Book release with my sketches

Yesterday I had attended my School teacher Mr.Kalaimani's book launch. The book was a compilation of stage plays based on biblical stories. The highlight is that I had done the illustrations for each of the stories. :) 

The event happened at Chennai amoung few of Mr.Kalaimani's students and the chief guest was Mr. Soundararaja, film actor and environmental activist.

With my school juniors Sunil, Sam and Veera

 

With Actor and environmental activist Soundararaja

Moses

Moses

Queen Esther

King Solomon and Queen of Sheba

Samson

John the Baptist 

Met my schoolmate - drummer and music director Godwin Kodan after 33 years...

The Thinnai

 My painting in progress shots

The Thinnai is a covered platform or verandah in front of traditional houses. Most people spend their day at the thinnai. Cooking , sleeping, chitchatting with neighbors and relatives also happen in this verandah...

I was inspired by a photograph in a local newspaper. The grandma is cooking at the background while her granddaughter is studying with her laptop (given to government school kids by the Tamil Nadu chief minister's education program). 

The lighted balloons

 My painting in progress shots

The Parotta Master

 My painting in progress shots

The Paniyaram paati

 The granny who sells kuzi Paniyaram..

My painting in progress shots

The jump...

 My painting in progress shots...

The Bouquets

 My painting in progress shots...

World Art day

Today is World Art Day -15 April 2023

Happy World Art day to all artists and Art- lovers! 

The Dog

 My painting in progress shots...

The bird

 My painting in progress shots 

The Owl

 My painting in progress shots 

The Bouquets

 My painting in progress shots

The morning tea

 Painting in progress shots...

The Ride

 My painting - progress shots

The red signal

 My Digital art progress shots

Kannagi

my digital painting of Kannagi at the king's court

Kannagi ...the angry woman from the Tamil epic Silappadhikaram  who burnt the city of Madurai!

Best wishes on International Women's day...

Mr.Kalaimani's books

Receiving the first copies from Kalaimani sir

Mr.Kalaimani , my School teacher has authored two books in Tamil. One book is a collection of his Tamil poems (agara mudhala) and the other a collection of comical & satirical plays (Sulukkia sahabtham). I had the good fortune of doing the illustrations for both the books. For agara mudhala I had done mostly simple line abstracts to convey the poems visually. But for Sulukkia Sagabtham, I had to illustrate epic characters and events with a comical touch. It was an interesting experience!

Kalaimani sir had come down to Madurai from Sydney for the book launch and I could catchup with him after almost 25 years!

Took Kalaimani sir for lunch along with my friend & schoolmate Chellakumar

 

         

 Both books are available on Amazon

Few of my illustrations for the books...

Click here for my earlier tribute post on Kalaimani sir

Tamil thai

Digital painting

Today is "World Mother Language day". 

This is a tribute to my mother language : Tamil. 

My painting of Tamil Thai ( Tamil mother)/ தமிழ் தாய்  in a traditional depiction sitting on a lotus seat.

தமிழ் வாழ்க !

Rani Velu Natchiyar

 Today is the birth anniversary of the Tamil Queen Velu Natchiyar of Sivagangai province (b. 1730 - d.1796). She was the first Indian Queen to wage war against the British East India company. She was well trained in warfare and martial arts ..and also was a scholar in many languages including Urdu, English and French. Her confrontations with the British are epic stuff. Unfortunately she has not received the recognition due for her in Indian history books as compared to another legendary queen Lakshmi bai, the rani of Jhansi (1828-58).

My Painting was inspired by Actor and Theatre artist TM Karthik's photo series.

Mahakavi Barathiyar

 செய்வதை துணிந்து செய்....

 Today is the birth anniversary of the revolutionary Tamil Poet Subramania Barathi ( 1882 - 1921). "Mahakavi Barathiyar" as he was popularly called, was a fearless freedom fighter who also fought for the emancipation of women and stood for many social reforms. He died young at the age of 38.