This page chronicles my recent art journey. I like to experiment with different media like oil pastels, watercolors, gouache, acrylic, charcoal, color pencils, and brush pens. I have no formal training but a recent rediscovery of my love for art has inspired me to be creative.
Each image is accompanied by a synopsis of the idea behind the piece. I can already tell that having the execution match the intent is a lifelong learning process for any artist.
Note: Please do not re-use or reproduce without permission. Some of the images on this page could be considered suitable for viewing only by adults. By continuing to stay on this page, you confirm that you are an adult and that you acknowledge the possibility of viewing such content.
Draw!
23 May 2026
Charcoal on paper (5.8″x8.3″)
I imagine that, for a soldier, it is both a great misfortune and a high honor to draw his weapon in battle.
Reading a panel in a comic or a manga takes a few seconds, but creating it takes orders of magnitude more time. I wonder whether creators begrudge their readers for consuming their content too fast or whether it brings them satisfaction to compel such hunger.
Tody
11 May 2026
Watercolors on paper (4″x6″)
A Cuban Tody. Whoever, in the divine family, is responsible for designing birds is clearly the most talented of the bunch.
This was an attempt at watercolors after quite a long time. Unlike previous ones, this was on paper and I find it to be an easier surface for this medium. I’ve also observed that it’s harder to apply a watercolor uniformly. It’s really not a beginner friendly medium.
A New Challenger
8 May 2026
Acrylics on canvas (8″x10″)
Although photography has trivialized this, it is no small matter to portray the same face multiple times. I suppose all artists fall under the influence of laziness, imagination, and commitment to detail to varying degrees. Resisting the first and balancing the other two seems to be very important in portraiture.
Grace
20 April 2026
Oil pastels on canvas (5″x7″)
This was going to be a charcoal piece but I thought it would be a worthwhile challenge to do it with oil pastels instead. I’m happy with the result.
What makes a subject appealing has sometimes more to do with its environment rather than its own qualities. This requires paying attention to details in the background but only as long as they serve to bring the subject into sharp focus. This was an interesting project.
Sunny
11 April 2026
Oil pastels on canvas (7″x5″)
How does one admire the beauty of Creation without being enamored of it?
Aperitif
4 April 2026
Oil pastels on canvas (5″x7″)
Trying out oil pastels on canvas for the first time and in some ways, I find this surface to be a better match for this medium. The silicone tipped blending tools that I use for oil pastels work better on canvas than they do on paper.
Vivek
19 March 2026
Charcoal on paper (5.8″x8.3″)
No matter how high you climb, a clouded mind will never let you appreciate how far you’ve come.
Harmony
5 March 2026
Oil pastels and pastel pencils on paper (7″x10″)
Water, silence, clean air … and an oven to bake bread. What more does a man need?
Oh dear, do I have thoughts about this one. The moment I saw this scene, I wanted to put it to paper. Doing it with oil pastels was certainly a choice but I think this medium brings out the lush, languid beauty of this scene well.
I did portions of the land features and then immediately followed up with their reflections. Partly so I could remember what colors to use!
Nature is wild, but there is a certain harmony to it. I could think of nothing else as I finished this piece and drew back to behold it.
Hold
14 February 2026
Gouache on canvas (8″x8″)
Is there anything more disarming than the fear of heartbreak in a woman’s eyes? It must require being a real piece of work to remain unaffected.
To me, for the longest time, the single most intimidating thing about paints was doing skin tones. First of all, mixing paints to create skin color is an exercise in experimentation and repetition. Being able to lighten and darken that mixture to showcase the dance of light and shadow on skin feels like nothing short of alchemical wizardry. These recent projects have given me some confidence in doing so.
The next aspect I would like to work on is expressions. People, women in particular, can say so much without moving their eyebrows or lips at all but nevertheless, I would now like to depict more expressive subjects.
Fleur-de-lis
3 February 2026
Charcoal on paper (5.8″x8.3″)
I do love a character with a bit of cheek.
