Woman with a Parasol: Painting analysis

Artist: Oscar-Claude Monet

In 'The Woman with a Parasol' painting Monet has painted his first wife Camille and elder son, Jean.

The entire composition has movement to it, the way Camille is standing in the wind and the way Monet painted the flowing ribbons here and there all add to the dynamism.

This painting needs to be viewed from afar and from close to feel the depth of Monet’s fleeting moment. Monet utilized darker shades of colors to give the impression of the shadows that come alive with colors, yet Monet still conveyed the contrast in light and dark.

The sky and clouds are painted in what appears to be predominantly white and blue, but if we look closer, we will see how Monet applied grays too to depict the interplay of light and shadow.

His use of wider and thicker brushstrokes gives the impression of more light.

Although Camille’s dress is white, we see various colors, which are indicative of the shadow falling on her.

Monet painted the scene from a lower point of view. Camille is looking down at Monet, and ultimately at the viewers, we are also met with the largely blue sky behind her.

Monet’s beautiful artistry and ability to capture a moment in time with a paintbrush, breathing life into his compositions with each brushstroke

What do you think of Monet’s masterpiece?

Do you feel the movement that Monet’s brushwork wanted us to feel? Share your thoughts in the comments!

CONTEST TIME: Postcards from Home- Van Gogh Style

To honour one of our favourites, Vincent Van Gogh and in anticipation of the Van Gogh 360° exhibit coming to Mumbai in 2023, we are launching the #GoghWithArtLounge contest!

There are 3 Art Lounge vouchers up for grabs

  1. INR 3500/-

  2. INR 2500/-

  3. INR 1500/-

It's so easy to participate!

Just introduce us to your city by creating Artworks in Van Gogh's impressionist style that uses streaks of colours laid together to create movement.

Rules and Guidelines for the Contest

  • Deadline: 31st January 2023

  • Age: 12+

  • Size: A5, A4, A3 or A2

  • Surface: Paper, Canvas or Fabric

  • Acceptable Mediums: Acrylics, Oils, Watercolours, Coloured Pencils, Coloured Paper Collage, Gouache, pastels, Fabric Paints, Inks, Markers, Fineliners.

  • Number of entries: Multiple entries are allowed.

  • To submit your entry, post your final artworks to Instagram or Facebook with #GoghWithArtLounge. Alternatively, you can email us your entries to pratigya.berwal@artlounge.in

  • Entries will be accessed based on proximity to Van Gogh's style, translation of the city/town/village/area, composition, technique and use of colours.

Contest is open to Indian Residents only.

Art Lounge reserves the right to edit and/or cancel the contest at any point.

Art Lounge abides by the decisions of our in-house artist team and their choice for winners and they may alter the winner(s) if unfair practices are used.

Graffiti in India through the years

Have you ever been driving when you caught a glimpse of an artwork on a building? Would you classify that as vandalism or art? Graffiti is when someone writes or draws something without authorization and in plain sight on a wall or another surface. Where, then, does the distinction between vandalism and art lie? Ironically, a graffiti artwork is the first image that appears when you search for vandalism.

In our society, people immediately take action to stop graffiti in whatever form. Most people have convinced themselves that graffiti is vandalism. A spray paint can is merely a tool, used by artists to produce works of art. Graffiti is a medium for mass communication, just like other painting tools. It can get a person's opinions and voices heard in an anonymous way, and get people talking. Graffiti has much more power than we think.

These days though, Graffiti has gained a lot more prominence than before in India. Indian Graffiti artists have completely turned around the table with their talent. Starting from current affairs, political issues, mythology and even contemporary, these artists have covered it all. Moreover Graffiti and Murals should not be new concepts for Indians. The first mural to be traced back in time would be in the 2nd century BC, a Buddhist Cave Painting discovered in the Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra. Also, when we do visit rural regions of our country we would find local people painting their mud-huts with colourful designs and sometimes even murals for decorative purposes. Also in the 80’s and 90’s we would find hand painted Bollywood movie posters everywhere around the country. All of these instances suggests that art can be visualised and conveyed through anything be it a canvas or a simple wall.

