNavcroVqI/AAAAAAAAG70/-w0t8e2L7G4/s400/USKSING-12-marc-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Raffle ticket seller, fruit vendor packing plums, old man sleeping and a cobbler working on a shoe while smoking his pipe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TurDww3j48I/VcNav5akTiI/AAAAAAAAG8A/vVEeJxLfQmY/s1600/USKSING-13-marc-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TurDww3j48I/VcNav5akTiI/AAAAAAAAG8A/vVEeJxLfQmY/s400/USKSING-13-marc-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
An essential part of the workshop was also how to use two kinds of pens - one thin for the initial quick capture and then work with a darker brush pen for shadows and highlights. I wasn't very familiar with the use of the brush pen and really felt myself struggle with the darks.<br />
<br />
The final part of our workshop which I found the most exciting by far was how to quickly capture a crowd scene. It's funny how different this workshop was from the previous one and yet in some ways the same. The idea of a foreground, a focus with more detail and then getting the depth and background with perspective and alternating darks for contrast. Except instead of buildings it was a whole horde of people on the paper.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rRCYRD5Mbo/VcNawXZJAFI/AAAAAAAAG8E/2rPRlLg6Ot8/s1600/USKSING-15-marc-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rRCYRD5Mbo/VcNawXZJAFI/AAAAAAAAG8E/2rPRlLg6Ot8/s640/USKSING-15-marc-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
We had to create a point of interest by quickly capturing one or a group of people in the foreground. Sketching what they were doing and getting in the head and hands first. Adding depth by putting in a whole row of heads behind that. Again, the trick is to look at people here and there and sketch them in. It doesn't really matter if the person on the left is finally on the right by the time you captured them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqbv3TCXH3U/VcNawlvjPFI/AAAAAAAAG8I/_0g2FaUhmdg/s1600/USKSING-16-marc-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="540" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aqbv3TCXH3U/VcNawlvjPFI/AAAAAAAAG8I/_0g2FaUhmdg/s640/USKSING-16-marc-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Accessories like bags, specific kinds of shoes add character and by adding bodies and alternating dark shapes between the whites at the back one can very quickly achieve a sense of a crowd while also having a few authentic people about whom you are telling the story. Above is a scene of two sketchers meeting after the workshops in the crowded market and swapping notes while the rest of the busy shopping crowd mills around them. Below is a guy in a wheelchair talking to an old lady with the shopping stalls behind them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6nyjRXmu6o/VcNaxY99GCI/AAAAAAAAG8Q/CV91p1h60P4/s1600/USKSING-17-marc-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6nyjRXmu6o/VcNaxY99GCI/AAAAAAAAG8Q/CV91p1h60P4/s640/USKSING-17-marc-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Marc Holmes has pretty much distilled people sketching to its essence in this workshop. I really enjoyed the structure where each exercise built on the previous one and watching him stand there in the bustling market and demo one great sketch after another is a memory that will stay with me.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-72610850904093201562015-07-31T16:16:00.000+05:302015-07-31T16:16:57.766+05:30Workshop with Frank Ching <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJi8THUfh8McDWX12siAvdelwQnrNBIbht1CJ_MuM3-F4URnSu4KzZXLmsgZmbnqunL_Dkjn2kLTIpOQbJR20TwosusgwIoeLFphxvrhDoEcvO2ijPEhb-b9SfnbXjqovIVf18UTPdB_l3/s1600/USKSING-08-ching-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJi8THUfh8McDWX12siAvdelwQnrNBIbht1CJ_MuM3-F4URnSu4KzZXLmsgZmbnqunL_Dkjn2kLTIpOQbJR20TwosusgwIoeLFphxvrhDoEcvO2ijPEhb-b9SfnbXjqovIVf18UTPdB_l3/s640/USKSING-08-ching-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
23rd July my first workshop of the symposium was with <a href="http://www.frankching.com/wordpress/?page_id=2">Frank Ching</a>. Known to me for many years as Francis D.K. Ching he is the author of several books on architecture, all hand illustrated. My formative years as a student were largely spent gazing at his exquisite drawings and when I recently found out that he too is an urban sketcher it pretty much became my life's ambition to meet and sketch with him.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://singapore2015.urbansketchers.org/programming/workshops/workshop-c-architectural-sketching-composition-and-perspective/">This</a> was the workshop he offered and 9.30 am, we walked to the Singapore Art museum. The building is a composite of different geometric forms - cuboids, pyramids, cylinders, hemispheres and was a perfect example for Ching to explain to all of us the finer points of capturing scale proportion and perspective on location.<br />
<br />
He started off by asking everyone to pick a spot and do a ten minute sketch. A single pen or pencil was encouraged, the thrust of the workshop being on linework and building details in layers. Here is mine from within the arcade of the cylindrical portion of the museum. On the right above my own signature is Ching's autograph!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YkD3Ou8Bh1c/VbtJT6Br7tI/AAAAAAAAG5A/nHgwz5P9qSY/s1600/USKSING-07-ching-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YkD3Ou8Bh1c/VbtJT6Br7tI/AAAAAAAAG5A/nHgwz5P9qSY/s640/USKSING-07-ching-1.jpg" width="402" /></a></div>
<br />
Gathering back, we laid our sketches down on the ground and each sketch was picked up and commented on by Ching. An excellent method for all to learn from each others work. The first exercise was also a way for him to gauge individual levels and styles so that in the second exercise he could come around and help each one of us with our weak points while we sketched. We were sent off again to commence on a half hour sketch. The second sketch is what you see at the top of this post.<br />
<br />
Unwittingly I seemed to have made the same mistake twice. My eye level had floated up higher than where I really was. And my humans (always my problem!) were larger than life. After a second gathering and discussion we had time for one last sketch.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kRK5zsqf8gw/VbtJU018y4I/AAAAAAAAG5Q/5SNcRDQRW6c/s1600/USKSING-09-ching-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kRK5zsqf8gw/VbtJU018y4I/AAAAAAAAG5Q/5SNcRDQRW6c/s640/USKSING-09-ching-3.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
<br />
As architects we think we know many of these basics of sketching, but as urban sketchers, over the years, when we sit down to draw on location we prioritise differently. Ching's workshop was a great refresher course for me in the basics - putting down the structure of the sketch while concentrating on the first vertical edge, the eye level and proportions. Then working in an area of focus and where possible, shifting the focus off-centre. In the course of my conversations with him while sketching many finer points also emerged - tips to hatch more effectively, using fountain pen nibs in different ways for line weights, using the line quality to suggest material and using the contrasts of light and dark to capture space.<br />
<br />
This blog post is as much for me to look back on as it is to share with all of you.<br />
He's a great teacher and it was a fabulous experience.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rihdqTTQcmA/VbtJP63ZpYI/AAAAAAAAG5E/L9Uv9GYNunc/s1600/ching%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rihdqTTQcmA/VbtJP63ZpYI/AAAAAAAAG5E/L9Uv9GYNunc/s640/ching%2B1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-82907729865117686732015-07-30T17:03:00.000+05:302015-07-30T17:03:56.388+05:30Registration and new friends<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Almost there. The registration for all participants began at 2.30 pm on July 22nd and i was a little early so I walked around the block and did a sketch on Queen street to while away the time.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCQN2qgtwDU/Vbn_Dsq3gfI/AAAAAAAAG4c/OL3AEZ-8XZE/s1600/USKSING-04-oxford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCQN2qgtwDU/Vbn_Dsq3gfI/AAAAAAAAG4c/OL3AEZ-8XZE/s640/USKSING-04-oxford.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
