Ink and pen and paper

It has been awhile since I went out and drew.  I just inked this tonight to mitigate the guilt.  The old city has some strange structures. This one was bristling antennae for a reason I could not fathom.  They didn't look like the omnipresent mobile phone towers.  And the building was a really acute slice in an angled narrow lane.  And the dark rain stains that dominate all Indian architecture.
Was listening to "Miles runs down the voodoo".  14 minutes of driving bass with Miles trumpet on top. Most excellent.  And then "Jean Pierre".  It was one of those "Essential" music albums that I never thought I would buy but that's what you get in music stores in India currently. Compilations, "Best of's", and other selections " Dance Party XXX".  I also possess "Essential Bruce Springsteen".  You can order stuff on-line now but browsing for music is always nice.

Six Blade Knife, do anything for you.

"..Do anything you want it to. One blade breaking my heart.
One blade tearing me apart."

Today was Ganesh Chaturthi. First day of the Ganesh festival.  Took the day off.  In the afternoon went to the  old city to draw and look at festivities. Found this stone facade that was quite ornate.  "Nagarkar "Dagdi" ( stone) wada".  This doorway encloses a traditional courtyard and homes around it in a contained neighbourhood called a "wada".  The colorful banners line this really narrow street in Budhwar Peth.  Close to Appa balwant Chowk.

Started a new sketchbook.  Also found my "Legend" CD.  And heard my "Dire Straits: Dire Straits" a few times over on my drive to a  trek to Visapur this weekend.  "Six Blade knife".  The whole album is so laid back and great to hear.

High Sierra

Watching Humphrey Bogart as I finished inking and coloring this.  This is one "machine" from an astronomical observatory in the middle of New Delhi.  It was built around 1700's by the Maharajah of Jaipur. I was on my way to a meeting near the Indian Parliament house. The largest democracy in the world debates and passes bills and legislature there.   It rained suddenly and I waited under a Frangipani tree full of white blossoms.  I stood and drew with a pencil and then inked the outline.   Not too much smudging despite the rain.   It was very gratifying to draw it there.  You notice so much more than when just taking a picture.

In the shuffling madness

This is Martin Bradburn.  I like Sebastian Kruger's art, his focus is rock musicians, the Rolling Stones in particular.  I was tempted to draw some but then thought maybe I should start close to me with musicians I knew and liked (ok, not really liked).  This glowering person does not usually play bass.  Nor does he usually glower.  However, I liked this picture because of the lizards and his focus.  His lovely wife may disagree about the likeness but its what it is.  ( If it is really objectionable, Ill take it down !).  He and Wayne are part of MeccaLilly, a Rhode Island redneck banjo playing outfit that will make you squeal. 

Two turntables and a microphone

There is this community of "Lambadi's" near where I live.  They have essentially squatted on land that has now become a large slum/shanty town. They are different from the locals with their own language and customs.  Some say they are the original gypsies ( Romany) who migrated to Europe.
They work as day labor.  The women wear colorful dresses decorated with mirrors.
I have been busy and lazy, alternately, and my blog did not get updated.  Haven't been watching the London Olympics at all.( Almost).
This was a poor digitization effort. It is pencil and watercolor.  And not so garish. The real life colors they wear are quite bright. This green in her blouse was almost fluorescent.

Grotesque tributes

Most drawings of famous people, sometimes created as a tribute or an expression of adoration are scary and disturbing to me.  They are not very well done for the most part, and tend to be grotesque caricatures.
I try drawing well known people because it lets me know how well I have done in creating a proportionate reproduction. It's just a millimeter here or there, and this could be Bill Murray or Bob Hoskins.  It still might, but it was Phil Collins that I had in mind.   Caricatures are actually easier, the distortions typically used to emphasize the distinguishing characteristic ( Phil's forelock for instance here) take away the expectation to see a true likeness.  Not dissing that art form, but its not what I intended to do here.  I'll find "Abacab" and listen to it today.

Gym Cycle Generator

In  old Pune city this is an old temple dedicated to Ganapati ( or Ganesh).  Since the city of Pune has so many temples dedicated to Ganesh, the temples are referred to by their location. This one is called Kasaba Peth Ganapati.  This temple is a few hundred years old.
In the back courtyyard I found this stationary excercise bike that has been adapted by the local electrical/electronics  industry as a human powered generator.  Pune has numerous and unpredictable power outages.
As I drew this, a person who worked in the temple, came and looked at my drawing. On his cell phone, he showed me a picture of Ganesh he had painted.  He seemed to feel both sorry for me, and superior, as he asked me if I was limited to my sketch book and one black pen.  All his paintings are large and  in color. Oils. Winsor-Newton (a famous English paint manufacturer).  He then told me he was a "hard" man but his anger and rage issues have been calmed by this Ganesh in particular.    It was very uncomfortable looking into his dark glasses as he shared this.  Big vermillion mark on his forehead framed by long greasy hair.   I said it looked like rain and left hastily.