Source- Pinterest

Source- scroll.in

Street Art/Graffiti came into purpose only after 1980’s in India. Previously wall art only meant political parties hiring artists to paint walls for promoting their parties. West Bengal is an extremely politically driven state. Even now in parts of Bengal every year during the time of election process you would find walls being painted with party symbols and slogans.

Retired banner artist and art critic, V.Jeevananthan from Coimbatore, also agrees to the fact that wall paintings back at his time in the late 1960’s were only limited to commercial and political purposes only. Wall Art in Coimbatore is a very recent trend which started around 4-5 years back.

Source-BBC News

Graffiti practices started increasing in the regions of Delhi and Mumbai from the year of 2006 or 2007, when artists such as Yantra, Daku and Zine started painting off the cities and gaining prominence and attention. With the advent of street artists, street art festivals were also organized around different parts of the country. For example, St+Art India Foundation gathers a good support from various artists across the country and keep organizing various events with them and for them. The whole purpose of this foundation is to create murals to beautify public spaces but with due permission and as well give recognition to the artists within the process. The Delhi, Shillong and The Kolkata Art Festival by Jogen Choudhury have also added to the promotion of street artists.

Some of the must visit places to see and explore street art in India are as follows-

  • Fort Kochi, Cochin has some of the most amazing street art across the country. Fort Kochi gets its resemblance and identity from the beautiful street art it has been hosting for so many years. They host art festivals and ceremonies in Kochi and adjoining Mattancherry region. The first one was annual exhibition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2012.

In frame-Kochi Wall Art, Source-Kochiconnect.in

  • Delhi has some epic street art and artists. The dull streets and pathways in Delhi has been consistently replacing themselves with amazing eye gagging street art for the last few years. The Lodhi Street is one of the best examples of how artists have showcased their talent through street art. St+Art Foundation in Delhi, which showcases Street art and artists, i is also one of the main reasons behind this change.

In frame-Lodhii Wall Art, Delhi, Source-Thinkingthefuture.com

  • Kolkata is a city which has been always known for it’s culture, heritage, politics etc. Street Art has taken over the walls of Kolkata as well. The Street art Festival organized in Kolkata every year is also a must visit for all artists. Some of the most famous streets would include names of park Street, Loudon Street, St. Lawrence High School etc.

In frame-Kolkata Street Art Festival, Source-aninews.in

  • Bandra, Mumbai is one of the busiest and hustle filled places in India. But along with the hustle goes on the creativity as well. Apart from the many museums present here to display art, it can just be seen on the streets everywhere. The other places which brim of inspiration, art and color would also include Mahim, Dharavi etc.

In frame- Street Art in Bandra, Source-azureskyfollows.com

  • Other must visit places for exploring Street Art would definitely include Bangalore, Chennai, Thrissur, Gokarna, French colony (Pondicherry) etc.

Graffiti is such an art form that is not legalized and considered vandalism in many parts of the world including India. But for the last few years as it is gaining prominence over the country, so are the artists. Many artists prefer to keep their names hidden or keep a pseudo name for this same reason as well. Some of the most famous artists will include names like Wicked Broz, Daku, Zine, Yantr, Zake, Mel and a lot more.

Daku whose name means ‘bandit’ is a street artist from Bangalore known since 2013, for his artworks which mocked the system. He is recognized as one of the pioneers of street art in India.

Source-Indianexpress.com

Zake is another notable 20 year old, street artist from Mumbai who has won several awards for his artworks here and abroad.

Source-inuth.com

There are around more than 10 styles of Graffiti art present today. 5 of the most popular styles would be-

  • TAGGING- Tagging is one of the most simple, easy and recognized form of Graffiti. These days taggers use Graffiti for easy fame as they mark their own territory by tagging their names everywhere. This style uses only one color. It is considered to be disrespectful to tag on some another artists Graffiti.