It's a narrow one-way street and the pavement is much wider than the carrieageway, something you never see here in Madras! There were these funky colourful concrete benches that looked like they were sprouting from the ground and I started out wanting to sketch them. As soon as I started I noticed a bright orange coloured building dominating the skyline above. That turned out to be the Oxford Hotel where many of the sketchers I was about to meet were staying.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Once inside the National Design centre, the queue for registration was very long. I started chatting with Julia from Costa Rica who was just behind me and Bindi from Kampala who was just in front. As we registered we were given name tags and goodie bags full of sponsored stuff. A new watercolour moleskine with the USk Singapore Symposium logo emblazoned on the cover was immediately opened and my trusty old moleskine was stowed away.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8epl88gmoo/Vbn_CjA2d2I/AAAAAAAAG4M/BmBGh2MnJ3g/s1600/USKSING-04-zmoleskine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8epl88gmoo/Vbn_CjA2d2I/AAAAAAAAG4M/BmBGh2MnJ3g/s320/USKSING-04-zmoleskine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
By 4.30 pm we were all ready for the opening sketchwalk. Hundreds of us walked together to Purvis street to sketch the well-preserved shop-house facades. The sun blazed onto the eastern side of the street throwing sharp shadows and all of us lined up inside the western arcade on the pavement, the steps, assorted street furniture and cafe chairs. You can see more photos <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1664270973789212&type=1">here</a>. We spent close to two hours sketching, chatting, generally being amazed by the fact that so many of us from all over were sitting there shoulder to shoulder.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UIdoMel7Gz8/Vbn_DDRJrVI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/jyRFwtgLIpY/s1600/USKSING-05-purvis-street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UIdoMel7Gz8/Vbn_DDRJrVI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/jyRFwtgLIpY/s640/USKSING-05-purvis-street.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Back from the sketchwalk I soon teamed up with Bindi again and bumped into Rohit Kulkarni from Bangalore. All three of us were attending our first symposium and decided to go get dinner together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwkg5jVJW0M/Vbn_Ems7pVI/AAAAAAAAG4k/zn1Lkop5VzM/s1600/USKSING-06-bindi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwkg5jVJW0M/Vbn_Ems7pVI/AAAAAAAAG4k/zn1Lkop5VzM/s640/USKSING-06-bindi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The workshops would start the next morning. We exchanged notes to see if any of the activities we signed up for overlapped. We also all pulled out our new sketchbooks and ended up sketching our way through dinner!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-81744247799817095002015-07-28T19:40:00.000+05:302015-07-28T19:41:02.021+05:30Setting off for my first Urban Sketchers Symposium!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXuDYdUABnc/VbeH9Q62TCI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/ohhtM-DXqMU/s1600/USKSING-01-AIRPORT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXuDYdUABnc/VbeH9Q62TCI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/ohhtM-DXqMU/s640/USKSING-01-AIRPORT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Monday 20th July. I caught an Indigo flight from the Kamaraj International terminal at 9.40 pm. The day was finally here. I was going for my first <a href="http://singapore2015.urbansketchers.org/">Urban Sketchers Symposium</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For the un-initiated I've been a member of <a href="http://www.urbansketchers.org/">this online group of location sketchers</a> since 2011 and every year they meet in the month of July for 4 days of workshops, demos sharing and fun. This was the very first time the symposium was in Asia and of course I was going to be there!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XedjXiJuczI/VbeJosOTlkI/AAAAAAAAG3c/3JwHiqRLGSM/s1600/USKSING-04-AIRPORT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XedjXiJuczI/VbeJosOTlkI/AAAAAAAAG3c/3JwHiqRLGSM/s640/USKSING-04-AIRPORT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I travelled through the night reaching Singapore early on 21st July. It was my one free day before the official start of the event and first on the agenda was trying to get a local sim card. Singapore has three telecom companies and I ended up in a Singtel store at Bugis Junction in search of my tourist sim.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The place was crowded with people. There were five or six Singtel attendants in crimson shirts talking to customers but a whole lot of other people sitting around on stools. Just as I was wondering how exactly to walk up to an attendant I looked up and realised it was a token system and all those others were waiting (famous Singapore queues!) so I got myself a token number Z1018 and found myself a stool to do this sketch.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ty6OjblnWgM/VbeKR-lI6lI/AAAAAAAAG3k/1VTtQz61OBU/s1600/USKSING-02-SINGTEL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ty6OjblnWgM/VbeKR-lI6lI/AAAAAAAAG3k/1VTtQz61OBU/s640/USKSING-02-SINGTEL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The rest of the 21st was busy with personal visits but armed with my local sim I was able to make plans to meet some other international sketchers at Raffles hotel early the next morning for an informal session.<br />
<br />
I ended up sketching not the hotel, but a local eating joint opposite which was buzzing with people at that early hour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHMYjBErfdE/VbeLrvlTLtI/AAAAAAAAG3w/cf0d3b3-Ve0/s1600/USKSING-03-SWEE-KEE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gHMYjBErfdE/VbeLrvlTLtI/AAAAAAAAG3w/cf0d3b3-Ve0/s640/USKSING-03-SWEE-KEE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
By the time I finished my sketch I had no clue where everyone else was so I wandered into Swee Kee to see what everyone was tucking in to. I ended up demolishing a steaming mug of Kopi and some delicious Kaya toast.<br />
<br />
The rest of my fantastic experience over the next four days will have to come in installments as I slowly organise and scan all my sketches. So stay tuned for frequent updates!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-35134089191200942015-07-07T18:17:00.000+05:302015-07-07T18:17:25.106+05:30The new Metro - Rapid sketches of mass rapid transport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8n3iKzAOsNE/VZvDyVYorkI/AAAAAAAAGvM/2gZl0CJUcu0/s1600/metro-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8n3iKzAOsNE/VZvDyVYorkI/AAAAAAAAGvM/2gZl0CJUcu0/s640/metro-1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
On 30th June 2015, the <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/finally-chennai-metro-rail-becomes-a-reality/article7368734.ece?topicpage=true&topicId=1403&ref=tpnews">new Metro line in our city</a> was inaugurated. It was, quite literally the talk of the town. The Metro has been under construction <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2013/04/higginbothamswhat-looms-ahead.html">for 6 years</a> and last week only a short stretch - a tiny sampling - was thrown open to the public. All the major dailies carried stories and first hand reports for several days, so on Sunday a tiny group of us - 3 sketchers - decided to go on a joyride and sketch the experience.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-slLwPaIDeQc/VZvDyuLoBbI/AAAAAAAAGvU/ChYIypB9y6w/s1600/metro-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-slLwPaIDeQc/VZvDyuLoBbI/AAAAAAAAGvU/ChYIypB9y6w/s640/metro-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I wasn't sure if there would be resistance from the staff to sketching. In many heritage sites across India photography is allowed but <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2013/11/sketching-is-not-allowed.html">sketching is banned</a>! In the Delhi Metro photography itself is not allowed. So I took a really small sketch pad and resolved to keep each sketch under five minutes in duration. The platforms are high up at the top and after feeding money into the automatic ticket vending machines we took some really long escalator rides up to the platform.<br />
