Up and Down - Original Still Life in Oils

This morning, I lost sleep very early. At a really ghostly hour even by my standards. After tossing around in the bed trying to sleep but with no success, I decided that I might as well get up and paint. The strawberries from the weekend were still in decent shape in the fridge and I put together this set up quickly. 

Up and Down
Oil on Canvas, 8 by 10 inches
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This creamer was painted the last couple of times under natural light. Since that wasn't a possibility early in the morning, I made do with a tubelight instead. 

Strawberries and cream - Original Still Life in Oils

Fresh from the easel today, another bunch of strawberries that had to be painted. I like neither strawberries nor cream. But boy do they make gorgeous subjects to paint! 

Strawberries and Cream
Oil on Canvas, 8 by 10 inches
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30 in 30 challenge Day 1 - 30 Things about me

A New Dawn
Oil on Canvas, 18 by 24 cms (9.5 by 7 inches)
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30 Things about me - #1 - I am a morning person

I am extremely productive in the mornings and always prefer to get up early as opposed to staying up late to get things done. I love the peace and quiet in the morning, especially when the rest of my family is asleep. That's when I paint most often and love the productive start to my day. I treasure the peace of my mornings along with my steaming hot cup of coffee :) 

Let me wish you all a very happy new year. May 2015 bring in a lot of peace, good health and happiness to you and your family. 2014 was a great year for me personally on most fronts. I hope it all continues and gets better this year. And what better way to ring in the new year, than the 30 in 30 challenge. Last January, I was very very rusty and used up the challenge to get back to my easel after a long break. I could barely manage a dozen paintings, but they did me a world of good. I could experiment a great deal and it set the tone for the rest of my year. I can't wait to see what this year's challenge brings in. Good luck to all other artists who are taking part too.:)

As I was thinking about themes for my 30 paintings, I was really inspired by what Leslie did recently. "30 things about me" I thought was a great idea for the readers to get to know the artist better. It also gives me something to write about, as against just posting a picture. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Buddies - Original Figurative Oil Painting - SOLD

Just as I had mentioned last week, my vacation ended and painting was the first one to take a hit. It is tough to do an entire painting in a day if I have not done any ground work already. And since work began after a two week break, it was hard to devote time for art. I hope that isn't the case the coming week, as I have some sketches done. Let's see. 

Buddies
Oil on Canvas, 12 by 6 inches
SOLD

It was a glorious summer afternoon when I took this reference. I loved the lighting and just had to paint it. This is also the first time I think a dog features in my work. I am not very fond of animals in the first place let alone painting them. Really liked this little one though, loved how he was leading the pack :-)

After a really long time, I have painted this one without reaching out to my set of knives. It is done entirely with my brushes and not a stroke anywhere with the knife. It did feel very different, but great fun. And I am going to do this a lot more. 

"Say cheese" - 30 in 30, #4

I happened to spot these kids at a popular tourist attraction a couple of years ago. While I wanted to capture the girl taking a picture of one of the boys, I was pleasantly surprised to find the onlooker boy also in my reference. I have used a mix of the brush and the palette knife for this painting. The girl is one using the palette knife, and I have also used the knife for the foreground. The farther steps and the two boys are all done with the brush. They were two tricky for the knife and I could not risk messing up the painting. 

Say Cheese
Oil on board, 7 by 5 inches
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If you like my work, make sure to "like" my page on Facebook and subscribe to my blog by mail so that you don't miss a post. Have a good Sunday!

Sunshine stroll - Figurative beach painting in Oils

This is one of those references that made me wish I was transported right there. With the gorgeous sun, lapping waters and a stroll all alone with nothing on the mind. Ha! I wish! 

It is also my favorite painting of the week, I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

Sunshine Stroll
Oil on Canvas, 4 by 12 inches
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Click here to bid.

"Face off!" - Original Oil beach painting by Nithya Swaminathan

When I did two kid paintings on the beach, all my other beach references came gushing back to me and I will be continuing with them one by one. 

I started this painting originally with both the figures seen in full, and a bit of the sky too in the background. I had stopped it at a stage where there was an hour's work needed. When I looked at it the next day though, I did not like it and felt the figures weren't interesting enough. Then I sketched them out again in a closer crop and felt it worked a little better. So went ahead and wiped off the painting and started afresh.

Face off!
Oil on Canvas, 8 by 8 inches
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I did not take a picture of the initial version of this painting, so that it would have been nice to look at them side by side. Oh well, but I am glad that I went ahead and changed it instead of trying to "fix" it. Let me know how you like it.

Weeekend news - Original painting of people in summer

I have been having a ball with this long horizontal format, they are super fun! This one too is from a reference taken from a park nearby, summer impressions 2011.

Weekend news
Oil on Canvas, 4 by 12 inches
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Click here to bid

Extra Baggage - Small Oil Painting of Children in Summer, 5 by 7 inches

Kiddo trying to hurry up and match pace with dad. Summer impressions, 2011.

Extra Baggage
Oil on Canvas, 5 by 7 inches
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Click here to bid.

