MANASI KATRAGADDA
EDUCATOR | SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR | ARTIST | WRITER |
Daily musings with Manasi
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Did you ever go, 'I never thought I'd see this today!'
Sometimes, everyday life can get so routine that we miss unexpected things around us.
If we do notice them, they are lost somewhere and we forget them quickly.
'Do you remember the butterfly you saw on your way to work?'
Oops. Maybe.
'Did you see how the sky looked today?'
What if someone asked you to describe it from memory?
Hmm...Its always kind of blue, isn't it?
That's where my sketchbook comes in.
I draw and write on the unexpected surprises in my daily life.
Advice on art
In 'Daily Musings with Manasi' I share advice on art techniques. If you like to paint, the techniques could be something you'd like to use in your art.
I write about tips to improve art and discuss commonly asked questions I get.
And here I write about things we don't talk about that much. Like mistakes that even experienced artists make.
The sketches in this collection are from my journal.
This is what the cover looks like. I drew this by hand, inspired
by things found in nature.
The drawings are in black pen.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Flutter away, butterfly
My morning began with sighting this butterfly.
I pulled out my pencil quietly and flipped the pages of my sketchbook quietly, trying not to make a sound.
While sketching, just one thing was on my mind. That the butterfly wouldn't fly away in the middle of my sketch.
As butterfly rested on the flower, it kept fluttering its wings, kept opening and closing them every few seconds.
Thank you, butterfly for staying there long enough to make my sketch.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Thunder outside
Have you ever looked at the colors in the sky when it suddenly thunders ?
It wasn't night yet when the thunder began. About 5:30 in the evening, the calm sky changed into these colors.
Black clouds hung above the big trees and electrical poles.
After thundering a few times, heavy rains came down. Pretty windy, the trees swished in the rain till late in the night.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
You may call me pineapples or ananas
In summer time, the plan was to grow pineapples.
STEP 1
The pineapples in the refrigerator had to be consumed before they could be planted.
STEP 2
Tried to come up with different ways to eat pineapple (think pineapple salsa, pineapple salad, cut pieces).
STEP 3
The tops were now available.
STEP 4
Tops planting time.
When the tops were planted, they were of various sizes. Three in total, there was a tiny one and two medium sized ones.
They are still growing.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 1 Mistakes experienced artists can make.
‘You must not be making mistakes. You have so much experience in art.’ A comment I have heard many times.
It is a common misconception that we don’t talk about much.
Experienced artists can make mistakes.
Here are some of mine. Shows you are human :)
Spilling color water
When painting, I keep a container of water on my desk for many reasons.
To rinse brushes that are full of color. Or you could use water to clean brushes after you’re done painting.
When concentrating on a painting, it is easy to forget where I put that container of water. Then accidentally, my hand touches the end of the container that is full of water.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
It only takes seconds for that spill.
Has happened to me a few times and had to remove things on my desk to clean. Sometimes, this is a minor clean up.
However, one time it was more than that.
I had put aside some recent paintings on the desk. These were water color paintings that had taken me a few days to complete.
Water travels faster than you think. When the water spilled all over them, it only took a minute.
The original work on the paintings was no longer visible. Eventually I ended up redoing those paintings from scratch.
Something I didn’t plan for.
Guava, please
Had to sketch this.
At the farmers market, this guava had its leaves intact. Looks like it came straight from the tree!
Ever seen a guava like this?
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Flowers on the desk
A feeling of delight that made my day.
The flowers had just bloomed. The colors were the brightest when they opened up.
It was time to draw in my sketchbook.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Planting long beans
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Have you ever had long beans?
The plant is a creeper with medium size flowers.
The flowers are delicate and appear only for a few days.
Definitely called for a sketch.
Designing a cover on butterflies
Sometimes, I am inspired by the real butterflies that come by in the garden.
Their shapes and colors are fascinating to watch.
This is a cover in watercolor.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Is there a thing such as a perfect painting?
Painting on wet colors is one such thing.
Ever been a perfectionist? No matter how patient you are, there are those days when you are tempted to continue working on your painting. Have you ever done that?