<br />
The vaulted roof is open down the middle at Alandur station where we boarded the train and the whole station is bright and clean - at least for now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1lqnbIHxh6w/VZvDyLOjD2I/AAAAAAAAGvQ/EmosmzMwANc/s1600/metro-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1lqnbIHxh6w/VZvDyLOjD2I/AAAAAAAAGvQ/EmosmzMwANc/s640/metro-4.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
On the train to Koyambedu there are only six stops. The same distance which in rush hour will take you over an hour can be done in under fifteen minutes. On Sunday morning the train was not crowded but there weren't too many empty spots on the benches either. Many families looked like they had come just for a joyride.... like us! </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-28BqYou_BgU/VZvDzSvyD0I/AAAAAAAAGvg/xyn4mVLTuyQ/s1600/metro-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-28BqYou_BgU/VZvDzSvyD0I/AAAAAAAAGvg/xyn4mVLTuyQ/s640/metro-5.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
More than the parents the kids were really thrilled. Though the ride is short you get a great view of the city from above.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ge4tbSSLTX0/VZvD0TnntRI/AAAAAAAAGvs/3z04jUXxVuA/s1600/metro-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ge4tbSSLTX0/VZvD0TnntRI/AAAAAAAAGvs/3z04jUXxVuA/s640/metro-6.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
When we reached Koyambedu station we had to climb up a level and cross over the platform before descending again to exit. The level up brought us right up to the base of the arch trusses that held up the station roof. Another quick stop to dash off another sketch. Peering down from the parapet the platforms and trains were laid out below us.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HH7HBeEgX7I/VZvD0gPUs8I/AAAAAAAAGvw/G8a-Ae_aP6w/s1600/metro-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HH7HBeEgX7I/VZvD0gPUs8I/AAAAAAAAGvw/G8a-Ae_aP6w/s640/metro-7.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
From that level the trusses and space frames were a real visual jungle. Someone reminded us that the ticket token is timed (not sure if it's true) and that we should use it to get out soon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gbfTO_E0n3I/VZvD1TWilxI/AAAAAAAAGv4/F_dH5iPy6CQ/s1600/metro-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gbfTO_E0n3I/VZvD1TWilxI/AAAAAAAAGv4/F_dH5iPy6CQ/s640/metro-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has bought automatic ticket/gate machines from Japan. The token is kept against a sensor on our way in and the gate opens.On the way out you deposit the same token into a slot so that it allows your exit. Quite simple but for the ever increasing crowds it was all wondrous and baffling. By the time we came out the crowds had swelled considerably and flustered staff were trying to get people to queue up and wait till the machine reset itself for the next person. Queues themselves are a near impossible challenge in our country, and when you add automation to that the novelty is too high!<br />
<br />
I really hope it stays clean, disciplined and the rest of the green and blue lines open soon.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-88498778275661667522015-07-01T16:54:00.000+05:302015-07-01T16:54:54.561+05:30Sketches make a place look better!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R_Q8zYNMqK0/VZPLYwwTTvI/AAAAAAAAGs4/R1FqcHQcLQ0/s1600/moored-boats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R_Q8zYNMqK0/VZPLYwwTTvI/AAAAAAAAGs4/R1FqcHQcLQ0/s640/moored-boats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Over the years I've noticed that while sketching on location the eye and the hand conspire in their own way, omitting certain details and more often than not... dirt. Garbage which is often strewn allover the foreground of many of my subjects don't get into my sketches. Like this one for instance is a group of fishing boats - trawlers - at Kasimedu harbour. The water is slick with oil.<br />
<br />
And this one...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdT-9fjmuhI/VZPLXgXsYzI/AAAAAAAAGsw/SUdt91yCUMs/s1600/cooum-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdT-9fjmuhI/VZPLXgXsYzI/AAAAAAAAGsw/SUdt91yCUMs/s640/cooum-1.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
Done two weeks ago. Looks like the sleepy Gaulish village of Asterix and Obelix (well, except for the minaret). In truth, this sketch was done on the banks of the Cooum. The stench was not too bad that morning but the river was a dark stagnant grey. Basically sludge. The huts are hovels, patched together with whatever people have. The foreground and the edge where the water meets the land is not really earth but built up rubbish debris! Its quite crazy how my hand refuses to draw the refuse!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-83085301253885623442015-06-21T19:31:00.000+05:302015-06-21T19:31:40.153+05:30Father's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diWY21vKacE/VYa-vtU9ORI/AAAAAAAAGrU/7EHwwWA77bc/s1600/anderson-church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-diWY21vKacE/VYa-vtU9ORI/AAAAAAAAGrU/7EHwwWA77bc/s640/anderson-church.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<br />
This morning I sat on the pavement outside the North gate of the Madras High Court and decided to sketch <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/John-Anderson-remembered-as-heritage-church-turns-150/articleshow/4247397.cms">Anderson Church</a>. I've passed by it so many times and never sat down to do a sketch until now. I love the proportion of it's spire.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XGxVDu5L3qo/VYa_Owe1ymI/AAAAAAAAGrw/j91jFATI40w/s1600/church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XGxVDu5L3qo/VYa_Owe1ymI/AAAAAAAAGrw/j91jFATI40w/s640/church.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
The really interesting thing is this Church sits bang on Broadway and is crowded in on all sides by hectic business activity jostling for space. Although it was a Sunday morning I wanted to try and bring that in somehow.<br />
<br />
Some of the other sketchers in our group were attending a heritage walk inside that I had been to and <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2014/05/madras-high-court-heritage-walk.html">sketched</a> over a year ago. My father decided to sketch the same church too and we found ourselves side by side on the pavement. Me on the ground and him on a stool.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XPpi4670wZA/VYa_O4zUwbI/AAAAAAAAGr0/8MA9W2SIg18/s1600/vb-sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XPpi4670wZA/VYa_O4zUwbI/AAAAAAAAGr0/8MA9W2SIg18/s320/vb-sketch.jpg" width="179" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1ldNIAEWwU/VYa_O9vXYTI/AAAAAAAAGrs/txhGK6ld9MA/s1600/showing-off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U1ldNIAEWwU/VYa_O9vXYTI/AAAAAAAAGrs/txhGK6ld9MA/s320/showing-off.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It was really amazing that for over an hour an endless stream of people, mostly the security guards of the high court, would come up and talk to me and look at the work, ask questions. But no one disturbed my father at all!!<br />
<br />