In frame- Tagging Graffiti, Source-artsuppluguide.co.uk

  • PIECE/ CHARACTER- Piece is actually the short form of “Masterpiece’. As the name suggests the artists make this form of graffiti free-hand. It is time-consuming and requires much more effort than the other forms of graffiti.

In frame- Piece Graffiti, Art Lounge, Kala Ghoda Store

  • STENCIL GRAFFITI- As the name suggests a Stencil Graffiti uses stencils made out of cardboards, paper etc. Then the artist will spray paint against the cut-out accordingly. These stencils can be of anything be it text, image, numbers etc.

In frame- Stencil Graffiti, Source-dreamstime.com

  • POSTERS/ POST-UPS- Posters or post-ups are a quick and convenient form of graffiti art. The artists generally make the posters at their homes and then just stick it out on different locations. Like Stencil Graffiti these can also be used for mass replications.

In frame- Poster Graffiti, Source- needpix.com

  • LETTERING- Lettering has been one of the most common forms of Graffiti for the longest time. There are so many sub-groups under this category as well which include Wild Style, Blockbuster, Bubbles and Sharp.

In frame- Lettering Graffiti (Type-Blockbuster), Source-journeyforevermag.com

Ever wondered what tools and paints these artists explore through to make such wonders? Ever thought of taking a spray-can and just paint the biggest wall you see next. The basic toolset for making Graffiti includes paint spray cans, chalks for outlining, stencils for delicate designs, markers, brushes, nozzles and masks for protection from chemical hues while painting.

Montana Spray Cans gives you exactly what you want. Artists like Mel (@melsmake) use Montana Spray Cans for its easy application on large surfaces. Montana Markers and Nozzles are very helpful for making thick or thin strokes according to the need of the artist as well. When in need of a refill, Montana has a series of colour refills too. So what are you waiting for? Grab a can now!

Art Lounge and Montana Cans collaborated in the year of 2019 for the event “Graffiti Jam”. India’s top Graffiti artists participated in the event and made it successful. They created beautiful artworks, all in their different unique styles at our Kala Ghoda Store.

Create with Art Lounge - Ink Bottle Edition

Painting from life is far different from painting using photo as reference. You must rely on your observation and can’t have camera doing most of the work for you.

Any seasoned Artist will tell you that to sharpen your skills as an Artist, you should practice painting from life. It can be still life, portrait, figure painting or plein air painting.

Let’s start small today by painting an ink bottle in Acrylic on Canvas. We’re using Pebeo Studio Acrylic on 4x4 inch Canvas with Art Essentials and Winsor and Newton Brushes.

We’re using a limited palette of

Step 1

We will mark the proportions of our Subject. This is fairly easy for an Ink bottle. Here, instead of using a pencil, we’ve watered down a combination of Burnt Sienna and Yellow Chrome. If you’re comfortable with pencil, you can use them instead.

Next we will use 3 shades to paint the darkest parts of our subject. This should give you a fair idea of what we’re aiming for

Step 2

(A) Start with dark grey- It should look almost black but a hint of white.

(B) Adding light grey (just add white to the previous grey) on the areas facing light.

(C) And Black as the darkest dark. The moment you add Black, the form i.e the roundness of the surface should be conveyed in the painting.

Step 3

Covering the belly of the bottle with Yellow ochre mixed with a hint of Burnt Sienna (Sienna will add some red to the mix that will help add some life to the otherwise very flat colour)

Same as before, we will have dark and light areas. Adding white to the darker colour should do the trick here as well.

At this stage, although your painting is not entirely done, it should be making some sense of where the darks are and where the light is coming from.

Step 4

Adding details to the packaging bits of the Bottle. These need not be very accurate and lettered down word to word, instead it can just be loose strokes that suggest what the original subject looks like. We should always leave some gaps that the viewers imagination can fill instead of making your paintings very realistic.

It is sections like this that give personality to your paintings.

Step 5

Background- We chose to use the actual background we had during the painting session, but you can always play around with different colours and textures. Anything goes as long as it doesn’t take attention away from our subject. The goal of having the background is to add to the painting and not take away from it.

