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DRY SINK
As i looked at this dry sink, felt like sketching it right there. since i was not carrying my sketch kit, clicked it from my phone camera and sketched it later.
My Boys
Yes, they do look like twins to many, almost same height, but Aadhavan (Daadu) who is in yellow two years older to Ananthan (Monu).
Daadu is good in football and cricket, played for his house team for the last 2 years. This year he was selected for the under 12 school team for football. And his team got a gold in the ‘Bishop’s Invitation cup’, won the school tournament. He was a star in one of the cricket inter-house matches for rescuing and finishing the game. Also, he is a good athlete, last few years he ran 100 and 200 mtrs., but did not make it to the finals. Finally, this year he made it in the finals and ran the 200 mtrs with fever and cold, collapsed near the finishing line, but in the 4X100 relay, he managed to get the bronze.
I think Monu is a naturally talented cricketer, he is a righty, but bowls/bats with his left hand. Somehow he was not lucky to get selected, I am sure he will play for the school in the future. He is a die-hard fan of the Srilankan cricketer Malinga. For the last 2 years he has been learning to play the violin; plays quite well now. Also he is good in drawing.
I digitally painted this picture from the photograph that I clicked during one of the matches at school.
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An Illustration for e. e. cummings In Just – Spring (Baloonman)
I made few illustrations for some of the short poems that liked and posted in ‘facebook’. This particular one is a request from my wife’s cousin and friend who lives with her family in beautiful faroe islands, halfway between Norway and Iceland
A Sketch for ‘Lighthouse Keeper of Aspinwall’ by Henryk Sienkiewicz
I have read and enjoyed this little story from one of the short story collection that i found in my bookshelf.
This one I sketched the same day that I have read the story, and the lighthouse and the location is my imagination, I know there will be one which is close to this will be there somewhere in this world, would like to visit before I die.
Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916)
He was a novelist, born in Poland. He studied at Warsaw, traveled in the USA, and in the 1870s began to write articles, short stories, and novels. His major work was a war trilogy about 17th-century Poland, but his most widely known book is the story of Rome under Nero, “Quo Vadis?” (1896), several times filmed. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905.
An Illustration for Sting’s ‘I Hung My Head’
I discovered this song much later after its release in 1996, though many people think it is written by Johnny Cash but no, it actually sound one of his songs, in fact when I checked it in wiki, it freaked me out that Sting had. Cash version is good but I liked Bruce Springsteen’s version, particularly the one he performed for Sting at Kennedy Center.
Here is the theme of the song (from wiki)
The story is told from the point of view of a young man who takes his brother’s rifle out onto the hill one morning. As a rider crosses the plain, the singer takes aim (“I drew a bead on him; to practice my aim.”) The rifle goes off in his hands, killing the rider.
The man runs to the salt lands, throwing the rifle into a stream. (The Cash cover changes “salt lands” to “south lands”, and “stream” to “sheen”. Sting supposed the latter was due to a misprint in the lyrics Cash was using.[1]) He is discovered by a sheriff, and is struck by the realization of what he has done.
He is brought before a judge and jury, where he begs forgiveness and wishes he was dead. Awaiting execution on the gallows, he sees as a “trick of the brain” the rider return, so that they will ride together “till kingdom come”. The man prays to God for mercy.
I made this sketch after listening to the song not much in detail, so there is an error it, I should have put the gallows on the hill and placed that fellow in the plain… anyway, this is one of my favorite country song.
This is my favorite version
https://youtu.be/E5sv6FFpQEQ
2 Little Huts
This is the very first image that I clicked from this camera (Sony NEX3) that got few years ago, and these colorful little huts are painted by my children.
There is a time for everything – Painting
The Book of Ecclesiastes is part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament also called the black sheep of the Bible, but it is one of my favorite book.
Like many other books in Bible, this book does not directly identify its author. There are some clues in the context that may suggest a different person wrote the book after Solomon’s death, possibly several hundred years later. Martin Luther was probably the first to deny the Solomonic authorship. He regarded the book as “a sort of Talmud, compiled from many books, but the conventional belief is that the author is indeed King Solomon.
In fact there were endless arguments against this book and its inclusion in the Old Testament. The reason for that is that there are certain passages in this book which seem to deny that there is life after death, that it is all over when this life ends and “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we must die” kind of philosophy.
The Ecclesiastes writer Throughout the book, again and again he says, “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.” Although he accepts a kind of fatalism according to which there is a definite time and place for everything, his book is filled with advice about how a person should live in order to get the greatest enjoyment out of life. Above all else, he counsels moderation: “Do not be over righteous, neither be over wise — why destroy yourself?” A person should find a happy medium. One of the tragedies of life, the author tells us, is for a person to spend so much time and energy preparing for old age that when it arrives, the person is unable to enjoy it. We should enjoy life while we are young, for old age is characterized by weakness and infirmities that are but a prelude to the time when “the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
Here one of my favorite passage in this book that I have painted.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Eccl 3:1-8
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Lead Kindly Light ( Hymn Painting )
I made this painting four years ago for an auction in our church ‘harvest festival”. Later I made many such works for some popular hymns like ‘Abide with me’ , ‘How great thou art’ and stuff. even now people tell me ‘ Hey you know, that goda waala (horse) painting was good ‘ and then I had to correct them saying that was mule not a horse.