As I finished up my sketch I realised its father's day! I don't as a rule follow valentines and father's and mother's day. Can't wrap my head around assigning days to random things, but found the coincidence surprising. So I wrapped up with a quick sketch of my dad to remember the day better.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DqeVxj0DsQ0/VYa-vV4CgsI/AAAAAAAAGrY/G2l9IHQKET0/s1600/fathers-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DqeVxj0DsQ0/VYa-vV4CgsI/AAAAAAAAGrY/G2l9IHQKET0/s640/fathers-day.jpg" width="470" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://racingagainsttheclock.blogspot.in/2015/06/csi-anderson-church-chennai.html">His sketch</a> turned out really well too!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-17615721232762228052015-06-14T11:30:00.000+05:302015-06-14T12:58:41.535+05:30Quick trip to Kodaikanal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nRenZaxHKp4/VXwRe9ZlnjI/AAAAAAAAGgM/ja1bxOjFfxc/s1600/kodai-03_lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nRenZaxHKp4/VXwRe9ZlnjI/AAAAAAAAGgM/ja1bxOjFfxc/s640/kodai-03_lake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">This week I had to go to Kodaikanal on work. I considered myself lucky. Its not everyday that you get to legitimately leave 42 degrees C and climb into the hills. Kodai was a lovely 19 and my work was done with a couple of hours to go for sunset.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Although for most tourists the highlight of a trip to Kodai would be a boat ride on the lake, I myself prefer walking along the quieter non-touristy parts of the hill-station. This is a view of the boat houses from across the lake. In an attempt to keep the water clean the municipality have fenced off the lake from the pavement. I snuck in through a small opening and sat on a low wall. My feet hung down over some reeds and dense plants. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Y-N06IHHkg/VXwRlS2_iKI/AAAAAAAAGgk/PSWxipxlq30/s1600/kodai-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Y-N06IHHkg/VXwRlS2_iKI/AAAAAAAAGgk/PSWxipxlq30/s640/kodai-04.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Halfway through I was juggling my staedtler 0.7 liner into my bag and trying to get my watercolours out and down went the 0.7! Boo hoo, not only did I lose a pen but I also polluted the poor lake!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Another highlight for me when I visit Kodai in summer is the fruits! We all rave about the mangoes (and they truly are the world's best fruit) but summer in Madras also means plums and peaches from the hills. I took a walk to the fruit stalls to buy some plums and realised there are a whole range of summer fruits up on offer!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3GooXuBbpBs/VXwRfGtDFVI/AAAAAAAAGgI/r9Rc2Su2SAE/s1600/kodai-01-fruits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3GooXuBbpBs/VXwRfGtDFVI/AAAAAAAAGgI/r9Rc2Su2SAE/s640/kodai-01-fruits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Plums, tree tomatoes, egg fruits (so called because the soft sweet flesh is the colour of a golden yolk) grapefruit, passion fruit, star fruit, avocado, pears, fresh badam, chikoo, and of course banana pineapple and apple. I first bought some plums from the shop on the right. He made me taste a half-dozen other fruit and I promised to be back the next day to buy more stuff. Then I walked across to the pavement opposite the shops and started my sketch.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nsgTwi6n2qs/VXwRhYoKoZI/AAAAAAAAGgU/vA9St7kRWNA/s1600/kodai-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="595" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nsgTwi6n2qs/VXwRhYoKoZI/AAAAAAAAGgU/vA9St7kRWNA/s640/kodai-02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Halfway through my sketch a passer-by alerted the shopkeeper that he was featuring in my drawing. He came and looked at it and was very pleased. Soon the next door shop guy came out to take a look. Then others were summoned. Finally the shop owners wife was called out. Someone shouted "Come and see how she's drawn your husband!"A smiling shy muslim lady came bustling out of the shop, took the book from me and exclaimed in surprise. Then she smiled and ran back inside. Someone else joked that I had passed the test.<br />
<br />
The next day I only managed a quick watercolour of John enjoying his morning coffee and book. We were very lucky with the weather. It stayed clear throughout the time that we were out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-skboUn-qXUM/VXwRkUEeV9I/AAAAAAAAGgc/e0vy4aNoBE4/s1600/kodai-05-slug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="488" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-skboUn-qXUM/VXwRkUEeV9I/AAAAAAAAGgc/e0vy4aNoBE4/s640/kodai-05-slug.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Just before leaving I went as promised back to the fruit shop to buy more fruit to take back to Madras. The wife recognised me and gave me a really good deal! Three cheers to sketching!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-8074546584527864372015-06-13T16:34:00.000+05:302015-06-13T16:34:11.930+05:30Not quite Demonte Colony<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuRxsea13S0/VXwIXoLLF7I/AAAAAAAAGfU/6z-l5wS2xjY/s1600/demonte-01-jeep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuRxsea13S0/VXwIXoLLF7I/AAAAAAAAGfU/6z-l5wS2xjY/s640/demonte-01-jeep.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Last Sunday I joined the CWA group to sketch at <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/the-strange-story-of-a-settlement/article5940404.ece">Demonte colony</a>. Due to litigation the two residential streets have been abandoned for may years and wears a somewhat haunted, deserted look. We thought we would see plenty of old crumbling buildings and abandoned vehicles, but unfortunately our luck was out.<br />
<br />
Recently there was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonte_Colony">a movie</a> released by the same name, a horror flick, and some scenes were shot here. Droves of tourists have apparently been stopping by and neighbours have complained resulting in the place being sealed off.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUhemvlyvbU/VXwIUrAv9qI/AAAAAAAAGfM/z3Cm05joKY0/s1600/demonte-02-meals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUhemvlyvbU/VXwIUrAv9qI/AAAAAAAAGfM/z3Cm05joKY0/s640/demonte-02-meals.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We were only allowed into a corporation park next to which stood an abandoned jeep. Further down the pavement was a lady selling idlis in a make-shift food stall. I managed to try out my water soluble graphite pencils a little more in both these sketches. After that I switched to my trusty Pigma graphic-1. A quick capture of a sleeping man on a park bench.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIi8QJs9IZI/VXwIXqWRhpI/AAAAAAAAGfk/FLZ-4kJfL_E/s1600/demonte-03-bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIi8QJs9IZI/VXwIXqWRhpI/AAAAAAAAGfk/FLZ-4kJfL_E/s640/demonte-03-bench.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After that the group converged at the park and started doing portrait studies. They got a young boy to pose and several sketchers attempted to capture him. I tried to capture the sketchers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7o22QEhg8x4/VXwIXsu5smI/AAAAAAAAGfc/EirdWkDYDLg/s1600/demonte-04-capture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7o22QEhg8x4/VXwIXsu5smI/AAAAAAAAGfc/EirdWkDYDLg/s400/demonte-04-capture.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
Young boys playing cricket kept drifting in and out of my frame. They ended up looking ghostly in my sketches.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HR5bZYi6y8E/VXwIZDPz9SI/AAAAAAAAGfs/lPLglJVIMvY/s1600/demonte-05-francis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HR5bZYi6y8E/VXwIZDPz9SI/AAAAAAAAGfs/lPLglJVIMvY/s640/demonte-05-francis.jpg" width="442" /></a></div>
