Paintings

Ink Torrents Graphics National Park Series Notebook - California Redwood Trail made by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents Graphics Inktorrents.com

On The Redwood Trail

Posted on April 15, 2026
by Soma Acharya
Bookmaking, Paintings, Photography, Travel

I love to visit the Redwood National & State Parks during my winter break. Even though I have visited these parks multiple times, the feeling I get while walking under these immensely tall trees never ceases to amaze me. My husband and I walk the trails, take photos, and quietly feel the forest. Today I want to share some of my photos, sketches, and the recent notebooks I made from one of the drawings I did there.

Reaching toward the sky

The 300 miles on Hwy 101 to the Redwood Parks is one of the loveliest drives. On that stretch, it often rains during winter months. I LOVE driving there in the rain while listening to a favorite audio book. This national park is actually a collection of California state parks set along highway 101. Each park is beautiful and different in its own way. There are trails that go off to the beach too, but we always stay on the forest side.

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

In the shelter of the large ones

The forest is full of other wonders as well. Sometimes small shrubs grow high up on old redwood trees. One time I found this one tree “curled up” on a shelf created by a large forked redwood tree. Ferns and lichen grow on maple, and clovers and other small trees grow on and around fallen trees. Milkmaids are usually the first wildflowers to bloom in the woods.

After a storm

Passing rainstorms often turn the forest into a magical place. This was one of those fleeting moments when the clouds and the sun were in just the right places.

I was really sick when we visited last time. I was not allowed to do any hiking; only short, safe walks. On one of those trails, I found this little fungus. I decided to come back the next morning with my tripod to take a photo before driving back home. However, next day there was a downpour. As there was no unsettling wind, we bundled up in our rain-clothes, took my huge umbrella which has weathered many a storm (for the camera, not for us), and headed up the trail. It was even darker in the forest that day than the previous day. My husband held the umbrella over our heads while I set up the camera. I may have been sick, but I got my photo.

This is an extremely narrow and twisty road that goes through one of the parks. We always pack up some tea and snacks, and spend a late afternoon there until nightfall. It gets eerily quiet as the looming darkness envelopes the forest, and the towering trees start to look even taller. I love to play around outside. However, during that late twilight-to-dark hour, I am always glad to have the shelter of our car. My husband reads, and I draw the redwoods if I am not also reading.

I finished this drawing during one of those afternoons. I am very shy about drawing with people around. However, when I am on my own, I rather enjoy drawing what I see in front of me. Once I finished the preliminary drawing with pencil, I inked it with a Fude fountain pen.

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

Shop Notebooks

I started making a series of notebooks & sketchbooks of National Parks with my drawings of not-so-iconic views on the cover. I chose this drawing for the Redwood Trail book. I am now making the books with ultra thick and smooth paper. They are great for writing and artwork with any dry media like ink and marker.

The books are fastidiously handmade by me. They are all hand-stitched and hardcover with french fold. The cover board wraps over the edge into the inside of the books making them look stylish and elegant. You can purchase the notebooks from my shop.

I am using one of those books for my art journal. A couple of years ago on our anniversary, my husband and I walked on a 7-mile redwood forest trail that is closer to our home. Later on, I filled in the empty space on this page with the drawing of this tree. Please excuse the slanted lines, that’s my attempt at obscuring my scribbles. Joining Art Journal this month.

A few more trees and a pair of boot prints.

Read Yosemite in Winter – Photos and Notebooks

Redwood Trail has now joined the Yosemite in Winter notebooks. You can purchase the notebooks from my shop in different colors. I can’t wait to start on the next one. Trying to decide between Arches and Yellowstone. Any thoughts?

I hope you enjoy the photos and the artwork that are inspired by this very special place.

Until next time,
-Soma

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Links page. Please pay a visit to some of them. Hosts of linky parties – please grab a photo of you choice for your party. Thank you for hosting!

Little Stories – Happy Tunes

Posted on December 11, 2025
by Soma Acharya
Bookmaking, Kitties, Knitting, Paintings, Photography, Quilting, Travel

Update on Feb. 27, 2026 – Next post on the website is still a little away, looking at early April at this moment.