Do you ever tell yourself this?
I just have to get that one shade right. Just this shade only.
Just add a little color here and a little color there.
Maybe it is perfectionism while trying to do a good job at your painting.
But then you realize time flies and you’ve added in a lot of color on what it is already a wet painting.
Or maybe because you are on a deadline.
Maybe because it is already night, and you need to deliver that painting tomorrow morning.
Hoping the painting will dry by itself, you think it is okay to add more color to an already wet painting.
Been there. Done that. :)
The problem with painting on wet colors is that is really hard to get the shade right.
Hmm, that’s why it is art, isn’t it? There is no formula for it.
A tale of dew drops
Sometimes, on a walk with my sketchbook in hand, I have noticed unexpected things.
Like these leaves with lots of dew drops.
They looked like they just got there on the plant.
That reminded me of the small things.
Like those things that we take for granted in life. Those that often tend to go unnoticed.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Bringing the outdoors in
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Drawing the colors of the rain outside... What better way
to look at it than from my sketchbook.
Chillies
A friend who trained as a chef has these chilli plants in
their back garden. When we have dinner at their house,
he lets us pluck them from the plant.
They smell amazing when you cook with them.
Here's a sketch in pencil. The chillies are small, round
and sweet in taste.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Sunset
Have you ever tried drawing the colors?
One evening, the sky had so many pinks in it. This is what it looked like. Amazing, isn't it?
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Being inspired
There are colors everywhere if we know where to look. That inspires me to paint.
For example, take these flowers.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 2- Mistakes experienced artists can make.
Using a top heavy container
When working on a painting, I am usually quite careful about staying far from water.
But these spills are entirely possible.
I happened to use a top heavy container to store water.
In the middle of painting, I absentmindedly filled more water on the top.
Next thing I know, the whole thing topples onto the desk.
The same goes for an oil painting. If you are in the middle of an oil painting,
you wouldn’t want an oil container that topples by itself. While water is usually easier to clean, oil stains are harder to clean up.
Word of caution
Try to keep water or oil far from you. At least try not to spill it on your painting :)
While painting, what are some other mistakes that have happened to you? Any ways to avoid them?
Humble lunchbox
After lunch I kept thinking and thinking what to draw. Until suddenly, I look at the lunch box in front of me and realize I've never sketched it before.
What does your lunchbox look like?
(c)Manasi Katragadda
More on guavas
Sometime back, I had done a pen sketch of a guava
at a farmer's market. After the colors were completed,
the sketch looked like this.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
On flowering plants
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Sometimes you come upon an idea
for a sketch when you aren't thinking about it.
The flowers growing on this plant were yellow
and it was surrounded by
bright long green leaves.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
What's for lunch?
Everyday, so many of us agonize thinking about what to eat. Or what menu or menus to plan. Where to shop? Where to eat? What time to eat?
Here was a bug eating leaves of the plant while hiding inside. It made holes in the the leaves, taking small nibbles. Seemed to have all the time in the world.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Butterfly and the flowers
The butterfly
came back for the flowers.
So this time, it's the backdrop of flowers
in the sketchbook.
I had colors with me that day
and finished the sketch outdoors.
(c)Manasi Katragadda
Another way to color
For this sketch, I used a technique called ink wash.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
How to set it up?
Before setting up the drawing, I made a lot of notes.
What do the flowers look like?
How to arrange them?
How to get the light on them?
Tea or coffee?
Do you get asked this a lot?
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Mango picking
The way the fruits hung off the branches was just amazing. I had seen nothing like that. Have you?
A sketch to remember this.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Pens on the desk
Sketching pens with another pen is also fun.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Ah, something to sketch
Saw these flowers in a store. A quick sketch in color.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
When using colors
When you are working with
a lot of color, your desk can
look like this.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Saplings
In summer time, a friend planted these tiny saplings
in her garden.
Watching them grow is fun. In two months,
they grew this tall.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
At the farm
This is what we did at the farm.
Picked flowers straight from the
plants!
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Flowers
Later at the farm, we picked some veggies and flowers.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Making notes
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Weekend sketching
Did this sketch over the weekend.