Francis sketched away rapidly with the sketchbook propped up against his waist. And finally it was time to lay down all our sketchbooks on the paved pathway but not before getting in a last impression of the group huddling together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wVwaIhTxOQ/VXwIaPt_I7I/AAAAAAAAGf0/hOcPxDxDErA/s1600/demonte-06-team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wVwaIhTxOQ/VXwIaPt_I7I/AAAAAAAAGf0/hOcPxDxDErA/s640/demonte-06-team.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-65307650553462223292015-06-05T17:53:00.000+05:302015-06-05T17:53:53.875+05:30Exposed on the roof<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMtfudrKPsk/VXGR255o-TI/AAAAAAAAGbw/aq3t_-BXdBc/s1600/luz-terrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="463" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sMtfudrKPsk/VXGR255o-TI/AAAAAAAAGbw/aq3t_-BXdBc/s640/luz-terrace.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the terrace at the top of my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diagrammar">office</a> building. It's funny how we architects try our level best to conceal the vital innards of our buildings. The water supply pipes, the rain water drains, the electrical, telephone and TV cables but finally up on the terrace all these things burst forth and cry "Here we are!!"<br />
<br />
Sometimes you try to go that extra mile to be extra neat even up on the roof but then your neighbour's cable TV line will somehow snake past your terrace to the next building.<br />
<br />
This sketch is also my first try with water soluble graphite pencils. Earlier this week I went into <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hindustanonline?fref=ts">my favourite art supply store</a> to by a gift for someone else and ended up as usual like a kid in a candy store! Can't wait to try these out some more this weekend.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-48876438011147813522015-06-01T14:24:00.000+05:302015-06-01T14:24:25.801+05:30Children's Garden School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4MzjH2y4Fa8U8IyLy3AA2Vwky4dfhQP_PyASHqUhBoEqczOWcLLXCn73bLf3qFdTcca7UwYkf4NZ3-rIYE455vkqMYjvChCNWVYaCnWKg_CP7qxHhz4RelL6_ab-OKQY25beHwHQcBcU/s1600/childrens-garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4MzjH2y4Fa8U8IyLy3AA2Vwky4dfhQP_PyASHqUhBoEqczOWcLLXCn73bLf3qFdTcca7UwYkf4NZ3-rIYE455vkqMYjvChCNWVYaCnWKg_CP7qxHhz4RelL6_ab-OKQY25beHwHQcBcU/s640/childrens-garden.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The Children's Garden School is just a short hop from my house. It was started in 1937 by Mr V.N Sharma and his wife Ellen, with just seven children as students. It was one of the early schools that tried to change regular mainstream education from a classroom format to a play-and-learn kindergarten format.<br />
<br />
Over the years, just like everything else it has grown . There are over 3000 students now, its a girls' school with a separate creche, a junior school and a senior school. All available land has been built over to make space for more classrooms and facilities but this old building where the Prinicipal lives is the original building. It reads "1919-20" at the very top.<br />
<br />
In the early fifties my mother too went to this school, to the junior section. I've heard many stories from her reminiscing about the classes under the trees and in this building.<br />
<br />
I sat on the pavement opposite the main gate on Sunday evening and not a soul passed me by as I did this sketch. It was the last sunday before the end of summer vacation. This morning, as I left home for office the entire street was transformed with hundreds of kids, cycles, parents and general mayhem.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-55204855676950187972015-05-18T15:05:00.000+05:302015-05-18T15:05:05.550+05:30A little less wisdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HfAo8eU6mSA/VVmu4m5f6aI/AAAAAAAAGXs/MV_r1bEOS8A/s1600/wisdom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HfAo8eU6mSA/VVmu4m5f6aI/AAAAAAAAGXs/MV_r1bEOS8A/s640/wisdom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I had a quiet weekend indoors thanks to the fact that J needed to have two of his wisdom teeth extracted. He was advised not to drive after the procedure so I went along to bring him back. The Dentist's clinic is attached to his house. After a full day consulting outside he comes home and sees some patients at night. Since it wasn't a formal set-up I got to go all the way in and sit there on the side while the dentist got to work.<br />
<br />
Compared to my own experience many years ago, this was a fairly quick and smooth extraction. Two wisdom teeth came out in just ten minutes. Barely enough time to do the sketch. No stitches needed and surprisingly no swelling either!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-14605272674905750122015-05-04T15:53:00.001+05:302015-05-04T15:53:40.350+05:30Three generations sketching together<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DtIRsmyuChM/VUdE7gW1DvI/AAAAAAAAGPo/lp99sCQqyh8/s1600/house-22-cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DtIRsmyuChM/VUdE7gW1DvI/AAAAAAAAGPo/lp99sCQqyh8/s640/house-22-cafe.jpg" width="540" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
My eleven-year old niece Anya is an aspiring artist and always has many colourful and interesting projects to show us each time we visit. For almost a year now, we've been planning and meaning to go out sketching together and it finally happened this Sunday. Along with my parents, this meant we were three generations sketching on location. Pretty cool!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Since the heat is unbearable we chose an indoor air-conditioned spot - <a href="http://www.house22cafe.com/">House #22 Cafe</a> is a restored old Portuguese style Bungalow near St. Thomas Mount. We started out being the only customers and grabbed a large table in the corner with a great view of the room and the garden outside. We ordered some food but it lay untouched as we all got straight into it. As you can see my mother didn't even bother sitting down!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Before we knew it a couple of hours had flown by. As we wrapped up Anya and I decided to sketch each other quickly. She did a pretty good one of me. Maybe she'll blog it...?</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru0OyURA4QE/VUdE6rmvwSI/AAAAAAAAGPg/4uAhpNIo9Rs/s1600/anya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru0OyURA4QE/VUdE6rmvwSI/AAAAAAAAGPg/4uAhpNIo9Rs/s640/anya.jpg" width="560" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-31520120120446488922015-04-15T14:58:00.000+05:302015-04-15T14:58:07.879+05:30Boats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8gM7zUcuNM/VS4szBsUOTI/AAAAAAAAGK8/-JvPXErqKBI/s1600/boats-half-finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8gM7zUcuNM/VS4szBsUOTI/AAAAAAAAGK8/-JvPXErqKBI/s1600/boats-half-finished.jpg" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This sketch is technically only half finished, but given my recent track record I thought it would be better to share it as is, rather than wait to finish it at home, something that may never happen. More and more often, I find I don't have the patience to improve or "finish" a sketch once I leave the spot where I did it.<br />
<br />
Last sunday I spent the morning at The Madras Boat Club. The early morning rowing members were long gone and the boats that had been used were lying overturned sunning themselves by the river-side. They looked like giant blue porpoises.<br />
<br />
While I did this my mum sketched me! You can check out her sketch <a href="http://penciljammers.com/photo/river-view-at-mbc?xg_source=activity#!/photo/river-view-at-mbc?context=user">here</a>!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-7774713383043725132015-04-11T12:32:00.000+05:302015-04-11T12:32:03.237+05:30Surfs Up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuirB92iFZQ/VSjDgFkVyPI/AAAAAAAAGJE/12HpvkUnthg/s1600/SURF-CAFE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVo_IG7cFzk/VSjDh-QEldI/AAAAAAAAGJU/iUjhBJZRlSo/s1600/surf-j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuirB92iFZQ/VSjDgFkVyPI/AAAAAAAAGJE/12HpvkUnthg/s1600/SURF-CAFE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuirB92iFZQ/VSjDgFkVyPI/AAAAAAAAGJE/12HpvkUnthg/s1600/SURF-CAFE.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Not many people know this but you can surf at the beach in Madras. Well, not technically Madras, but Kovalam. On proper surf boards with instructors to guide you and tell you about proper technique. Known as the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CovelongPoint">Covelong Point Surfing Schoo</a>l, its run by a vibrant new, young group of surfers with a strong connection to the local community at Kovalam.<br />
