Jai Anjaneya - Pencil Sketch

First let me thank all of you for giving your thoughts and time to reply to my earlier attempt to sketch Lord Hanuman in a  different perspective. This time, our regular "Hanuman Ji" whom we have seen all these years in TV serials and movies.

I found this drawing while searching for some rare character illustration of Lord Hanuman, only difference from the original drawing is I changed his weapon (gada) to look circle shape, because the one I used as reference was more looking like umbrella (Thanks to Muthu for giving this suggestion).

I completed this sketch in 4 hours in one full stretch :) earlier had plans to do it in two phases, but once I had the layout, it drove me to complete immediately. Used 4H for layout and 2B 95% for shades and rarely 8B, all Faber Castell pencils..

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Lord Hanuman - A different approach

Before you start reading, look at the drawing and try to figure out what I have tried to depict, and let me know your thoughts in comments.

We have all seen modern Lord Hanuman, in TV serials and movies, most of the films have depicted his structure similar to human with monkey face. Actually if we analyze more, Hanuman is actually "The Monkey God", his body should be very similar to monkey with hands almost in the same size like legs, he should be bigger than any human during that historical period. While we characterize him during historical period, I made an attempt to depict his weapon like a bush man's weapon made of stone and wood.

I took 5 hours to complete this sketch, using 4H, 2B, 8B pencils. Now open for your comments :)

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Alexander and Bucephalus

For a long time I have been thinking of portraiting epic character, that too Alexander the great and am crazy on his black beauty, Bucephalus.

The moment I searched for Alexander, wikipedia had a wonderful portrait of Alexander tamming his Bucephalus, got attracted towards the drawing I tried to depict it in my style and here it is for your critics. I used 5B and 8B for the shades.

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"Rani Mangamma" in my style :)

Few days back while just giving Like to my favorites, happened to see a post of oil painting on canvas of Rani Mangamma on her ferocious horse, unfortunately I downloaded that drawing but didnt notice who posted that and the artist name :( remember him saying it was sold for 1.5 laks, and he could not afford, so just took a shot and left that place.

Today was another fine relaxing sunday, so happened to portrait that drawing in my style and hope it came out well. Used 5B, 8B, 2B in all combinations to finish this drawing. Finally finished it and posting for your critics.

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Shiv Temple, Monolithic Nandi - Lepakshi

After a long gap of hectic work schedule..... I got time to draw, so planned to draw Lord Shiva and was browsing over internet and found this unique shiv lingam sculpture at lepakshi. The moment I saw, got impressed with it and started collecting more information about Lepakshi and came to know there is a monolithic nandi too at the site. Though I didnt visit this place personally, but got into a imagination to bring nandi in front of shiv lingam and started drawing. Actually nandi isnt in front of this statue at lepakshi, its just my imagination.

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Quick Sketches: 20-30 Minutes

After concentrating more on the details, friends and mentors suggested I practice quick sketches not taking more than 30 minutes. This quick sketch improves our visual skills and capturing skills. Practicing thumbnails also increase our capturing skills. Getting the light and shade is the key of drawing thumbnails. Few quick sketches in my style of shading for your critics.....

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Ganapathi baba mouriya....

Hello friends, after almost a month am posting my new drawing. I started drawing on Ganesh Chathurthi, thought I would complete it on same day and wish my friends. Unfortunately I could not and it took more time than I expected :( almost 12hrs in 4 days. Finally I finished and posting for your feedback. After getting into ArtJam, I bought sketchbook, until then I used to draw in normal paper. Thanks for ArtJam to encourage me buy my new Classmate A3 sketchbook 140gsm and Faber Castell 6 drawing pencils. "Pillayar Suzhi pottu aarambikanum... " (start with blessing of Lord Ganesh) matching this, and Ganesh chathuthi, I was inspired to draw Lord Ganesh first in my sketchbook. Am more excited to meet artist in ArtJam @ Cholamandal Artist Village and get their feedback in improving this drawing.

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Sleeping Beauty...... In Progress

Hey Friends, let me start this way, I dont try my hands on drawing portrait, because of spoiling the natural expressions in the face... but was really drove when I saw a painting of a sleeping beauty, so started drawing and its in progress. posting the progress here for your suggestions which I should improve on in this drawing.

Wish me good luck.....

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Dancing with Fish - Pencil Drawing

Last Month happened to visit an aquarium exhibition and was impressed with the collection they had. The movement of those fishes looked like they dancing all the time in water. So I decided to bring those dance movements in paper and pencil very quickly. I tried lot of movements of those fishes in various angles and found these to be well done. Posting them for your comments, please do give your credits and critics which drives me more to explore various forms of drawing.

All five sketches were drawn using HB, I didnt use any dark shade pencils, so as not to deviate from those transparent fins. Actually these would be great if drawn using a oil brush in golden orange color, somehow I did not try my hands on colors yet, very soon I may try exploring colors. Wish me luck friends :)

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Olympics Shotput 2012 - Pencil Drawing

2012 London Olympics was awesome and the time it started, I was awestruck with those marvelous photographs released by professionals. My mind kept thinking to portrait one photograph from one of those, but was totally driven by Kumki songs and had to draw Kumki movie stills. This weekend had little time to explore other drawing techniques, so took one photograph from Olympics 2012 and did a fast sketch of that.

