Cookie Box For Thread and Needles

Just another day, a regular day. I am binge watching "Friends", all ten seasons of it, just to prepare myself for the "Friends Reunion". Beside me, he is ‘working’, apparently this is the new normal. He is completely immersed in his client calls and tally numbers, doesn’t even spare a second to lift up his head to see what’s happening around. I wonder whether what all those people who once advocated the ‘dignity of labour’ had to say about this new work-style, about the modern slaves.

 

Hm.. with a mellow sigh I look at him hoping to catch his attention. No, his eyes are firmly fixed onto the screen. Unable to resist myself from adoring him, I caress his hair. What’s that Portuguese word? Oh yes, cafuné... right! I see his moustache and beard pulled up as he quietly smiles. I run my slender fingers through his hair, and in a second, the smooth run is disturbed by a strand of thread. I try to look for the thread, but he is becoming agitated. I take my hands off, and wait for him to pool in all his focus on his work. Within minutes, he’s back tallying his numbers on screen, and I run my fingers again to catch that thread. I find it and I pull it up, what I see is not a thread from his cardigan nor from my skirt, this thread is from a different fabric. As I continue to pull the thread, he is disturbed again. This time, I move closer to him, and as I pull some more of the thread, I bite it off from the longer strand before he notices or gets irritated. Running into the kitchen, I quickly roll the thread piece and hide it in my Malibu cookie box, which is now my new tin box of secret artifacts! I ask him nothing about it, and he too seems to have nothing on his mind to share. We retire for the day.

 

The next day too begins as just another day, and the two us go about with our work. I free myself this evening and catch up on "Moby Dick". Melville’s novel is pretty big, I had only read the illustrated and abridged versions up until now. This time, I bought the original novel, and made it a point to read it through no matter how long it would take me to finish the book. I just finished ‘Chapter 45’, and by now I have picked up a few words of the seamen’s diction and a point or two about whales, particularly the sperm whales. Before I begin reading the next chapter, he comes and sits near me, with his head on my lap and flips the channel. Today, even before I could run my fingers through his hair, I found the thread sticking out. Like the previous day, I start pulling this thread again, this time the length exceeds than the previous cut. I carefully hide it from him and take it into the kitchen to store it in my precious little cookie box.

 

Days pass, and my cookie box slowly fills up with the several strands of thread that I cut every day. First, his hair comes unwinding, then his forehead, his eyes and ears, nose and lips, every part loosens up into colours of flesh pink, red, brown and black. I continue to pull the thread, and his arms come down, soon his legs too unwind. The last pull, the last strand of thread, the last toe, he is now thread strands. For the next few days, I ponder over what to do with these strands that sleep in my cookie box. I think, I think hard, and then I decide. I take out my spinning needles, connect all those thread strands and let my mind work through my hands. I am unaware of what shape the new knitting is going to take, but I relentlessly knit.

 

Before my eyes, the leaves are first ones to take the shape, and then with the shade of brown, I make the branches which then twines up with the trunk. The new shape is finally ready, and I place this one along with other trees. I hear some murmurs, perhaps the new pattern doesn’t look one bit similar to that of the older counterparts. They gossip! I sense that the new pattern is going to encounter some troubles when alone. Without thinking too much, I leave the pattern and the rest of the crew. As I take a few steps away from them, I hear rustling noise, I look back and I see that the new pattern has already shed a few leaves, and the other trees have come closer to the new member. Unable to perceive the situation, I simply leave them.

 

The next day, I come out to see the new member. It appears as if there is no life in it though it is standing still. I do not comprehend this and not wanting to spare much thought on this, I turn back. I hear the noise again. This time, I choose not to look. The noise grows. I simply ignore and go inside. As the days go by, the new member is no longer new, and the rustling sound has also receded. But sometimes, I hear them whisper my name.

The Bad Bitch Bodega Cat

 

Have you ever thought of being a bodega cat?

A bad bitch bodega cat?

Lurking around the corner shops,

Waiting for a piece of meat to be thrown away.