<br />
Right now they just have a shade net propped up on a few poles but a new cafe with toilets and showers and a few rooms is getting built.<br />
<br />
Many of my friends have made it a regular sunday outing and I finally went along the last couple of weeks. They surfed, I sketched.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MpNQ-n-xSIM/VSjDgdJav1I/AAAAAAAAGJA/VxZTlD-dJSg/s1600/surf-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MpNQ-n-xSIM/VSjDgdJav1I/AAAAAAAAGJA/VxZTlD-dJSg/s1600/surf-2.jpg" height="400" width="318" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Newcomers are given a tutorial and then made to go through all the motions on the board on land before venturing out. The location has a nice cove (hence the name) where the undertow we have along the rest of the coast is not as strong.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y034nHuBzCk/VSjDgKYsFUI/AAAAAAAAGI8/t5CRzM1kW2U/s1600/surf-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y034nHuBzCk/VSjDgKYsFUI/AAAAAAAAGI8/t5CRzM1kW2U/s1600/surf-3.jpg" height="289" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Its just the beginning of April and its blistering hot but there are dozens of surfers from various countries. Some staying at nearby hotels. There are regulars from the city and lots of locals. Young boys from the fishing community are the real pros. Its a real treat to just sit and watch them ride the waves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVo_IG7cFzk/VSjDh-QEldI/AAAAAAAAGJY/_cYg5clNKB4/s1600/surf-j.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVo_IG7cFzk/VSjDh-QEldI/AAAAAAAAGJY/_cYg5clNKB4/s1600/surf-j.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-80270184421460422922015-04-01T13:36:00.002+05:302015-04-01T13:36:52.511+05:30Holiday in the Hills<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zoncjiqZSqk/VRulKb1I8vI/AAAAAAAAGHw/D0MbIP7hjrc/s1600/MUNNAR-TEA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zoncjiqZSqk/VRulKb1I8vI/AAAAAAAAGHw/D0MbIP7hjrc/s1600/MUNNAR-TEA.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Life and work has been pretty hectic. In the middle of all the madness it was really refreshing to take a much needed break and head out to the hills. We drove to Munnar which is a quiet sleepy town surrounded by vast tea estates. That's the view across the valley from our resort. Somehow the days were packed and hectic too but I managed to sketch early in the morning. I noticed that in some estates the tea bushes are planted along the contours while in others, like this one, the lines run perpendicular. Wonder why?</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-81fYkHSOYSc/VRulKsvUBBI/AAAAAAAAGH0/mLdFNiNVCsA/s1600/MUNNAR-LINE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-81fYkHSOYSc/VRulKsvUBBI/AAAAAAAAGH0/mLdFNiNVCsA/s1600/MUNNAR-LINE.jpg" height="640" width="390" /></a></div>
We only stayed two nights. This sketch was done early on the second morning. The path winding up to our cottage was really picturesque. Halfway up there was a little round viewing deck, although the real stunning view was towering over and behind it.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-90289485572872310012014-10-11T11:06:00.000+05:302014-10-11T11:06:15.301+05:30The ensemble prepares<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENU_ezVgAL4/VDizhotZq4I/AAAAAAAAEzg/XQSs7soUUL4/s1600/IMG_20141011_095131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ENU_ezVgAL4/VDizhotZq4I/AAAAAAAAEzg/XQSs7soUUL4/s1600/IMG_20141011_095131.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The shows at Jagriti start at 8pm each night and the actors go down to the theatre at 4 every day. First a line through, where people pair off and run their scenes. Paul alone has a deluge of monologues that he diligently goes through in his favourite chair.<br />
After this a group warm up happens. The seven member cast form a circle and each day a different person leads the body warm up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IACUut6m3gY/VDizsnVgtOI/AAAAAAAAEzo/MPx5n84pRJo/s1600/IMG_20141011_095422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IACUut6m3gY/VDizsnVgtOI/AAAAAAAAEzo/MPx5n84pRJo/s1600/IMG_20141011_095422.jpg" height="355" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Today it was Paul's turn and the cyclical movement of the suryanamaskaram done in a circle was mesmerising to watch.<br />
Next up is the voice warm up. Aparna lead the group in a new one that doubled up as a group massage.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dwlFB4mm_Pk/VDiz5ddoirI/AAAAAAAAEzw/RSj83ItUVP4/s1600/IMG_20141011_095544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dwlFB4mm_Pk/VDiz5ddoirI/AAAAAAAAEzw/RSj83ItUVP4/s1600/IMG_20141011_095544.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Each actor by turn gets to lie in the centre while the other six give a synchronised massage while synchronising breath hand movement and voice. The massage looked amazing! I seriously considered abandoning the sketchbook to sneak in there somehow.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-69232956890452016412014-10-07T17:08:00.000+05:302014-10-07T17:08:34.871+05:30Jagriti Season 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tSRnBycTz1U/VDPLSqsDbnI/AAAAAAAAEt0/mQlp8onc4es/s1600/IMG_20141007_163616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tSRnBycTz1U/VDPLSqsDbnI/AAAAAAAAEt0/mQlp8onc4es/s1600/IMG_20141007_163616.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
For a second year in a row, <a href="http://perchblogs.wordpress.com/">Perch</a> is at Jagriti's season. The second of five plays, we're here for two weeks. One week has flown past in all the frenzy and anxiousness of set up, lights, tech and getting an old play revived with some new actors in the cast. But with 4 shows and a rest day now under our belt, I finally pulled out my sketchbook.<br />
<br />
One of the nicest things about performing at Jagriti is the studio apartment where the troupe stays. Its a large two storey apartment on the 7th and 8th floor with all the balconies overlooking the theatre. Today's show starts in 3 hours and the luxury of not having to commute but just take the lift down is indescribably amazing. Anyone who has ever been in Bangalore traffic will know what I mean.<br />
<br />
6 more days and 7 more shows to go. </div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-78266254096944175202014-08-19T17:50:00.000+05:302014-08-19T17:50:18.624+05:30First Show in Kandy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8leikqN6xo/U_M3tgK-4_I/AAAAAAAAEQA/Nm1oRF67phs/s1600/Perch13-retreat-kandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g8leikqN6xo/U_M3tgK-4_I/AAAAAAAAEQA/Nm1oRF67phs/s1600/Perch13-retreat-kandy.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></div>
We had two shows of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.v.mathew/media_set?set=a.10152225020956526.1073741828.701406525&type=1">Jujubee in Kandy</a>, both organised by the Catholic community there. Father Nandana, the Parish Priest of St. Antony's Cathedral in Kandy had mobilised everyone and they had really taken care of all our needs. The famous annual Buddhist festival of <a href="https://www.fest300.com/festivals/esala-perahera">Esala Perahara</a> was to start in Kandy in two days. All hotels were booked out so Father Nandana had arranged for all of us to stay the first night at the Fatima Retreat in Lewella. That evening, which was our only free evening, we visited the famed <a href="http://www.sridaladamaligawa.lk/">Tooth Temple</a> with Sam from NTT giving us a well informed tour.<br />
<br />
