On my art table: Constellation of Hope

art journal techniques abstract art constellation of hope

I’ve been experimenting with abstract art recently, and it has been fun – challenging too, but fun. I find that I tend to slip back into slightly familiar territory when I am painting abstracts – adding in leaves, plants, flowers, or figures as a focal point and to try and bring everything together.

In this latest piece that I did, I was determined to keep it completely abstract, using only lines and shapes and color to tell a story. And what a story it turned out to be!Continue reading

On my art table: Find peace in the chaos

how to find peace in the chaos

“That’s your solution? Have a cookie?’ Astrid asked. ‘No, my solution is to run down to the beach and hide out until this is all over,’ Sam said. ‘But a cookie never hurts.” ― Michael Grant, Gone

It is no secret that most of us are suffering from information overload these days. From constant social media updates, the latest science and history lessons courtesy the University of What’s App, 24×7 news channels, to thought leadership articles and even humble blogs – content has exploded, and we are bombarded with opinions and views no matter which way we turn.

As with most things in life, this content explosion can be both good and bad. Continue reading

The power of a daily practice

The power of a daily practice: lessons learnt at the painty table

I think it’s no secret that acrylics are my favourite art medium. I love the ability to texture and layer, to leave hidden messages and power symbols buried under layers of luscious paints. These characteristics of acrylics also make them a much more involved medium to work in: I can spend days fiddling with layers and styles; etching and writing; fixing and tweaking. And while I love it, I also wanted to explore the whimsicality of quicker illustrations and fewer layers of paint.Continue reading

On my Art Table: Being Open to the Mystery of the Universe

What does it mean to be open to the mystery of the universe?

This is a question I’ve been contemplating since a while. And as usual, when I have a question that requires deep contemplation, I take it to my art table. Through writing, throwing down layers of paint, playing with stencils and different mediums without any end goal in mind, I work through the question in my mind.

On my art table - being open to the mysteries of the universe

My answer comes through the marks I make on the page.Continue reading

Release your fear: create art with wild abandon

release fear comparison create wild abandon

Fear of paint, of art, of creativity is something I’ve come across over and over again. People constantly say they can’t paint, or they can’t draw. But I say that everyone can paint. Yes, everyone.

Think back to your childhood – chances are that painting and drawing were your favorite pastimes. But as you grew older, you suddenly started thinking that you cannot paint.

Why?Continue reading

#PocketFullOfArt: Approach this work with devotion

This simple, small little spread took me three days to finish, largely due to the lack of time.

I’ve been using my daily Tarot pulls as inspiration to create a small spread in my tiny art journal {almost} every day. The goal was to finish a page a day; however, I’ve come to realize that isn’t always possible, even though I am working small. And that’s OK.

The biggest point of the Pocket Full of Art initiative is to create some art everyday, in the pockets of time that we have available to us. To come each day to the table, open to the possibilities and the emotions. To express ourselves with paint and paper, or origami folds, or with a cross-stitch or any other form of art. Continue reading

On my art table: Soulful surrender

On my art table soulful surrender art journal spread art journal artist art journaling india

There’s a current of magic that flows through our life.

I’m not talking about the Harry Potter kind of magic. I’m talking about the magic that shows up in our life – through synchronicity. Which is simply being in the right place at the right time, meeting the right people at the right time, hearing a message or a piece of music at the right time.

It’s not necessarily earth shattering magic.

Continue reading

#MicroblogMondays: The birth of a painting

Before I started on my art journey, I often wondered how artists came up with ideas for their paintings. What sort of research did they do? What techniques did they study? How did they prepare for a session? I never found any satisfactory answers – or maybe I didn’t look hard enough. So I thought I’d share my process for brainstorming and researching ideas and techniques for a canvas that I’m about to start.

The birth of a painting

In the middle of busy work loads and hectic commitments, I’ve been squeezing in some reading time. My Pocket feed is filled with articles on color theory and symbolism, color meanings and associations, the meaning and significance of color in different cultures, color color, and more color.Continue reading