Yes, that’s the one –

She bleeds boxer Ali through her chest,

While her brain reeks of Bobby Fischer,

This bad bitch is wearing my hijab

And scaring a many tom cats in her daily wars –

I want to be like her,

Just a bad bitch bodega cat,

Strutting through these boroughs

As a hooded figure, I meekly pass –

But the bodega cat isn’t one like me,

She hisses, and purrs,

And fiercely coughs up a hairball

Swearing and threatening the other cats,

Not just toms but bitches too –

No one dares to challenge her,

She beats the hell out of those oglers

Those who grope daughters –

Like cowards in crowded streets,

The bodega cat sharpens her claws with abuses,

With humiliation and lewd comments,

And blood.

She ushers me to wear my hijab,

A hijab of bad bitch

And walk on stilts, tall and brave –

Giving no two,

To the ones who are trampled below.

Mandela

 

“Mandela”, a light-hearted but very well-thought story. It strongly yet in its own comical way captures the significance of ‘one-vote’. If today's world is on a quest for seeking its identity, this movie begins with the very notion of an identity-less situation. As much as I enjoyed the movie, I couldn't help but to realise most of the meanings that were embedded deeply. Set in a village in Tamil Nadu, the movie collects around a prominent family's personal rift to making it a caste issue overtly. The outright hatred that is deep seated in 'caste' is aptly picturised and at the same time, its hypocrisy comes upfront as a caution. The transition in the name caught my complete attention - 'Smile' to 'Mandela', more like an 'identity-less' (but still happy) to 'identity' (the root cause of all other problems) - I find it a clever play with the names. One could imagine all the significance a name like Mandela could hold. Our people need more movies like this.

Will Justice be Served?

 

Two movies that I wish to talk about: "Act-1978" [Kannada] and "Naandhi" [Telugu].

 

 

"Act-1978" is a yesteryear's release that made it to the theatre screens post the Covid-lockdown. Starring Yagna Shetty in the lead, this movie is a well-scripted diatribe against corruption that mirrors the chain-link consequences of every individual's negligence in executing their respective duties. While the storyline appears to have already been in the niche, it still provides an outlet for great experimentation. A justice seeking individual is forced to becoming an outlaw is nothing new to the Indian cinema, however, the suspense and the make of character-roles have a tinge of newness. The attention-arresting cinematography, much expanded suspense, and very minimal yet effective locations throughout are some of the elements that deserve appreciation. The actors too, some already established, some amateurs and some entrants, all have performed their roles in the most convincing manner.

 

If the former movie boarders on the protagonist becoming an outlaw, then the latter movie is an exact opposite of fighting for justice within the circles of law and order. "Naandhi" is this year's release starring Allari Naresh in the lead. A blend of lock-up atrocities and courtroom drama, this movie has presented a sort of a naked truth about the legal system. I have always seen Allari Naresh as a comic artist and even if he is in the lead, the scripts are often comical. This movie has reversed the perception of how Naresh is portrayed. As much as a thinker a script can be, it still must work to cater to the masses, and there is drama and action to tick these parameters. Though the storyline is not extremely unfamiliar, what is important to note is that the protagonist alone doesn’t take the limelight, and every character is equally highlighted (this is something that often becomes a wanting factor in many films.

 

Both the movies made me tear up a little, and they held my attention throughout. While these movies have drawn references from world cinema, they still stand as individual accomplishments. This was about the structure of the movies, I now like to press on the issue of the much emerging theme of the inability of the government and its various systems. The protagonists here are no extraordinary heroes, rather a result of a failed government system. It in a way makes me question the legitimacy of such system, and thereby its extending laws (which for some reason imposes thoroughly on the voiceless). I am not saying that my mind is befuddled with fiction and reality, instead what I emphasize is simply that our reality is no different than fiction. That these protagonists are not only an image of a modern man/woman but also a modern image of a man/woman.

 

OTT Platforms:

"Act-1978" - Amazon Prime

"Naandhi" - Aha

Snape kind-a love!