We went slightly darker at first.

So that the lighter strokes that will sit above have some contrast.

Step 6

At this stage, your painting is all done but something is still missing- The crisp, bright highlight.

We take pure Titanium White and lay it exactly on the brightest spots of our subject. In our case it was where our studio lights hit the glass bottle.

And the stroke that will distinguish a good painting from a great one- The thin white line at the bottom of the bottle. It conveys that light has passed through the part of glass bottle where there is no Ink.

Step 7

Display your painting in the best corner of your room/office and pat your back.

You did an amazing job!

Hope you had fun seeing us create this painting and found the direction simple enough to follow and creating one yourself. Shop for the supplies we’ve used here.

If you decide to follow along, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @artloungein

We’d love to see what you create!

History of Indian Comics

Graphic Novels/Picture books and comics originating in India and published in various other languages are known as “Chitrakatha” -‘chitra’ meaning paintings and ‘katha’ meaning stories. Chitrakatha mainly focused on Hindu mythology and folklores to keep the cultures and traditions alive. Indian Comics were so popular at one point of time that it sold around 500,000 copies in the early 80’s and 90’s.

The very first resemblance of what we call a comic today can be traced back to 1947 when two famous Telegu movie producers, B.Nagi Reddy and Aluri Chakrapani started a comic series named ‘Chandamama’ for kids, with stories on Hindu Mythology and adaptations from Ramayana and Mahabharata, in their native language Tamil and Telugu which later were adapted into various other languages around the country.

The advent of the Indian Comic Industry started off in the year of 1960’s when Times of India launched “Indrajal Comics”. Indrajal Comics focused on the Western comic characters like The Phantom Stories, Mandrake, Flash Gordon and Rip Kirby and thus attracted a lot of readers which in turn attracted a lot of other publishers to expand the Indian Comic Industry.

Source-thephantom.fan

The late 1960’s revolutionized the whole Indian Comic Industry with the arrival of the publication “Amar Chitra Katha” in the year of 1967, by the famous Indian educator and comic artist Mr. Anant Pai who later was popularly given the title “Uncle Pai’. Mr. Anant Pai was very disappointed with the fact that Indian children hardly knew about their own cultures and mythology and thus he started making mythology interesting with his comics. The first Indian comic published in ACK was “Krishna” and was an immediate hit in the market.

Source-Goodreads.com

Who doesn’t love Tintin? Tintin is one of the most famous comic series loved by Indian readers. In Bengal, every year a thick magazine named “Anandamela” is released during the time of Durga Puja and according to the BBC reports this kid’s magazine was the one to first introduce Tin tin to Indian readers in a local language. The magazine started in March, 1976. This magazine also consists of other short stories and various other comic strips like ‘Batul the Great’ by Narayan Debnathetc.

Source- Wikipedia (Sharadiya 2002 cover of Anandamela)

In the year of 1971, Pran Kumar Sharma, one of the most famous Indian cartoonist’s gained popularity through one of the comic character’s he created, named “Chacha Chaudhury” which published in a Hindi magazine named “Lotpot” and later in “Diamond Comics”. This comic became so popular among the readers that it sold off over a million copies. Pran Kumar Sharma took inspiration from the fact that how elderly people in villages helped children with their knowledge of everything and thus created Chacha Chaudhury and his dog ‘Rocket’ which also has a different fan following.

Source-Storypick.com/Animationexpress.com

The 80’s marked another great launchwith the appearance of “Tinkle” magazine by Anant Pai’s ACK publication and was a massive hit among the young readers. Famous characters such as Shikaari Shambhu, Ramu and Shamu and Suppandi has gained nationwide recognition since.

Source-Wikipedia (First copy of Tinkle 1980)

Another very different aspect of Indian Comics could also be seen through the advent of Political cartoons from the British era. Though the idea of ‘political cartoons’ is a very western concept, some unique Indian comic artists have created their own kind of genre in the same, which has been widely accepted in our country.