"In safe hands" - Textured small oil painting of children, 7 by 5 inches

Taking cautious steps for a first time experience with water. :-) Exploring the world, one step at a time.

In safe hands
Oil on Canvas, 7 by 5 inches
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Click here to bid.

"Daddy!" - Original Textured Oil Painting of Children, 5 by 7 inches - SOLD

This little girl is from a reference at a park nearby. When I saw her picture, the first thought to cross my mind was that she was running towards her dad. That's how my girl runs to her dad, and I am sure all of them do.:-)

Daddy!
Oil on Canvas, 5 by 7 inches
SOLD

I started this one originally with the canvas in the portrait mode, and the shadow was getting cut off midway. The husband was vehemently against it and suggested it would look better in the landscape format. Looks like he was right, as I like it better than what I started with. There's a reason why he is my biggest critic you see. And do I even need to mention how kicked and proud he was about me titling the painting so. Ugh!

"Need no Company" - Original Figurative Oil Painting, 7 by 5 inches

I love watching waves, patterns in water and so on. Endlessly. And I *love* watching people who do the same. Enjoying the company of nature and some solitude, just the way I like it.

Need no company
Oil on Canvas, 7 by 5 inches
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Click here to bid.

"Mine"craft - Original Small Textured Painting of Children, 5 by 7 inches

This one was painted exclusively with the knife. Because of the limitations of using a knife, I could not capture intricate details, but I quite like the overall mood it captures. Also went a little crazy with the colors, let me know how you like it. 

Click on the image to view it larger, or better still, click on the bidding link to view the details of the knife work.:-)

Minecraft
Oil on Canvas, 5 by 7 inches
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Click here to bid.

Bliss - Original Small Textured Oil Painting of Children, 7 by 5 inches

Bliss is biting into a juicy popsicle on a hot summer day. :-)

Bliss
Oil on Canvas, 7 by 5 inches
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Click here to bid.http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/31557

Budding footballer - Original Textured Oil Painting, 7 by 5 inches - SOLD

The Germans probably start playing "fussball" before they start walking.;-) Loved this little boy carrying a  ball and walking towards the lawn for a game of football. I am truly having a ball with all these paintings of children and I am getting some very nice feedback for them. Hope you like it.

Budding footballer
Oil on Canvas, 7 by 5 inches
Textured with palette knife
SOLD

Marching Along - Textured Oil Painting on Canvas, 8 by 8 inches - SOLD

First painting of the new year and all I hope is to be able to post regularly! A very happy New Year everyone!

Marching Along
Oil on Canvas, 8 by 8 inches
SOLD

Looking ahead - Textured figurative painting in Oils, 5 by 7 inches - SOLD

Looking ahead
Oil on Canvas, 5 by 7 inches
SOLD

A German Summer - Textured Oil Painting on Canvas, 10 by 12 inches

A summer evening with some coffee and conversation, a scene so typical in Germany!

German Summer
Oil on Canvas, 10 by 12 inches
$200, Buy on Etsy

Blue and Orange #2 - Original Still Life

Have I told you how I paint? Mostly sitting on the floor. Not even mostly, make that close to 95%. Unless I am extremely motivated to stand in front of the easel or sit at the table, I perch myself in a cozy corner on the floor and I can stay put for as long as I want. 

So I was sitting with this still life from Blue and Orange in front of me. And in between the session, I just got up to fetch myself some coffee and was taking a critical look at my work in progress. It so happened that I also glanced at the set up itself, from above and liked it even better. Thank God I did not stop my previous painting half way and start with this one.

Blue and Orange #2

Oil on Canvas, 5 by 7 inches

$100 and ships FREE, click here to buy

As soon as I wrapped up Blue and Orange, I rearranged some of my stuff and painted this one standing at the easel for a change, for it was a top view that I was painting. An oblique top view infact. And I like this one much better. By then I was a little familiar with the whole "mix anew and lay each stroke" approach, besides the painting itself being smaller. I like this one quite a bit. Which one do you like? Do let me know! 

Framed, naturally! - Sunset skyscape in Oils

Last week, we were driving somewhere when I noticed one of the most beautiful skies that I have ever seen. Layers and layers of clouds reflecting such a range of colors. I just wanted to freeze in that moment forever. And decided that I HAD to paint a sunset sky asap.

Framed, naturally!
Oil on Canvas, 6 by 12 inches
© Nithya Swaminathan
$120 + shipping, Click here to Buy

Skies have never been my strong point, I tend to make the edges too "hard" and the colors don't seem to flow seamlessly. Not that I am entirely happy with this one, but it definitely is one of my better attempts at painting a sky. Do check out the detailed shots in my store, they are quite nice. :)

I also managed to take a lot of progress images this time and put them together into a video. I usually do not pause to take photos when I am painting, because it disrupts my flow badly. Wanted to make an exception this time though. I have not yet been able to film an actual real time demo of me painting, and this is the best I could manage right now. :) Hope you enjoy the process!

http://bit.ly/i7DPtj