I had made the sketch three days back for todays painting. It is another scene from the countryside of Kerala.. backwaters and boatmen. Reference is this beautiful picture from Alappuzha.
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-alappuzha-backwaters-kerala-south-india-asia-95421058.html
I couldn't paint it .. coz it needed some time. The photo has lot of details and to sort it out and redo the jigsaw took some time.
If you compare with the reference, can see that I had removed the house and the shed in background.. moved the pole around .. to make it less crowded. Tried to keep the light and the plantains are one of the highlights here.. gives vibrance to the picture.
Far background is lovely blue and green gradient and that was the first layer. The sky and it's reflection in water was also completed in that layer.
Built the trees in the background and plants next.
If you have noticed I have tried to paint lot of coconut palms in my r cent work.. it's a part of excercise to master it .. and here I think Ihave improved a lot and my strokes for the leaves were more bold.
After painting the third palm, which is the one on left I realised that the first twohad smaller leaves so worked on it again to make it bigger.
Painted the reflection next. Tried to finish it off in a single wash. So premixed the colours and made it ready and managed to keep it simple and patch free.. it came out well.. may be a bit too light.
Final part boat and the boatman.. and that's where it messed up.. figure went too small .. wish the boat was made bigger and the figure could have been painted better.
Had to mess up somewhere!
Final
Total time: 2hrs
11x15 in 440gsm
Handmade cotton paper