The commencement of Indian Political Cartoons started off from the 1850’s. English owned newspaper companies like The Bengal Harkaru and The Indian Gazette were the first to include political cartoons. Soon within a few decades political cartoons started making its way in all the newspapers, with the intention of removing colonial administration. ‘Sulav Samachar’ in 1870’s started off as the first newspaper to highlight the injustices by Europeans, during the colonial rule.

The 20th century marked another prominent shift with the advent of Gaganendranath Tagore’s cartoons. Previously the cartoons mainly focused on political problems but now it also focused on the Social injustices, inequalities, caste-system and all other difficulties India as a country faces.

Source-thewire.in (Indian Lady Dancing with European Gentleman)

R.K. Laxman was one of the most prominent political cartoonist and humorist in the time of 1950’s. His famous “Common Man “character gained a lot of popularity, since common people could relate their own problems with his comics as his cartoons dealt with serious political issues with a hint of humor in it. He was also the brother of R.K. Narayan and he helped his brother illustrating “Malgudi Days” which again is one of the most beloved cartoon series in India.

Source-ndia.com (R.K.Laxman on right and his character ‘Common Man’ on left)

Anand Milk Union Limited or Amul as we know is one of the most prominent dairy brands in India. The Amul Ad Campaign with their mascot of a little girl attracted the attention of everyone as intended, and thus justified their campaign, starting in the year of 1966. Their ads were made with not only the intention of marketing but it also started to address the various political problems through their advertisements. The company also had to face a lot of backlash from various political parties but that didn’t stop DaCunha’s agency to state hard hitting facts.

Source-marketingmind.in

Thank you for Reading!

Master Monday: Hema Upadhyay

Hema Upadhyay was an Indian artist known for her photographs, intricate paintings, and mixed-media installations that reflected the cityscapes and identity of her native country.

She earned both her BFA and MFA from the University of Baroda in 1995 and 1997.

Fish in a dead landscape, 2014

She was known for seamlessly linking personal trauma with environmental and human crises to evocative effect.

In 2001 Hema had her first international solo at Artspace, Sydney, and Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia, where she exhibited an installation titled The Nymph and the Adult.

She hand sculpted 2000 lifelike cockroaches, infesting the gallery with them.

In 2003 she was part of the Vasl residency in Karachi where she made a work titled Loco foco motto that spoke about the India-Pakistan divide keeping in mind her own family history related to the partition of India.

Dream a wish-wish a dream (2006) was the first large-scale installation, at first glance her installation seems to be only a landscape of Bombay.

In collaboration with Chintan Upadhyay, she did a work titled ‘Made in China’, which spoke about mass consumerism, globalization and a loss of identity through this.

Her next collaboration was in 2006 when she collaborated with her mother, Bina Hirani, the work was titled Mum-my and was shown at the Chicago Cultural Centre.

In 2010, Hema was invited to a residency at Atelier Calder, Sache, France.

“So much chaos in my work actually came from the city, when I work in my studio in Mumbai, there are lots of elements, of decay, of life, of chaos. It’s a double-edged condition when you see development in the making—you see growth but decay.”

Her later works featured patterned surfaces, which quote from Indian spiritual iconography and traditional textile design, titled ‘Killing Site’

Uphadhyay crafted narratives from found materials to explore themes of gender, migration, socioeconomics, and urban development.

Thank you for Reading!

Master Monday: Piero della Francesca

Piero della Francesca, original named Piero di Benedetto dei Franceschi was an Italian painter, mathematician and geometer of the Early Renaissance.

The Resurrection

His painting is characterized by its serene humanism, its use of geometric forms and perspective.

Polyptych of the Misericordia.

In 1439 Piero worked as an associate of Domenico Veneziano, who was then painting frescoes for the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence.

Piero della Francesca’s mature style is revealed in frescoes painted in the choir of the church of S. Francesco at Arezzo.

The Baptism of Christ.

The Baptism of Christ (now in the National Gallery in London) was completed in about 1450 for the high altar of the church of the Priory of S. Giovanni Battista at Sansepolcro.