Why do people Generalize?
Generalization is an inherent to human nature, and for good reason. We can’t help it. And the judgment is personal, individual. Such stereotyping is practiced by almost everyone. But we are smart creatures. We know not put tomatoes in fruit salad. we understand the power of wind and the water. We have the wisdom to understand what is eatable and what not to eat.
Unfortunately that’s bit tricky when it comes to people. In society we often hear stereotypes about others, although they are questionable, but here are some stereotypes that I had heard and read in the past.
British are too proud. Australians have no culture. Blondes are dumb. Chinese are straight in business. Jews are greedy. Dutch are stingy. Americans have fat arses. Arabs are not trustworthy. French are considered the worst drivers…
In India – Tamilians are slaves. Mharashtrians are not ambitious. Bongs are selfish. Keralites are not be trusted. Sindhis are kanjoos (stingy). Beware the Brahmins. Gujus are business mined. Sardars are stupid.
These are all narrow-minded labels the society put, however it does detract from the credibility of the message that the person is transmitting. I think it is very important to understand others by not misjudging them. It’s not easy, needs a lot of practice and courage to do so.
I do sometimes, bitching people. But knowing it’s wrong, and trying to do my best to stop such stereotyping and generalization is the first.
black buck
this is from the photo which i clicked in 2009 at ‘rehukeri black buck sanctuary’, around 150km from where i live.
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lady in red
sketched from the photo which i clicked at thillai nataraja temple, chidambaram in tamil nadu.
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HOUSE CROW – Remembering Laxman
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Quick one – Sketched by using Wacom tablet few years ago.
Few tings comes to my mind when i think of these HOUSE CROWS
Once my wife said ’ there are no crows in jabalpur (where she lived for many years). i said WHAT?. I’m still not totally convinced. I always had the impression that these House Crows are as common as trees in India.
These birds are believed to be a messenger of spirit of ancestors.
I guess the most basic fact is that they originally come from India and south-east Asia. Yes, they eat rubbish (lots of it too).
They say, This clever bird is part of a group that is considered to be amongst the most intelligent animals in the world.
R K Laxman’s and his fascination for crows is well known, he painted hundreds of crows, singly and in groups, from near and far, and in many moods, often appeared in a corner of his cartoons.
I remember this beautiful line from a great Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathi in his ‘Paapa Paatu’ collections… ஏந்தித் திருடுமந்த காக்காய் – அதற்க்கு இர்ரகப் படவேண்டும் பாப்பா …
little one
My Friend’s son Saad.
paul mccartney
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
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A day in Indian Express
Recently I was invited by ‘IE’ (Indian Express – Pune) to spend a day in their office to make caricatures of their staffs. This was my first attempt as a caricaturist. bit nerves with my first model, later I find drawing a caricature is much easier than making an ‘egg omelet’, literally takes the same time.
A Quick Skech
A quick sketch of Daniel at my office.
Changing my career
I have decided to start my career in story telling. You know why? coz, Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) and is said to have called it his best work.
Here we go…
Here we go…
I’m your father. Who is this?
Maneka sex scandal. White tiger involved.
Will this do (lazy cartoonist asked)?
I never said that. Large please.
Second coming. Viji is missing.
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Poster for CESVI
Photographed and Designed 12 posters for CESVI (NGO).This cutie is a daughter of bonded labourer family in one of the rice-mills near ‘red hills’ (madras). this family is paid Rs.20 (0.40 $) per day.
We have over 60 million child labourers in India!. A large number of children employed as bonded labourers by the non-farming sectors like small-scale textile, firecracker, leather goods manufacturing, brick kilns and granite extraction units are from the families who are subjected to distress migration from the rural villages. In the cities, children from these families are employed as bonded labourers in restaurants and eateries or end up employed as bonded beggars or fall prey to sex trade.
And our great government has very strict law against for those keeps bonded labourers. The fine is only Rs.1000 (22 $).
Strip Cartoons
I made some strip toons recently by using digital pen.
Manapad
Manapad. A place that is very close to my heart and shall remain close forever. To me it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The calm water lashes against the shore and retreats silently. In the distance, small boats appear like tiny specks riding the waves. The beach is clean and silent; the absence of stalls is conspicuous. Red tiled white little houses. It is not difficult to imagine the peace that descends in the stillness of the night here.
This predominantly Roman Catholic coastal village around 70 km from Tirunelveli. I hope some day our tourism department will promote this wonderland. If you are planning to take a vacation next time to south india, visit and enjoy the beauty & tranquil that is so unique to the place.
Note: Be there on the hill in the afternoon. The colour of the sand and the sea and those little houses … AWESOME!
My first attempt with Wacom intuos4
this is my first attempt with my latest toy Wacom intuos4. took around 2 days to get the hang of this amazing gadget and to finish these four sketches of my friends.