The next morning we were up at dawn to leave for the venue of the first Show - Good Shepherd Convent, Kandy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JeXOUXKt3pU/U_M3tPsAtRI/AAAAAAAAEP4/r7457UsQEIw/s1600/Perch14-good-shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JeXOUXKt3pU/U_M3tPsAtRI/AAAAAAAAEP4/r7457UsQEIw/s1600/Perch14-good-shepherd.jpg" height="640" width="430" /></a></div>
The actors checked out the hall and set up while the morning prayers were said over a microphone. John and I didn't have much to do. There were simple switches for a row of lights and we decided to just switch them on and leave them on.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrRvCnYntek/U_M3unwEcFI/AAAAAAAAEQM/CavP0kr321w/s1600/Perch15-125th-year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lrRvCnYntek/U_M3unwEcFI/AAAAAAAAEQM/CavP0kr321w/s1600/Perch15-125th-year.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It was the 125th year of the Convent. There were streamers and decorations all over the hall. One of the most memorable/ hilarious/ sheepish moments of the entire trip for us happened just before the show. We had woken up and eaten breakfast very early and just before the show everyone was really hungry. We were told snacks and tea was organised. We found a room behind the stage laid out with delicious snacks. Samosas in one corner, and then pyramids of egg sandwiches, fish and vegetable rolls, chocolate cake, coffee and juice. Needless to say everyone helped themselves greedily. Just then one of the volunteers looked in to check if we were Ok and was obviously stunned that we had started eating. Apparently only the samosas were meant as a pre-show snack and the whole thing was laid out for after the show. We were supposed to have tea and snacks with the School Principal and the Father!! Terrible sheepishness followed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB3zFYDfV-8/U_M3sVl7BLI/AAAAAAAAEP0/8SqlckzdYOs/s1600/Perch-16-1st-show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB3zFYDfV-8/U_M3sVl7BLI/AAAAAAAAEP0/8SqlckzdYOs/s1600/Perch-16-1st-show.jpg" height="640" width="546" /></a></div>
The morning show went off pretty well. The convent girls were a little older than the ideal age group, also a little shy and very disciplined but by the end of it, they were clapping and squealing with enthusiasm. </div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-56460997617893256022014-08-12T17:39:00.001+05:302014-08-12T17:39:42.230+05:30Off to Sri Lanka<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nje9HJ2boTs/U-n6WsA4bOI/AAAAAAAAEMI/jST73ayR5U4/s1600/Perch10-airport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nje9HJ2boTs/U-n6WsA4bOI/AAAAAAAAEMI/jST73ayR5U4/s1600/Perch10-airport.jpg" height="640" width="430" /></a></div>
As soon as we returned from Bangalore it was time to pack up and go to Srilanka. And when I say "pack up" I really mean it. Jujubee had been invited by <a href="http://www.neelan.org/">NTT</a> to do 6 shows in Kandy and Colombo and the<a href="http://purgingpig.tumblr.com/post/34097904902"> large and lovely props</a> made by Aarti had to be very carefully packaged to go as check-in baggage.<br />
We were at the airport phenomenally early as requested by Srilankan airlines and they were so helpful that we had a lot of time to spare after check-in.<br />
While doing this sketch, I stood with my sketchbook balanced on the handrail with a double volume space below me overlooking the concourse. Just as I finished and closed my book one of my pens fell down. I looked down and could see it there but no one passed by. I decided to take the escalator down to the boarding gates as it was almost time anyway but once downstairs I couldn't find my way back to the place where my pen was. Instead the labyrinthine corridors kept twisting away from the new building into the depths of the old airport and row upon row of musty handicraft shops! Ultimately I came all the way back and got a passing official to throw up my pen but the new airport remains a bit mysterious.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh-HFFWU8yA/U-n6WyNaTEI/AAAAAAAAEMM/r9N5thNe-ec/s1600/Perch11-flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hh-HFFWU8yA/U-n6WyNaTEI/AAAAAAAAEMM/r9N5thNe-ec/s1600/Perch11-flight.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></a></div>
The flight to Colombo was just one hour with a lovely view of the Palk Strait. On the way down to land we hit some of the worst turbulence I've encountered in my memory. Colombo was covered in low rain clouds and at one point we suddenly dropped - I felt as though my stomach was in my throat but then we were out again and all you could see was blue water and the endless green of coconut trees.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnXfxH0jiRU/U-n6VlmVNVI/AAAAAAAAEMA/K1RTZCWtgo0/s1600/Perch-12-srilanka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnXfxH0jiRU/U-n6VlmVNVI/AAAAAAAAEMA/K1RTZCWtgo0/s1600/Perch-12-srilanka.jpg" height="400" width="272" /></a></div>
Heading out of Bandaranaike airport we didn't go into Colombo since the first few shows were lined up in Kandy. There was a sleek 20 seater bus and Sam Perera from NTT waiting there for us - we were off to the hills!</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-62122950896298971562014-08-11T12:08:00.001+05:302014-08-11T13:22:23.333+05:30A typical week at Rangashankara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEwj9r4BkWU/U-he33i51_I/AAAAAAAAELg/Gy0duLeCTvw/s1600/Perch-07-adithya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEwj9r4BkWU/U-he33i51_I/AAAAAAAAELg/Gy0duLeCTvw/s1600/Perch-07-adithya.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Across the road from <a href="http://www.rangashankara.org/home/rangatest/">Rangashankara</a> is Adithya, a typical Bangalore fast food joint. It opens early for breakfast and dishes out simple and delectable food all day through. Real value for money, there's regular stuff like idli and dosai, heavenly benne masala and some Karnataka specialities like neer dosai, open dosai and ragi dosai for breakfast. Full and hearty meals for lunch and in the evening when we're all feeling peckish before the show there is <a href="http://www.vegetarianrecipes.net/spicy-paddu-paniyaram/">Paddu</a> (kuzhi paniyarams), akki roti and kottakadubu.<br />
The coffee at Adithya is pretty good stuff too and needless to say we spent a large part of our extra time (and money) there.<br />
Another regular fixture in our week in RS was a sleeping Vedanth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rHaNkN5bUI8/U-he2SGHaLI/AAAAAAAAELY/g-f-srEMD3Y/s1600/Perch-04-Vedanth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rHaNkN5bUI8/U-he2SGHaLI/AAAAAAAAELY/g-f-srEMD3Y/s1600/Perch-04-Vedanth.jpg" height="252" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Okay, granted, that does not look like him but Vedanth had just become a father 10 days earlier and little Ameya was keeping him up on night duty so literally whenever he could get a few extra minutes he would use it well. The first half of the week was less hectic, we had single shows of Giraffe every evening but over the weekend there were shows of <a href="http://perch.co.in/jujubee.html">Jujubee</a> in the morning and two shows of Giraffe after lunch. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw8Q8BhOA38/U-he4HcFGjI/AAAAAAAAELk/Vt4VE2C9hKk/s1600/Perch-09-jujubee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw8Q8BhOA38/U-he4HcFGjI/AAAAAAAAELk/Vt4VE2C9hKk/s1600/Perch-09-jujubee.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Sachin and Vedanth were the musicians for Jujubee and the first show on Friday morning, that had over 250 children in the audience was dedicated to little Ameya.</span></div>
</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-35821438823111492832014-08-09T08:58:00.000+05:302014-08-09T08:58:59.346+05:30The Giraffe moves into Rangashankara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ARnYXwDKg-8/U-R3N1YvdvI/AAAAAAAAEK0/5bIT8u5BjdA/s1600/Perch-05-prawns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ARnYXwDKg-8/U-R3N1YvdvI/AAAAAAAAEK0/5bIT8u5BjdA/s1600/Perch-05-prawns.jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></div>