Finally decided to sketch Latvia's Maris Urtans, because of two reasons, he had tatoo and a beard :) thought they would be difficult to portrait fastly. This sketch took me around 1 hour to complete, I know this is long but am far better than before, compared to more than 5 hours to complete any drawing :)

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"Kumki" Special - Pencil Drawings Part 2

After posting "Kumki Special - Pencil Drawings Part 1", Kumki fever has never gone down, infact it has increased. I am humming Kumki songs whole day, especially "sollitale....". The craze for the movie has gone up after recieving credits from

• D.Iman, music diector of Kumki - "nice to meet an artist..beautiful no words" 
• Vikram Prabu - tweeted my drawings to his friends
• Santhomer, asst director to Prabu Solomon - commented on part 1

Encouragement from my friends and Kumki team drove me more towards Kumki and I finished part 2 with one more drawing from the prerelease stills. There should be more critics for this drawing, please do share them in comments for me to improve next time.

All the best and Kumki team please dont make us wait long for the movie :)

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Pencil Drawing - Female Model

Friends, after a long time am posting my latest drawing, that too first time in my blog with step by step explanation of my own drawing. Soon am planning to post video of my drawing steps so it is more clear. This time I tried a female model posing on a sofa for fashion photograph. The original picture I found somewhere in flickr, could not get the link now :( so these are the steps I followed for the drawing. Asusual need your valuable critics to improve myself

Step 1: First I got the gestures correct, i mean the outline of the whole picture. The proportion of the figure matters for any human drawing, rest all comes next. This drawing looks something like taken from lower angle, so the legs looks very very little big than the top part of the figure. I used 4H to draw the outline of this drawing. then wherever i knew there would be shadows I used HB to mark them permanant. I can draw the eyes well compared to the whole face, so I just made the eyes initially to get the photography pose feel of the model.
Step 2: Next I started with the shading of the drawing, actually not drawing, but its darken the places where shadows are. I started with the clothes because its what we draw and the viewer cannot visualize how it would be in real, but the face is not like that, everyone of us know how a human face is and we have to careful in portraiting human face. I use 6B and HB to darken the clothes line.
Step 3: So I completed drawing the darker shades of dress and then started with the hairs, it was pretty simple, because the model has black hairs, drawing blonde hair is difficult to get that shiny blonde feel. but this was ok, since she also had a cap, so dont have to struggle lot. Then slowly finished shading the nose shadows and outline of the lips to get a feel of the model before moving to other part like hands legs and the sofa she sits in.
Step 4: I finished the hands and legs and started with shading of the cheeks and upper lips. Slowly shaded the face for a long time till I get the model's face as it should be, but took a long time. Dress needs some 10% more work on the darker shades.
Step 5: Got the complete drawing finally. Took me around 7-8 hrs to finish this, am not a professional so took this long, but I would say, if i practice this kind of drawing weekly once, then I can make it fast after 10 such drawings.

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Spiderman Series - Pencil Sketches

Season of Spider Man 3D, theaters are all full and everyone's favorite character is back amazing this time.... so thought why not I draw spider man in different poses. One easiest thing in drawing spiderman is, we do not have to concentrate on face and expression, its simple ovals for eyes, no nose and no mouth.. very simple isnt it :) that is one another reason to draw.

Childrens can be trained easily to draw spiderman, simple techniques are all around internet. Only the proportions are important and difficult to draw, once they are outlined, rest is simple shading and there is no such thing like dark and light shades. I missed the proportion in one of the four poses, thighs are little big which screwed up the drawing. Asusual waiting for your critics :)

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Female Portrait Series - Club Dancer

A step ahead with portraits, I decided to try expressions, which will express something like dance, singing, modelling or anything, to the audience. I usually spoil a little while drawing face, so decided to draw something where face is not exposed more and some expression, this club dancer photograph which I took had the hairs covering the face and a nice dancing pose. So decided to draw this. Some proportions of the figure isnt correct which needs to be improved, but overall the drawing looks good, thats what the comment received from my friends, now posting it here for your comments and critics for improving myself :)

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Female Portrait Series - Part 2

Back with another set of portraits. I tried to improve in details as practicing one by one, but spoil at times, have posted the spoiled ones also :) Asusual need your critics for improvements. It would be great if you can share the paper medium and pencil you use for drawing portraits, which also helps me. Once I get the portraits well, I will also share step by step of each portrait.

I first start with the outline, which is to get the gesture correctly, then slowly finish the face elements, eyes, lips, cheeks, and nose finally..... then slowly cover others in detail. Waiting for your critics as usual :)

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Female Portrait Series - Part 1

Now starts the most interesting series, atleast for me... yes Portraits, which I lag a lot in finishing it in correct proportions. Practice makes man perfect, (ofcourse women too ;) ), so I started practicing portraits atleast one daily. Drawing portraits is itself an art, getting the correct proportions, the cheeks, lips nose eyes, which when drawn in correct proportion brings the portrait complete. Another difficult one in drawing portraits is hair, which needs seperate training all together.

My first series on portraits, which needs your critics for improvements. It would be great if you can share the paper medium and pencil you use for drawing portraits, which also helps me. Once I get the portraits well, I will also share step by step of each portrait.

I first start with the outline, which is to get the gesture correctly, then slowly finish the face elements, eyes, lips, cheeks, and nose finally..... then slowly cover others in detail. Waiting for your critics as usual :)

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Cross hatching technique

Cross hatching is another technique I learned in the past months... really easy but we have to careful where to use dark hatch and where to use light hatch... Tried few from samples got from web, later I tried some from model photographs. Few of the samples I tried from web are posted... as usual need your critics :) I think the pencil also makes difference in this cross hatching technique. Am just using HB pencil, which is where am making mistake I think. Going to browse more on this technique and the paper, pencil which should be used at what places and try some more....

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