Give away, thank you readers!

'Runa'

Pencil on paper

30 cm x 30 cm

(sketch for a commission I am working on right now)

More about this when I post the final piece.

Youtube has introduced new channel designs.

if you haven't upgraded already, watch this video!

I really like the new format and am now

slightly more incentivized to upload more frequently.

Deezden now has over a 100 lovely readers!!

I am giving away a signed print of my ''Parakeet'',

that is also my new Youtube channel background!

All you need to do is leave me a comment after this post

latest by the12th 0f July, midnight (Geneva time)!

I will draw the winner and announce on the 14th....right here

(no video of my crazy dance this time).

You have given this blog a lot of support, encouragement and

your interest in the work that I do always keeps me motivated.

Thank you! All the best, enjoy!

Maa Durga

''Maa Durga''

Pencil on acid-free, medium surface, heavyweight (150g/sqm.) paper

Two A3 sheets combined

The quintessential 'Tiya-pakhi' or parakeet sits in the upper left corner.

A huge marigold flower gives him company.

The ''Laal-jhuti kakatua'' or the red-tufted-cuckattoo adorns the upper right corner.

He sits next to another exotic-elaborate-fragrant flower.

My first elaborate Durga drawing could not be complete without the fish motifs!

After all, just as Bengalies cannot do without their adoration for Maa Durga,

they are just as incomplete without their sweets and fish-curries.

So, for the lower corners, I chose the fish motifs, also to signify the

all encompassing presence of Durga maa in the world that we live in.

Durga puja is a time when everything around is in celebration!

Finally, a very interesting detail, for me at least.

Vineeta from Artnilght had made this post in April about the lions of Mehrangad Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The photographs she posted stayed with me, in fact, I had commented on that post that when I draw Lions, I will use these as my references,

they are so wonderfully folk and rich in detail.

So, there you go, my inspiration for Maa Durgadevi's Lion!

I am happy with this.

Now, I am tempted to try to colour the white background with acrylics

and see how the different mediums, namely, pencil and acrylic paints, look against each other.

I am a little anxious that this experiment may spoil the pristine quality about this sketch.

Do you think I should try that or just stop here?

Finally , I have to start rendering this in canvas.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on the Maa Lokkhi post. I really enjoy reading your feedbacks and consider myself lucky for the fact that inspite of my irregularity in posting of late, you guys have been patient with me and came back to write when I finally did.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Durga: Sketch in progress

'Durga' puja is sometime in September this year but the preparations in Kolkata

are underway already.

This is a sneak peek into a sketch in progress

for a painting that I will do this month.

I planned on doing a rough sketch but am getting carried away into filling in

every little detail.

I have taped in two sheets of water-colour paper so

it is BIG and therefore

time-consuming.

Once the sketch is complete, I will post the references and research that went into this drawing.

Till such time.....

Maa Lokkhi: Bengali Lakshmi Devi

Title: ''Maa Lokkhi ''

Medium: Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas

Size: 33cm x 41cm

The painting has a typical village scene from Bengal in the backdrop,

with golden crop fields and mud huts with thatched hay-roofs.

''In Bengal, Lokkhi or Lakshmi is worshiped during a night in Autumn when the moon is full -- the brightest night of the year. It is believed that she showers wealth on this night.

She, along with her mount, the great white owl, descends to Earth and takes away the

darkness of poverty, stagnation, anger, and laziness from our lives.

Her 'vahana', the white owl, is that it represents the royalties and riches, which always serve at her feet; and over whom she has full control.

She is also referred to as 'pranadayini '(giver of life-sustaining energy).

She wears ornaments of gold and a ruby-studded golden crown. Her hair is long, dark and wavy. She holds a pot of gold with her left arm and a crop of rice in her hand.''

-source: wikipedia

This is an image of a traditional Bengali depiction of Lakhsmi Devi.

-Image from this webpage

A rather sweet Bengali folk song, often sung by the little ones on the day of the puja

is written around Lokhhi thakur's 'mukut' or crown:

It goes like this:

''Esho maa lokkhi bosho ghore

Amader e ghore thako aalo kore''

Transliteration:

Welcome Maa Lokhhi, welcome to our home

Come, stay and fill our home with your radiance and blessing.