One of the biggest changes to <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/2014/08/touring-with-perch.html">the play</a> in this run of shows was a scene inserted into the middle of the prawn factory. That had to be rehearsed and blocked before the first show on the 22nd. It came out really well and I won't say more - do catch the show whenever you next can and see for yourself.<br />
<br />
We did a total of 8 shows from tuesday to Sunday and every morning we would assemble for Rajiv's feedback session. The backdrop for this was invariably the same - the set in the configuration of the last scene from the previous show with Rajiv taking centre stage and enthralling us with the most "outstanding moments" from the previous day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSmFQbOgdoY/U-R3Oi34WxI/AAAAAAAAEK4/rexcINLNtLI/s1600/Perch-06-feedback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSmFQbOgdoY/U-R3Oi34WxI/AAAAAAAAEK4/rexcINLNtLI/s1600/Perch-06-feedback.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
John and I usually toss a coin at the start of a run, to decide who lights the first show. Frome there on we alternate shows. This had become a sort of ritual that the group looked forward to as we would fight about it and make it a best of 3 tosses, and then a best of 5 and finally a best of 7. But this time, much to everyones' disappointment we had made our decision on the train!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WH1dRYlNB8A/U-R3PCu1mbI/AAAAAAAAELA/6Xk1sBrtVBs/s1600/Perch-08-light-booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WH1dRYlNB8A/U-R3PCu1mbI/AAAAAAAAELA/6Xk1sBrtVBs/s1600/Perch-08-light-booth.jpg" height="640" width="430" /></a></div>
So I got to sketch Muddanna's light booth on the eve of the first show while J had to prepare.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-79603173140395587572014-08-08T12:04:00.000+05:302014-08-08T12:04:20.671+05:30Touring with Perch <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOALgJGhR08/U-RqVNnXdII/AAAAAAAAEKU/uGrAAdn3K1k/s1600/Perch-01-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOALgJGhR08/U-RqVNnXdII/AAAAAAAAEKU/uGrAAdn3K1k/s1600/Perch-01-cover.jpg" height="458" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
After a quiet 1st half of 2014, these last few weeks have been a lot of travelling and all of it with <a href="http://perch.co.in/index.html">Perch</a>. There's still more to come in the next few months and so I decided to dedicate a sketchbook/journal just for my travels with Perch. And I'm already half-way through the book!<br />
<br />
John and I travelled by the Shatabdi to reach the rest of the cast who were already in Bangalore a few days earlier rehearsing for "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcTT-Dy--sg&feature=youtu.be">How to Skin a Giraffe</a>".<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sw-kYvd0GaE/U-RqWu1GGaI/AAAAAAAAEKg/HeUSNprz404/s1600/Perch-02-to-bangalore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sw-kYvd0GaE/U-RqWu1GGaI/AAAAAAAAEKg/HeUSNprz404/s1600/Perch-02-to-bangalore.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
We reached in time for lunch. The cast were rehearsing at Play Practice, a new space near Bangalore university and we were looking forward to catch a run-through to brush up on our lighting cues but when we reached we found them like this :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERTbX77uRfU/U-RqWZ3TlyI/AAAAAAAAEKc/y08pdb9OpF4/s1600/Perch-03-rehearsal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERTbX77uRfU/U-RqWZ3TlyI/AAAAAAAAEKc/y08pdb9OpF4/s1600/Perch-03-rehearsal.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
Just kidding. That was a short nap after lunch.... as always. But we did catch the run through and there were several small changes and edits to the play making it crisper and helping with the flow of the narrative.<br />
<br />
The next morning we would move into Rangashankara for tech and more rehearsal.... sketches of that to follow in the next post.</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5062837059486844163.post-44078727309963130232014-06-05T16:30:00.000+05:302014-06-05T16:30:09.204+05:30My special little sketchbook<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DoNkwrYe36E/U5BCQtJhh4I/AAAAAAAADlk/gxQ7x-K2BTc/s1600/NCPA-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DoNkwrYe36E/U5BCQtJhh4I/AAAAAAAADlk/gxQ7x-K2BTc/s1600/NCPA-.jpg" height="313" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I have a pocket sketchbook that is so small that it frequently gets lost. I stumbled upon it this morning searching for something else and found that there was an entire series of sketches that I hadn't blogged. It was from a trip to Mumbai last November. As I leafed through the sketches the memories came back clear and detailed and it struck me all over again, how lovely it is to sketch memories in a sketchbook.<br />
I prefer it to taking photos any day. Of course photos bring back memories if and when you go through all 40 GB of them, but with the sketch, even the making of it is a memory in itself.<br />
<br />
Our theatre group was travelling by the Mumbai Mail to stage a play "How to Skin a Giraffe" at NCPA and we were a big group scattered across two coaches. As we got in there were some people who recognised Rajiv and they turned out to be teachers from The School, KFI . It's always nice to meet and get to know people on long train journeys.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iu4cVLCV03A/U5BCRH5gX6I/AAAAAAAADl0/CI9q5JARLLU/s1600/NCPA2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iu4cVLCV03A/U5BCRH5gX6I/AAAAAAAADl0/CI9q5JARLLU/s1600/NCPA2.jpg" height="310" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In fact, we were on the train longer than we stayed in Mumbai. It was incredibly hot and humid for November but the route was quite beautiful. We also spent a lot of time in the stations because the entire set for the play was booked and taken in the brake van. And it was sad to note that the amount of unofficial looting that goes on at the Chennai Railway station when you try to book your parcels in was far far more than at Mumbai.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKZ9RkPzc0w/U5BCRk0tLBI/AAAAAAAADl8/UgNk68jZxns/s1600/NCPA4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKZ9RkPzc0w/U5BCRk0tLBI/AAAAAAAADl8/UgNk68jZxns/s1600/NCPA4.jpg" height="322" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I couldn't do any sketches at the fabulous Tata Theatre where we performed. Assembling the set, rigging and focussing light in time for the show was too hectic but I did a couple of sketches at the hotel. We stayed at Sea Green Hotel on Marine Drive and in the morning and late evening we walked from the hotel to the auditorium along the sea shore. It was an old hotel with a lot of charm and great big rooms with mosaic flooring. A little run down but two great views from my balcony. Turn to the left and it was Brabourne cricket stadium. And turn to the right.....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JxDZBp1j-4/U5BCSN40ZNI/AAAAAAAADmA/O3YnuNlvQis/s1600/NCPA5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JxDZBp1j-4/U5BCSN40ZNI/AAAAAAAADmA/O3YnuNlvQis/s1600/NCPA5.jpg" height="314" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This sketchbook is a great one to have. It's really tiny and compact but opens out flat so I can do doublespreads. You can check out some of my <a href="http://kalpanabalaji.blogspot.in/search/label/Brahmabook">previous posts</a> done in this book. Its my go to book when I'm hurried or travelling light or want to sketch unobtrusively and just capture memories. Its called a Brahmabook and I haven't spotted them around in a while. I hope they still make them.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t4FB1Dfi7T0/U5BCMdxapBI/AAAAAAAADlg/3d-wBkzoQxA/s1600/brahmabookforweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t4FB1Dfi7T0/U5BCMdxapBI/AAAAAAAADlg/3d-wBkzoQxA/s1600/brahmabookforweb.jpg" height="320" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
</div>
kbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550847548905951870noreply@blogger.com1