The Ink Torrents Graphics shop remains open. I will continue to mail orders, as always. You can also purchase quilting patterns, which you can access immediately via Instant Download. I will also be available via email. Thank you for continuing to shop from my store, so I can support my favorite rescue organizations.

During the past few weeks, I was very determined to shake off this lackluster feeling I have been having. I took a few day trips to the surrounding areas with my husband. I started working on a quilt and a knitted sweater. I also spent happy hours binding tiny books and working on this painting of our kitty Charlie.

The Golden Gate Recreation area is a huge natural and historical area which is right by the bridge. Although we drive over Golden Gate Bridge to San Fransisco often, we hardly ever stop here. One Sunday afternoon we went to explore that area and stayed until the bridge lights came on. The coastal clouds never left the shore that day.

There is a walkway that crosses under the bridge, connecting to a trail by the ocean. We walked there until it got too dark for us to walk any further without lights.

Northern California has many coastal redwood forests and one of them is about an hour and a half drive. It is on a beautiful road that we have taken to the coast a few times, but never stopped at the Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve. With a packed picnic lunch, a flask of tea and some snacks, we set off on our way there.

There are a few trails that climb up from the parking lot, leaving the redwood forest. I wanted to walk along the redwoods, so we stayed on the main trail. It was beautiful; parts of it reminded us of the Redwood National Park much further up north.

A few months ago, my husband passed his private pilot license exam with flying colors. Aside from road trips, I also went with him on a short jaunt between two airports, which was a lot of fun.

At home, I had been pondering how to finish the Garden Path quilt. After the walk in the forest, I decided on getting a pale green fabric for the back of the quilt. During my winter break, I am going to finish this one.

I also picked knitting back up again. I am a super slow knitter. I am hoping to finish this sweater by next winter, so my husband can wear it then.

I was binding a larger book for watercolor painting. When stitching books, I need to pay attention to the tension of the stitch. That day I was being a bit heavy-handed, which resulted in my tearing the gentle watercolor paper at the needle hole. I cut up those discarded papers to make two little black watercolor books. They joined my other tiny 3.0″ x 1.0″ green book.

This one is 3.50″ x 2.0″. I made a double inset on this one and then affixed pieces of gold on black washi tape in them. I am going to fill this book with happy, cheerful little paintings.

With the size of 1.50″ x 2.0″, this is the smallest book I have made so far. There is a little verse in The Lord of the Rings that I love. I am going to paint tiny little scenes from that verse in this book. I drew the front picture with a fountain pen, and glued it into the little inset. I will be adding color to it as well.

The pages are all counted to fit the verse. I even added teeny tiny bands at the head and tail of the book.

November was mostly spent working on the painting of our kitty Charlie and his lute. I drew this picture of him a couple of years ago.

I was feeling unwell in November and was sapped out of all energy. Working on this painting really brought me back to a more cheerful state. Charlie is a happy boy and it is hard to feel melancholy when I am creating anything with him in mind. I made a few changes to it before setting out to paint it.

Last time I shared this little sketch of him. I familiarized myself with the color of his fur with this one before embarking on the larger painting.

Very few things in my life have made me happier than our kitty Charlie. He has always been just a very happy boy with a penchant for “singing”.

He wrote a song for his beloved big sister who didn’t want to hear him sing just at that moment. So, on that day, he sat under a tree in his best clothes and sang his heart out while playing a lute.

I wrote a new ballaaaaaad

But now I am so saaaaad

She won’t hear my new song

Where did I go wrooooong.

He gave me permission to share his song as long as I added the correct inflections. He is very particular about them!

Even the thought of this makes me smile. I hope it does the same for you too! I had a lot of fun choosing the colors. I love painting with watercolor. I got lost in the painting for hours while working on it.

I will see you again after my winter holiday. I am looking forward to exploring the sleepy, quiet winter world outside, clad in my favorite woolens. Long hours of playing video games and watching anime with my husband has become a beloved tradition. I am also looking forward to spending extra time with my ink and paper friends along with warm beverages and kitty cuddles. I wish you all a season full of happiness and laughter as well.

Until then,
-Soma