Homage to a little big man – Madhvan Nair
Poster boy of Pune Coffee House ‘Madhavan Nair’ People often called him ‘little man’, we called him Nair uncle.
Am one of a regular visitor to PCH for last 20 years, but last 10 years we were quite regular for breakfast after Sunday’s service from St. Pauls. He had seen our both our kids from day one. like most of the kids my kids are also bit unruly in one stage in restaurants like running around, not eating food, making noise and stuff. But not in PCH, we are comfortable because of Nair uncle. As soon as we enter the restaurant, he is there to welcome us and give few instructions to our kids scare them a bit, with us little conversation in his mallu mixed tamil… he was gentle little kind man. We miss you my friend.
OUR IRRITATING INDIAN NEWS CHANNELS
These days I am frustrated and irritated with our crappy news channels.
I noticed, most of the time the ads appear at the same time in all these channels. Initially I thought it was coincidence. No, these guys are all ganged up to so. I am now convinced that this is a cruel and planned strategy to force ads down our unwilling throats.
They also telecast same of their usual rotten ‘news and analysis’ content, meaningless discussions and debates at the same time. Again, these are also kind of their strategy.
However, there is already a law subscribing volume of advertising per hour of programming. The Cable Television Network Rules,1994, clearly say that not more than 12 minutes (20%) of advertisement for every one hour of programming is acceptable. Rule 7 (11) states: “No programme shall carry advertisements exceeding 12 minutes per hour, which may include up to 10 minutes per hour of commercial advertisements, and up to 2 minutes per hour of a channel’s self-promotional programmes.”
Who care, analysis says that volumes of ads are more than that of news stories or bulletins. Some channels, 60% of prime time slots went to ads, the rest to news.
I have suggestions – When the ads come, take your eyes off the screen and read good books or newspaper or listen to your wife what she had to say during the news time. Don’t worry. The ads last a good 10 minutes these days. That’s enough time to do lot of other things
THE COVE
A spectacularly compelling documentary that was as well financed as it is well intentioned. And went on winning this year Oscar.
One can say it is shame to Japanese government for hiding and mercury poisoning and stuff.
But catching Dolphin is tradition of Japan. The idea that catching Dolphin is bad people in other countries than Japan. And one has to respect different cultures.
like many I also eat many beautiful, cute and innocent looking creatures like goat, chicken, cow, pig, Fish, rabbit, pigeon, deer, squirrels…. But here I am bit disturbed by killing this very expressive and intelligent animal.
Note: This is a must watch documentary for those suckers who care about saving tigers, green earth, and stuff only by creating a groups and clicking ‘like’ button in facebook…
blind spot ( potholes )
I live in Pune, one of the small, peaceful and the safest city in Pot holes: this topic is one the filler in our city daily newspapers during this season, almost every day you will find one or two photographs.
This one i made for TOI (pune) and appeared in one rainy day.
My third visit to Goa
Last week I’ve taken 3 days break with my family in Goa.
My first visit to Goa was during my college days in 1987, don’t remember much coz, I was socked in beer and wine.
Second visit was in 2000, I piled on with a rock band (strange brew from pune), we played in a one of the cozy shack near the beach for some rich firang crowd, again lots of booze and played few games of pool on one of the worst table in the world, lost around 100 rupees, had good swim.
This time had great fun with my wife and sons, had just 2 king fishers all alone in one shady bar.
Second visit was in 2000, I piled on with a rock band (strange brew from pune), we played in a one of the cozy shack near the beach for some rich firang crowd, again lots of booze and played few games of pool on one of the worst table in the world, lost around 100 rupees, had good swim.
This time had great fun with my wife and sons, had just 2 king fishers all alone in one shady bar.
Pic: My kids aadhavan and ananthan having fun in Miramar beach
Blind Spot (Beggars)
Some beggars are there in India for generations, and continue their family tradition of begging, they even have sizable wealth, which they accumulate by “employing” other, newer beggars.
Christianity: Rich are encouraged to give to the poor.
Hinduism: In many Hindu traditions begging is encouraged.
Buddhism: Monks and nuns traditionally live by begging for alms.
Hinduism: In many Hindu traditions begging is encouraged.
Buddhism: Monks and nuns traditionally live by begging for alms.
There are online beggars too.
Secular Country ( INDIA)
See.. no secular country like america, canada, australia, Uk, france, germany,italy, japan etc etc. have separate laws for any religion.but why India have all separate laws for every religion?
I feel, we should be following only one law that is Indian law, isn’t it?
Sex Education
I feel, the only sex education that should be taught is to be a good boy or a girl and stay a virgin till you are married.Blind Spot ( toilets )
In the west you are fined if you do the job in the public places, here in India you pay to enter the public toilets and not fined otherwise.
Here we go…
India and the toilet have a long and proud history. The earliest example of a flush toilet dates back to Indus Valley Civilisation (3300–1700 BCE) where every house had a flush toilet connected to a complicated city-wide sewage works.