Long leaves with crimson and white small flowers. Colors are acrylic.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching in pen
I use pens a lot for sketching. This one's in black pen.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Advice on sketching
I've been asked this question a few times.
What if someone is new to sketching and doesn't feel confident in directly using pens?
What advice would I give them?
Use a pencil if you think you'll change your sketch.
Then with an eraser clean the changes.
After that use a pen on your pencil drawing.
How long does a painting take?
Paintings can take several days to complete. This one had many
different colors- yellows, pinks, greens that needed
mixing.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Noticing colors
Sometimes, you just see colors and feel they should be in your sketchbook.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching in winter
When its cold outside, its an excuse
to do another sketch.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Snowed in. Working on this sketch for now.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching in winter
A sketch over the weekend.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching in winter
You know you're ready to paint when the light is just right.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Working on ink wash technique.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching in winter
Painting with water colors.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 1- How to paint reflections
In this painting, there is more than one reflection. The water, the flowers and the vase that holds them.
One way to show the reflections is to use different colors.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 2- How to paint reflections
There is another way to do reflections.
In this painting, the reflection comes
from behind the vase.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 3- How to paint reflections
A third way is reflections that come from behind the figure in this painting. The reflections appear behind the large object.
I used a grey tone to show the reflections.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 1- How to draw
Someone wrote to me recently and asked if I could share any tips on drawing.
One piece of advice is to draw more. Just like anything else, the more you draw the better you get at it.
On the side is a drawing in pen. When I am not coloring, you'll find me working on drawing.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 2- How to draw
When you are beginning out, start with one object. When you have drawn that, do another object.
In my sketch, you'll see many objects.
Pick just the flowers first. Keep drawing them till you are confident.
Then pick the vase. It could look simple but then you see it has some designs. Keep drawing it till you know how to do it.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 1- How to color
I get many questions on how to color. If someone is a beginner, what should they do to improve their technique.
One thing to do is decide what color you want to use.
If your sketch is on a sheet of paper, there's many options to go for.
Markers, water colors, acrylic colors and so on.
If painting on a board, you need something like acrylic colors.
A lot of art stores have these colors. They can be found in many places.
Keep the questions coming!
Part 2- How to color
Here's another advice on coloring. Something you need as you learn about coloring techniques.
Know your colors.
You can use different shades of colors to show
how colors fall on an object.
For example, the green used in the leaves is a light version. The flowers are brighter than the rest of the objects. The flowers in the top are different from the ones at the bottom.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Somersaulting butterfly
Something amazing I discovered about this butterfly. This one kept somersaulting on the edge of this flower.
Till then, I didn't even know a butterfly could do such a thing!
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Coloring
Sometimes you can find color in the unexpected of places.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 1- A walk with sketchbook
It's always fun to draw in the sketchbook when there are different shades of colors. I had never seen this color on a flower, had to sketch this.
The petals were transparent and the light
filtered through.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 2- A walk with sketchbook
Another day of working with colors not often seen on flowers.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Part 3- A walk with sketchbook
It's time for another sketch.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketch time
Ever seen a curry leaf plant?
Looks like a shrub- thin branches with delicate leaves on each side. They don't have a strong smell on the plant. Only when cooked, they produce the aroma we know.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketch time
The plant has chillies on them! They look like this in the sketch.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Papaya!
Had to draw this papaya tree.
Never seen something like this. The small papayas were growing around the tree.
The tree balanced them just like that.
That's amazing isn't it?
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketch time
Sketching in water color.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Bananas with pen
I used a black pen to draw this
banana tree. A tall tree, its long leaves
had grown outward, making it
look taller than it was.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Coloring the banana tree
I used watercolor for the sketch of the banana tree. This is how it looked like
after the sketch was completed.
The top part of the leaves were yellow and the ends were green in color.
This one had bananas hanging on the tree.
Small plants grew on either side.
(c) Manasi Katragadda
Sketching fresh flowers
Working on this one. Fresh flowers like these are fun to draw and color.