We have all enjoyed the Harry Potter fiction, be it the books or movies, and for those of us who are huge fans of this franchise, it is certain that we have all ended up having a soft corner for Prof. Snape, some of us have even ended up liking this character more than the leads or Dumbledore. Here is February, with the Valentine hearts making its stamp everywhere, we see some enjoying the fervour, and some trying to ignore it, while some unfortunate few craving for that little zing of romance to happen. Perhaps these lines too are written by someone who is a little swayed by the Valentine's Day fever. Though I can think of many blissful and everlasting romances and love tales, it is Severus Snape's yearning for Lily that snapped atop my mind.

 

[Snape] stood up. "You have used me."

"Meaning?"

"I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter's son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter-"

"But this is touching, Severus," said Dumbledore seriously. "Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?"

"For him?" shouted Snape. "Expecto Patronum!"

From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: she landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.

"After all this time?"

"Always," said Snape.

(Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33, The Prince's Tale)

 

Just take a moment to analyse this character - throughout the series, Snape is portrayed as a toughened man, and he even received a lot of spite when he charged Dumbledore. But in the end, he takes away my breath by saying that single word, "Always". Narratives such as these truly make fiction a whole lot better than real. A man in tears, down to his knees, sworn to protect his beloved's child, and never lets go of his fondness for Lily even after all those years is a character worth loving! The weight that a simple "always" can carry is enormous, and the narrative compels you to think about the word and the commitment it entails.

Is the cat a minuscule salon tiger..

 

Is the cat a minuscule salon tiger..

Despite the many distasteful remarks made on "Memories of my Melancholy Whores", a novella written by the Noble Prize winning Colombian author Marquez, it has something to offer to the young and the old. In brief words, the story is about a nonagenarian accidentally finding love. The narrative reeks with the notion that virginity is a virtue and this precisely changes the course of events for the unnamed narrator post his ninetieth birthday.

Now, to a modern day reader, the story may come across as a befitting text that ought to be run through the chainsaws of multiple theories, but, it is best to leave the novella be and read it as a cluster of words telling a story.

What kept me amused was to see how a carnal desire metamorphoses into weirdly platonic and takes the face of something that one cannot live without. Marquez has not written any dialogues of conversation between the narrator and his liaison, but the almost accurate description of what the narrator experiences is spread across. It is a simple story that presents before the readers in its bare skeleton the reality, a reality that cannot be repudiated yet can be digested by the readers only through fiction!

"Velu Nayakar"

The south of India has been a cultural laboratory for centuries, and there is no modern day history of this place without the entertainment industry. This industry has made a prominent impact in altering the reality of the masses, their perceptions and the likes of the common. In something that appealed to the logical and the emotional aspects of the viewers, the 1987 release ‘Nayakan’ raised the bar in constructing a complicated character through Sakthivel ('Velu Nayakar'). On many occasions, Mani Ratnam has denied any reference or influence of the 1972 release 'The Godfather' on this Tamizh movie. As a viewer, I found 'Nayakan' a little different from the plot of the Godfather franchise, although they can all be classified under gangster genre, the storylines are rather varied.

 

The construction of Nayakar's character has indeed become a roadmap that leads to the complex transformation, or if I may use the literary device - bildungsroman, of a young child to a leader who eventually runs a quasi government. In fact, this plot gets resonated in an elaborate fashion in "Thalapathi" (1991 release). What I really liked about "Nayakan" is the lead character himself! Of course, Kamal Hassan is always a treat to the mind to watch (not forgetting to mention that he is also a treat to the eyes.. whistles..). When the entire journey, from 'Sakthivel' to 'Velu' to 'Nayakar', is closely observed, we may find that the many situations add velocity to the character to behave or act in a particular manner. Look at the circumstances that get created and the lead has to not just respond to them but also has to embrace them.

 

There is a certain chaos that comes out (very well depicted by KH!), a chaos of helplessness and an indispensable inability to keep the family away from bloodshed. The complications extend outside, in understanding what is legitimate that can get the aid of the government, while the otherwise activities (though carried out in the larger good for the poor) make Nayakar an outlaw. Nayakar killing people or ordering men to kill is considered poetic justice, but the epitome of anarchy in the mind reaches the peak when the grandson questions him. It may appear lame, but the words hold so much depth that, yes, eventually, asked to our own selves, we are unable to answer.