Portrait of Sigismondo.

In 1451 he executed the famous fresco of St. Sigismund and Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta in the Tempio Malatestiano, as well as a portrait of Sigismondo.

The narrative cycle The Legend of the True Cross was completed by 1466.

St. John the Evangelist and St. Nicholas of Tolentino.

Simplicity and clarity of structure, controlled use of perspective, and aura of serenity are all typical of Piero’s art at its best.

Among the few extant paintings from this period are the harmonious Nativity

The Madonna from the church at Sta. Maria delle Grazie near Senigallia.

and an altarpiece in Perugia, Madonna with Child and Saints.

The last two decades of Piero’s life were spent in Sansepolcro, where paintings, now lost, were commissioned by local churches in 1474 and 1478.

Thank you for Reading!

Master Monday: Achyut Palav, Master Calligrapher

Achyut Palav is a calligraphy artist who celebrates his vision and beauty of Indian scripts through his creations. He weaves his stylized calligraphy skills into a symbol of preserving them.

‘Akaar’ to ‘Omkar’ by Achyut Palav

With the majority of his work in the Devnagri script he strives to continue the legacy of Indian heritage through his work.

अक्षर......एक संवाद by Achyut Palav

With the establishment of the Achyut School of Calligraphy, he hopes to leave an incredible mark on the calligraphy community.

The Divine word of God by Achyut Palav

When he was in school, his teacher gave him the responsibility of writing the daily quote on the class blackboard. The realization that the meaning of the text can be conveyed more effectively by stylizing the letters led to the first lessons in the fundamentals of calligraphy.

Wind by Achyut Palav

He Graduated from Sir J. J. College of Applied Arts, Mumbai in 1982

Wisdom by Achyut Palav

Today, his work can be found on fabrics, pots, bags, umbrellas, wedding cards, interior décor, accessories etc. And he continues to experiment and challenge himself in new ways.

Achyut Palav

He has made ambitious fusions of Music with Calligraphy and Dance with Calligraphy. He explains this process as if he were taking in one art form and reshaping it into another on Canvas.

Symphony by Achyut Palav

His book Aksharanubhava: Book on Calligraphic Expressions has won two National Awards.

Shriram by Achyut Palav

While appreciating the union of art with 21st-century technologies that hs broadened the range of possibilities and applications of calligraphy, Mr Palav highlights the immense importance of having ‘ confidence on the paper’ first”

Ek Taal by Achyut Palav

“ It looks simple, but simple is difficult.”

‘A’ – The First letter of Devnagari by Achyut Palav

“ Have that madness inside you to play with the tools and your designs. Leave everyhting behind and have fun.”

Akshar Chakra (Circle of letter) by Achyut Palav

To learn more about Achyut Palav and his work, do check out his Instagram @achyut_palav

Draw with Pratigya- Making Art Accessible

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Draw with Pratigya- Making Art Accessible

When we sit to paint, the idea that the final output may not fish a "Wow!", "Amazing" or "How beautiful!" from the people we share it with, may be scary enough for some of us to not start in the first place.

Moving ahead may be a series of baby steps or big leaps. Whatever it may be for you, we'd like to encourage you to move forward, no matter how little.

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Valentine's Day Cards

Dear Friend,

We made some cute illustrations by our in-house graphics maven @tanvi_chheda_art for you to share and send to your loved ones! We're uploading them to our blog too, you can print and make Valentine's Day cards! Which one is your favorite?

Lots of love,

Art Lounge team

(Ps if you do use any, let us know, it will brings us joy!)

Art of Quilling by Siliveru Sandhya

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Art of Quilling by Siliveru Sandhya

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Quilling is one of the variations on the theme of handicrafts. Quilling is also known as Filigrana or filigree work, paper-rolling, paper-scrolling, Mosaic, etc. Quilling is the result of manipulating and arranging small strips of paper into detailed designs. Depending on the desired shape and appearance, it can be rolled, looped, twisted, and curled. Glue is used to secure the paper strips into place.

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