Optional Sketchbook Assignment 3: Characters Drawn from Life (and Death)

For this week’s sketchbook assignment we are offering two options: one for Track A learners (more visual-based), and one for Track B learners (a written response). Do one or the other, or both! Please note there is a separate forum for each track.

Track A
Look in a local newspaper or online source for death or marriage notices. Find one that is interesting to you but don’t choose one that includes a photograph.
Make a portrait of a person described in the notice (deceased man or woman, bride or groom). Use any means and style that you like--drawing, painting, photography, collage. Think about how much of the person you want to show, how s/he is posed or framed, how much context is given through background, accessories, etc. Whatever you choose to include in the portrait should say something about the character you have chosen to depict.
Important: In respect of others' privacy, do not include any names from notices, or link to them, or use images without permission.
In this forum ("Characters Drawn from Life (and Death) TRACK A"), start a new thread and post a scan of your image. Give your post a title, and submit!

I looked up into a local matrimonial paper to find out a description in accordance with the assignment, here is what I come up with:-

Sketchbook Assignment 2: Mental Map

Assignment:- In your sketchbook, assemble ten (10) images, books, films, or even music/songs that provide a history and context for your current work or interests in art, animation and/or gaming, whether as a practitioner, viewer or player/participant. Choose works that are important to the way you think, and just as importantly, works that inspire you in ways that you can’t always perhaps put into words. Reach back into your childhood (where you may perhaps find some unexpected sources of inspiration) and look around you to collect some contemporary resources. (This assignment is particularly well-suited to a digital sketchbook, like a Tumblr or blog, but as before, if you are posting content that is not your own, please cite where you retrieved each image with a link.)

Serendipity is the word which I want to use for this course, this course is scanning my mind & I am taking out time for this course from my busy work schedule, some conspiracy is there for sure.

I used my instincts to do this assignment & it was very difficult for me to go back to my childhood & remember the things which I think inspires me for my current work. Nevertheless it was adorable & go back to your childhood & remember the things.

My inspirations in a chronological order(best tried, though it was difficult to write only 10, if given chance I would have written more) :-

       

1.) Donald Duck:- Donald Duck was my favourite cartoon, I never missed its show. My Aunt gifted me a Donald Duck on my b’day, I used spend my whole day playing with it & named it “Chima” took care to give it a fresh look. When its clothes were no more, wrapped him in ribbons to cover it.

Source:- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/Donald_Duck.png/220px-Donald_Duck.png

2.) Book:- For my best performance in fancy dress competition, I won a book named “Why do Animals sleep through winters”, This book contains beautifully painted scenes of the story which fascinates me & it tells you a concept of Hibernation. Whenever I hear about “Hibernation” that cute bear which I saw in the book comes before my eyes.

   3.) Acting:- I was very active in co-curricular activities at school whether it was dancing, painting, singing, acting etc. In 6^th standard we participated in a skit based on corrupt policeman who is lazy & skit showed a scene of a street where you can find a beggar, balloon seller, ice cream seller etc. I played the role of a beggar attired in an old kurta pajyama (with patches all over, to give it a look of beggar). I enjoyed that role and was complete into the feeling of a beggar & understood the state of beggar.

      4.) Mother’s day gift:- The syllabi of our school used to consist moral science books till 7^th standard, I gave a look to all my moral science books & digged out images & used them to create a beautiful story to show gratitude towards mom for her selfless work, even though I always prepared a beautiful card for mother’s day but this book always inspires me for my work.

     5.) Handwriting:-  I was one of the naughtiest student at school & was carefree, never gave attention to anything, similar thing was with my handwriting, I had a very bad handwriting & was always asked to write with pencil instead of pen, and my other classmates used to write with Pen. It was enough to encourage me to improve my hand and write beautifully. I dig out few cursive handwriting books which were in my syllabi in my lower classes and I never practiced them, it was the time now, & I don’t remember the moment I improved my hand & got a “+1” remark for handwriting from my English teacher “Jain Mam” stating that “Prachi has improved her handwriting.” I was like “when I improved, even I didn’t took a notice of it.”Name of that book was “Time to Write” & I can never forget those edtitions which improved my hand.

6.) Bharatnatyam:- Bharatnatyam is the classical Indian Dance of Tamil Nadu which is performed by a group of Dancers, I participated in Annual Day and performed a group dance of Bharatnatyam and came to know about the culture of Tamil Nadu & the dance is inspired by Lord Shiva.

Source:- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/SavithaPress1.jpg/319px-SavithaPress1.jpg

       7.)  Raindrops on Roses:- This was one of my favourite song, it's lyrics is:

             Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

             Bright copper kettles with warm woollen mittens

             Brown paper packages tied up with strings

             These are a few of my favourite things 

     8.)  Rangoli:-

Rangoli is a beautiful pattern which is created by Indian ladies on Indian festivals, especially on diwali. Me and my brother are also very fond of making Rangoli on Diwali & never miss it.  

Source:- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/RANGOLI.jpg/320px-RANGOLI.jpg

9.) Beethoven’s music:- When I heard Beethoven’s music for the first time, the Rhythm of the song was rising and falling at different times and when I tried to draw straight lines on a piece paper I was forced and the music didn’t allow me draw straight lines and it made me draw uneven & zigzag lines, that I came to know that music plays a big role in art. The waves which comes out of the piano or violin makes us better in art & we get connected with ourself. You don't where you are when you listen to the music.

           Source:- http://youtu.be/aWmj1bMR4Mo

10.) Virtual Reality:- I gave a presentation on virtual reality after reading info related to Virtual Reality sprawled on internet & came to know about it plays a vital role in our life be it is entertainment, Army & our day to day life.

Source:- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/VR-Helm.jpg/320px-VR-Helm.jpg

Sketchbook Assignment 1 - Prachi's submission

Hello all!!

I am from a non arts background, but love the things related to art, culture, and heritage.

I love dancing, singing, painting, craft, reading & writing since childhood. I have never gone through literals, history of painters (except the famous ones like Picasso and Leonardo DA Vinci, Plato)

Art is in the Nature

Art is in our culture

Art is in the nature, trees and plants, Mountains and Desserts, Oceans and Glaciers.

Art is in the Universe.

Our body, origin, every nerve, every cell of our body is an example of art.

Our Skin tones, Hair color, nails, eyes, nose, ears & every part of our body is a rare form of art, who nobody can create it even though he or she is a great Artist. Every human being is unique & has its unique identity. All the Animal, birds, reptiles, water animals of different species and different nature are also a form of art.

It is the creator of the universe who created the nature, human beings.

I am spellbound with this creation of god.

I am attaching some pictures in which I can see art.

Aurora

Aurora is a natural example of art in which it seems that a painter has flaunted colors on the canvas.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy)

Rainbow

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

God gifted us “The Mother nature” which should be preserved by all of us.

But people have spoiled “The Mother nature” just for their selfish desires of earning more money from it.

Art is in the Indian Culture

I belong to India, I can see art in in our culture, traditions, religions, food, music, dance, architechure.

As the Indian Culture is so diverse that one blog is insufficient, some of the websites which you can check are below:-

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_art
• http://www.indianart.ru/eng/
• http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/cultur/inde/indinte.shtml
• http://india.shilpasayura.org/