Vitascope Viewing

 

The Covid19 lockdown has proved more like a productive base in terms of binge watching movies. The series from action to romance to drama to comedy to experimental, all the varieties have attracted our attention. Alongside exclusive releases on OTT platforms, sitcoms and to-be-watched movies, I spent some time watching some of the classic movies and some contemporary favourites again. In the list of selected revisited classic movies were Dead Poet’s Society (English, 1989), Iruvar (Tamil, 1997) , Naagarahaavu (Kannada, 1972), Krantiveer (Hindi, 1994), Anbe Sivam (Tamil, 2003), 12 Angry Men (English, 1957), Oru Yathramozhi (Malayalam, 1997), The Great Dictator (English, 1940), Modern Times (English, 1936) and, for some strange reason, Hum Saath Saath Hain (Hindi, 1999). The contemporary few are Ente Ummante Peru (Malayalam, 2018), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (English, 2017), Manamantha (Telugu, 2016), Sarileru Neekevvaru (Telugu, 2020) and Jojo Rabbit (English, 2020).

 

However, there is an all-time favourite movie from that list and I have tried to write a synoptic view about the same. A classic Puttanna Kanagal directed piece, which also attained the cult status, is the 1972 release Naagarahaavu. This Kannada movie became a huge success and rapidly paved way for the then new faces like Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh and Aarathi to venture further in the film industry. The story is based on T.R. Subba Rao’s trilogy novels, Nagarahavu, Ondu Gandu Eradu Hennu and Sarpa Mathsara. The story at large has every component - drama, action, comedy and romance. There is requited love but does not end in the fruition of marriage, and at the same time there is an ardent admiration that holds tight the master and the student. The ideological clashes beginning with an individual and spreading it as far as the entire community is the reality mirrored in the movie. The movie depicts a typical 1970s scenario of college students, the rouges around and the youngsters need to prove their worth. There is no exaggeration nor an underplay on how these characters are constructed. Perhaps, this direct depiction of characters of different ages and sexes is what made it more relatable.

 

The movie has claimed many accolades for its music and songs, with the melodic voices of P.B. Sreenivas, S. P. Balasubramanyam and P. Susheela. ‘Baare Baare’ is one of the soundtracks that I listen to and hum the most (lyrics by Vijaya Narasimha and sung by PBS). Apart from all the highlights, I tend to watch this movie quite often is simply because of the way the women characters are portrayed. Although all of them appear submissive, at varying degrees, in a patriarchal world, each woman (or character) has been a passive direction changer throughout. The leading women, Alamelu and Margaret, played by Aarathi and Shubha respectively, are not portrayed as binaries for good and bad nor are they picturised as having misogynistic undertones in their characterisation. Alamelu, who is seen as a docile character in the beginning, especially when she accepts to marry someone else, is suddenly seen as a woman who no longer requires an aid from anyone and we see her being affirmative in choosing not to be saved by Ramachari from her miseries. On the other hand, Margaret, comes across as an extrovert with a devil-may-care attitude, and soon we see this character adorning the strength to fight the tensions of an inter-religious love/marriage affair. The lead women’s roles are progressive in a manner and we don’t see either of them accepting defeat, rather they stand as individuals who have metamorphosed to living the reality without complaining.

 

Naagarahaavu is one such movie that I don’t mind watching again and again. The songs and the master-student duo has always arrested my attention and likes. Apart from the cult classic Naagarahaavu is, there is a lot that I tend to observe in this movie every time I watch it.

 

Let me know your thoughts on the same. Also, do drop in a few movie suggestions!

Unapologetically Me!

Before I continue with the post, I may have to clarify a few things:

1. No, I did not have any complicated relationship with my hair. In fact, I loved my hair, and the short hair has always complimented my face.

2. No, I am not dealing with any chronic illness.

3. No, I am not depressed.

4. No, I am not fighting against any nonsensical establishments of controlling women.

5. No, I am not imitating anyone.

Having laid down the definite answers, I now resume to my actual post.

 

Okay, this not a post of me being a rebellious woman nor is there any coming out of the closet. It's just my new haircut.

I have been meaning to shave my head or get a buzz cut for quite some time now, and the lockdown provided a perfect opportunity for that! Trust me, there was a lot going in my head when it came to completely shaving my head, but then to own up such a step needs some rationalisation. I have often seen my brother reaching for the clippers whenever his hair grows and begins to irritate him. He just shaves his head and walks about just like that. With me, I had no intentions of shaving my head (at least not now) but those of you who have a hair-length that needs to be tended to very often will know my struggles. It's about eight years now since I cut my hair short, short as in a length that comes up to my neck and the remaining part of the hair is cut layer-wise. Now, if it grows half-an-inch longer, I need to head to the saloon or I may have to put up with it. But I have always loved the way my hair looks. Many of you also know the increase in the prices for haircut, yep, I pay a lot and so, I get a haircut like once in two/three months. I honestly think that me being broke and unable to spend on my regular haircut is one of the reasons for the big chop!

Well, that's the end of the beginning. I just randomly spoke to my mother about it and she too was a little apprehensive about this. One good thing about her is that over these years, she has grown so much that she doesn't take things at its face value, instead rationalises to herself. Keeping all her beliefs and opinions aside, she simply agreed to it. I really don't know what she was thinking. Nevertheless, I borrowed my brother's clippers and did the big chop!

I now have a 'lockdown buzzcut', apparently that's a trending hashtag! I like the way I look, completely raw and unedited. I have nothing to hide behind. Also, all those take on experiencing empowerment or feeling liberated did not really happen here. May be because I perceive these huge words through my action of teaching and drawing. A buzzcut is simply another haircut, that's how I see it.

I was a little saddened when a dear friend of mine said that I looked like a monkey and that the entire endeavour was a meaningless act, and that I could have done better things. Perhaps this was all told in jest, but I personally don't stand by it. If someone tells me that they are going to experiment with their hair, my most immediate and sincere response would be, "Great, would love to see the new hairdo!" I realised that progressive thinkers are not really that progressive... I mean, if you think you are a progressive thinker and spend a lot of time in thinking whether a woman should go bald or not, it's about time you change your mindset.

I like the way I look. I am getting used to my look. It's not all positives though, sometimes my head and ears feel cold, and I put up my hoodie. Also, I haven't posted my new picture anywhere on social media simply because I have nothing to prove to the world nor to myself. Just like different haircuts, buzzcut is one of them. Please don't insult me by saying that it was a bold/brave move and that you would have done if you had that courage... Again, it's just a haircut!

If you have this in your bucket list or even want to try, lockdown is the perfect time, go ahead! And if it turns out to be a big mistake, well, in much matured words of my mother, "It's just hair, it'll grow back.."

ACFI Attempt 10

Details:

1. Jim Parsons

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular and Derwent Zero Eraser, FC 2B and 6B, Blending with Small Stump and Tissue Paper.

3. Date: 11 September 2020; Time: Almost 4 Hours (didn't keep track of the time..).

4. The one on the left was my second attempt at portrait pencil sketch (which I did on 20 August 2020) and the one on the right is my tenth attempt at pencil sketch, and eight attempt at portrait drawing. I did not practice in between, was completely low, the last drawing I did was on 29 August 2020.

5. I even tried to draw something but gave up soon. I guess it was an artist's block!

6. I see immense improvement in my sketches and I am also able to recognise my mistakes. To right the errors, I need more practice, and let's see if I can get good at this.

7. Well, I finally completed my challenge. Now, let me invest good time and try making detailed portraits.

8. Let me know what you think of my progress!

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 9

 

Details:

1. Joaquin Phoenix (You may know him from the "Joker".)

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular and Derwent Zero Eraser, FC 2B and 8B, Blending with Small Stump, Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 29 August 2020; Time: Almost 4 Hours (didn't keep track of the time..).

4. I was going through a lot of Phoenix's portraits, and even thought of drawing half of his actual face blending with his 'joker' face. This search was on for a few days, and then I came across this one randomly, at the time when I had almost forgotten about Phoenix. Last night, I just sat with it and drew it in one stretch.

5. I am able to see improvement in my learning and executing, meanwhile, I also know that I have a lot to learn.

6. With another attempt, I will be completing the challenge.. suggestions are welcome.

7. This challenge has helped me a lot. And, all thanks to the surprise-unexpected gift! The story begins from there..

8. I liked this particular drawing, it has come out well. Though, I need to work on a lot of subtleties, I am pretty hopeful about pencil sketches.

9. All that I can think of now is to be done with this challenge and give myself a lot of time and work on a single art with great details.

10. Just being hopeful.

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 8

 

Details:

1. Crying Baby

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular and Derwent Zero Eraser, FC 8B, Blending with Small Stump, Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 27 August 2020; Time: Almost 4 Hours (didn't keep track of the time..).

4. This time, though I had the image edited with grids, I followed them only for a few features. The face looks a little longer than the actual image, nevertheless, on paper, the sketch has come out well. I liked it!

5. Because I messed up a little near the chin area, I had to mend it with tricks I knew.. Well, isn't that also part of art?

6. Getting better day by day, but in this process, what I have learned to assess my skills, sending ample time on a picture actually gives me good results. I may have to work on being more patient.

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 7

 

Details:

1. Dragon Eye, Myth

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B and 8B, Blending with Small Stump, Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 26 August 2020; Time: Almost 3 Hours, 30 Minutes

4. I drew the outlines based on the grid reference. I realised that grids are useful if I was drawing a full-length portrait, but with specific features, the grids confuse me.

5. Another shading attempt done in some sombreness.. hoping to recover from this as soon as possible..

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 6

 

 

 

Details:

1. Self-Portrait

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B and 8B, Blending with Small Stump, Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 25 August 2020; Time: Almost 2 Hours, 30 Minutes

4.I drew the outlines based on the grid reference, and honestly, I was not in a mood to take it any forward.

5. I am happy with the fact that I am gradually getting the hang of shading.

6. I need to learn to get the features in their right positions and to get the overall face as accurately as possible.

7. I drew this not in the right frame of mind, yet, I want to stick to the challenge in the hope that this will make me feel better.

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

 

ACFI Attempt 5

 

Details:

1. John Dwayne

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B, Blending with Small Stump, Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 22 August 2020; Time: Almost 4 Hours, 30 Minutes

4.I drew the outlines based on the grid reference, and was pretty happy with the way the positions had turned out.

5. I learned that majority of the drawing is defined by layering shades after shades and that's how there appears a transition from light to dark.

6. Drawing a bald head is a bit tricky, the reflections must show well, otherwise the portrait looks cartoonish!

7. I loved the way how those eyes have turned out, and also was completely surprised by the all right lips!!! However, I still am struggling with filling in darker shade (example, the area between the eyebrow and the eye).

8. This drawing made me happy!

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 4

 

Details:

1. An eye with tear drops (part of realistic drawing).

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B, Blending with Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3), White Highlight using Gel Pen

3. Date: 21 August 2020; Time: Almost 2 Hours

4. I guess the disappointment of a bad sketch of Emma Watson made me try my hand at one of the facial features on the very same day, and I chose an eye. I still find sketching the other features such as hair, eyebrows, nose and lips quite difficult, so, an eye.

5. I used a grid reference, but didn't really follow it thoroughly.. that's a mistake... I was too eager to get on with the drawing and trying to find out if I was capable enough to pull off this kind of a sketch.

6. However, as the constructions started taking a shape, I was quite happy with it.. except for the outline shape, which could have been rectified at an early stage. The tear drops look three dimensional, and I was happy with the overall result.

7. My inference is that I cannot afford to be in a haste if I want a beautiful result! Laying down layers of shading and gradually getting to the darker tones is a must and it requires a lot patience! As much as I can tell you what's wrong in my approach, I need to still practice with not hurrying things up.

8. I still need to get the hang of doing the darker shade.. Suggestions on this note would be really helpful..

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 3

 

 

 

Details:

1. Emma Watson

2. Materials: FC Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B, Blending with Tissue Paper and Flat Brush (size 3)

3. Date: 21 August 2020; Time: Almost 2 Hours

4. Honestly, I didn't like the way this one turned out! When I look at the facial features individually, they seem all right, but put together, it looks a lot disproportionate. Many from the 'Artist Inner Circle' group have suggested that I use grids. But the problem is, I don't have any of the reference photos in print, I look at them from the computer and draw. I may have to look up for a software that puts grids on the digital photos.

5. What did I do differently here? Everytime, I begin by roughly outlining the entire face, but this time, I wanted to approach this differently, I started with the hair and gradually came down, finishing each feature horizontally.

6. A new learning - I spent much time in choosing a simple portrait in order to reproduce the same as accurately as possible, but then, I somehow pushed myself to selecting a portrait that has a good balance of black, white and grey, and to try many varieties.

7. I am glad to see my commitment not failing or fading, so, I hope to continue for the remaining 7 days of the ACFI. Wish me luck!

8. Also, I would love to try my hand at any portraits that you would suggest. [P.S. - This also depends on the details and difficult features in the image, I may not be able to draw very detailed images as of now.]

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

ACFI Attempt 2

  

 

 

Details:

1. Jim Parsons [One of my favourite actors - you may know him from the American sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory".]

2. Materials: Faber Castell [here and after, FC] Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B and 6B, Blending with Tissue Paper

3. Date: 20 August 2020; Time: Almost 2 Hours

4. I am happy with my commitment, and I personally see that the second attempt is a lot better than the first one.

5. I took photos of my drawing at different stages, and it acts more like a mirror - you can correct the image in its formative stages itself and continue sketching further. It is also important to look at the reference picture in sections in order to get the boundaries and highlights well.

6. This time, I did not use the soft tissue all over the image, but again, I still have to understand the subtleties of blending.

7. The outlines have come out all right, but again, overall, the features still seem disproportionate.

8. I also learned that I should not allow my eagerness to see the final result to pressurize myself physically. The body needs some relaxation. Because, I am a beginner, it is all right to take ample time and produce less in terms of result, but even that less should be of good quality. For instance, I can spend two hours on drawing just an eye, but I should make sure to draw it well. So, it is important that you need to relax while you are training, otherwise, you are bound to burn out soon. Let me tell you something, just before I thought of putting up a blogpost on ACFI, I made an attempt in drawing another portrait, but even those outlines seemed very wrongly done. Therefore, I had to forcefully abandon the thought of drawing one more portrait for the day.

9. As much as you want to become a really good artist, and that you want to simply practice all the way and not display your work anywhere or show it to anyone, then, maybe, that could turn out to be a hindrance. Share your work with family and friends, and allow their critiques and encouragement to be a part of your journey of learning.

10. I liked the way the artwork turned out, and I am extremely hopeful that I will improve in the coming days. 

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

 

ACFI Attempt 1

Hello Readers!

I am starting a new initiative! Amidst the uncertainties of the lockdown and the spread of pandemic, there is a lot of pressure to work in confinements, aimless search for jobs just to sustain, incoherent learning with online classes and many more. I am going through a rough patch right now, however, I am not mulling over my situation, rather I choose to improve myself.

It was my birthday on 18th of August, a new milestone. I received a lot of wishes and presents, all thanks to my well-wishers. As a birthday gift, I got an 'art-kit supply'. It is a small kit that contains various shades of pencils ranging from H (highlight) to B (bold) to charcoal pencils and several other essentials (like, soft eraser, kneaded eraser, blending stumps, utility knife and pencil extender holder). The person who sent me this simply thought that the kit would be very useful to me because I DRAW. I had to clarify.. pencil sketching is something that I have not tried for a long time. It was perhaps in my school that I was asked to submit a pencil sketch as part of the craft assignment. The image was not something I drew, rather I picked up an already outlined image and simply followed the different shades of black and grey. That was it! I have always improved my drawing skills by reference drawings (which were cartoons in the beginning and later many other designs became a part of my fascination like fountain pen fillings and vector designs). I love watching time lapse videos of pencil sketches, but I have always thought that it is too time consuming and difficult (especially if you are going to be self-taught), and so, I really have not tried my hand at portrait pencil sketches.

Now that I have got these wide variety of pencils as a present, I intend to explore this art category! As part of learning, I thought that it would be fun to discipline myself by drawing pencil portraits for 10 days, and see if there are any improvements in my sketches, also to see if I can identify my mistakes and rectify them. It is in this line of thought that I came up with "ACFI" [Art Challenge for Improvement]. I am sure that you have all heard of different art challenges that artists take up, these challenges last upto a month (like, 'Inktober') or there is a fixed number (like, 100 heads drawing). Well, to each artist, his/her own.. I have tailor-made this challenge for myself keeping in mind my other priorities and simultaneously balancing my urge to learn portrait pencil sketching.

Here is what I am going to do:

1. I am not going to be very rigid in finalising the 10th day! If I have begun on 19 August 2020, then the 10th day would be 28 August 2020 - I just want to draw portraits for 10 days, and I am willing to give myself a break of a day or two in-between if necessary. However, I wouldn't drag the challenge for long either.

2. I intend to write a blogpost with every portrait pencil sketch I make, and tell you what I felt and learned during the entire action of drawing. Again, I am not going to fixate on a routine of putting up a daily blogpost, but I will make sure that I post all the 10 portraits with my learning.

3. Suggestions for improving further and 'art-cheats' are welcome!

4. Because ACFI is a tailor-made challenge, I will possibly write on what I find is a new learning. So, if you are a beginner and want to follow my methods of practice, then you must know that I have been drawing for a long time now, I do have a grip over my art equipment. Don't hesitate to question me if there is something that you see in my sketches and want to work on it.

5. Lastly, I am doing this to improve my drawing skills and to have fun. So, no pressures.. Just encourage and support me.. also, draw with me and learn along... the more the merrier..

Love, Suh.

Having said all of that, I now present to you my first portrait pencil sketch.

 

 

Details:

1. This is a portrait of a dear friend who gifted me the art-kit supply!

2. Materials: Faber Castell [here and after, FC] Drawing Book, Classmate Mechanical Penpencil 0.7mm, Regular Pencil and Eraser, FC 2B, 4B and 6B, Blending with Tissue Paper, Etching with Fine Tip Parker Fountain Pen

3. Date: 19 August 2020; Time: Almost 2 Hours

4. Though the face is not accurately drawn, I am happy that there is some resemblance.. so, that's a good sign!

5. I realised that patience is something that you need to invest in pencil sketching (also in other artworks), that is, you cannot be in a hurry and expect an outstanding result.

6. I am fairly good with outlining, but the image doesn't look great because I still have to learn drawing the features in proportion. The mistake I did was that I wanted to finish the portrait and in that eagerness to see the final picture, I messed up with a lot of details.

7. Shading is fairly new to me, and I am slowly learning the nuances of it. No matter how many videos you watch on sketching, until you put your pencil to paper, you will not know what result it is going to offer. Controlling the pencil is important.

8. I went ahead and did the shoulder and shirt part, otherwise the head would look as if it were floating.

9. To smooth the shading, I used a soft tissue. But I realised that I used it very generously and that was not necessary. Also, if you look at the actual photo, the man has white beard, and in order to get white lines, I used a fine tip fountain pen to etch, but I still have to learn to get a control over this aspect.

10. The above mentioned points are something that I have identified as part of my journey of learning. Your suggestions too are most welcome!

HAPPY DRAWING!!!

I am here, to tell a story...

I am here,

To tell a story.

No, it is not about princesses,

Nor about slaying dragons.

It is a story about a writer,

A moronic writer!

This writer stays put and writes,

Steals words and puts them differently,

What is so new about this writer?

Well, this writer thinks!

The end!