Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Little Stories – Fairy Tale Inspired

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Hi Everyone!   Recently I pulled out the blocks for one of  my quilts which had been stashed away for a very long time in the hope of finishing them soon.  I finished this little painting using fountain pen inks, looking forward to  sharing my findings with you.   To wrap it all up, I have a pair of little wild flowers.

 

 


 

Unfinished Garden Path Quilt

 

 

Garden Path Flower Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Let’s start with the Garden Path quilt.  I had the quilt layout design done long ago.  It was inspired by the gardens I had visited in the UK.  Some of those gardens really look like fairies live there.

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

Selenite Clematis,  Olivine Tulip,  Kyanite Iris and Garnet Primrose

 

These are all 12″ flower patterns that I designed with stained glass motifs in mind.

If you are wandering about the names – I love geology and the flowers started looking very much like they were made of crystal. So, I decided to name them after my favourite minerals.

 

 

 

Garden Path Flower Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

Here is the full stack of finished blocks.   Only five more to make.  I am hoping to finish at least two more blocks within the next two week.

 

 


 

A Little Experiment – Painting With Fountain Pen Ink

 

 

Fountain Pen Quilt Pattern @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Fountain pens and I go a long way back.  In school, from third year onwards, we were to use fountain pens only.  I still remember the anticipation of getting my very first fountain pen.  Since then, I have only ever used fountain pens for writing.  This is a quilt block I designed based on one of my pens.

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

For my birthday this year, my husband gave me a fountain pen and couple of bottles of beautiful inks.   I was curious to see how fountain pen ink would behave as paint, so I set out to sketch a quick painting with them. 

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

 

The blue ink is Pilot Iroshizuku Moonlit Night, the red is Diamine Dragon Blood Ink.   Love the names.  He really knows me well!

 

I left the ink on my palette for a few days.  I was afraid that once the ink dried, it may not rewet well.  To my surprise, it was as good as fresh ink with a drop or two of water.

 

I tried sploshing a little ink on wet paper in my little book.  It spread out just like watercolour. 

 

Although these two inks are from different companies, they mixed very well and I was able to create different shades of black, grey and purple.

 

The Dragon Blood ink is infused with gold coloured particles which gives it a slight shimmery effect.  That part is only seen in the undiluted ink.

 

 

 

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

With watercolour, I can lift and move paint easily as long as it has not dried completely.  These inks, however, would not budge at all.

 

I started with extremely diluted paint, and slowly built up the colour intensity by layering.  The inks did not lift off when I applied the next layer.  It was really easy to work with them, and I needed very little ink for this 6″ x 4″ painting.

 

Even the diluted colours dried with a soft but vibrant effect.  I found that to be very unique to these inks.

 

Fountain pen inks can be quite expensive.  Goulet Pen Co. sells ink samples for a very reasonable price.  Jet Pens also has a very good collection. 

 

 


 

Little Book of Dragons

 

 

Handmade watercolour journal @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

This moss green journal was the very first 3″ x 4″ journal I made.   The early editions of  J. R. R. Tolkien’s Hobbit was bound in light green cover.  As soon as I made this book, I wanted to make it a book of dragons.  I am glad I waited.  Now the first painting is special, made with the inks I got for my birthday and inspired by the weather on my birthday at Yosemite Valley.

 

 


 

Dragon And The Little Boy

 

 

Dragon painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

This little boy can befriend dragons very easily.   Not to control them mind you, but to talk to them.  Dragons always have such fascinating stories to tell.  While everyone else thinks he has special powers of making dragons listen to him, he would tell you that he is simply being nice to them and listening to them.

 

 


 

Little Wild Flowers

 

 

 

Last Sunday, despite my deadly pollen allergies, I hazarded a little outing on a trail.   Although I paid for it dearly afterwards, I found the most beautiful flowers there.  These are Golden Fairy Lanterns.  I found these two tucked away beside an oak tree.  More on the next Wandering Camera.

 

I always get asked – The quilt patterns and the journals, designed and hand made by me are available in my shop.

 

I think we all can use a little helping of fairy tale inspiration every now and then, don’t you?

 

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

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Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

Leaves And Butterflies

Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Hello Everyone! I have been spending a lot of time outside during the winter break, walking amongst the trees near and far and spending time with my camera. I find quite a bit solace and peace there. That in turn prompted me to work on a little project, and then to prepare something I could share with you.

 

 

 

Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

About ten years ago, I made an embroidery blanket for our kitty Charlie.   Very soon afterwards, it became one of his favourites.  Now, a decade later, it has become a bit threadbare.  During this break, I made a new one for him using the same layout and colors.  It is pretty much an exact replica of his original blanket.

 

 

 

Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

The only difference between the two is the binding.  Instead of using a blanket stitch again, I used this bramble fabric to bind this one.

 

 

 

Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Download Autumn Leaves

 

I also polished up the leaf drawings I had made for the blanket.  Now they are available in my shop completely free for you to download. 

They are line arts of generous size.  You can resize them to your need and use them for so many projects – scrapbooking, greeting cards, applique, and embroidery, just to name a few.  You can also choose to spend time together colouring them.  

 

 

 

Autumn Leaves Line art clip art @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

these pocket journals handmade by me  are available in my shop

 

I traced the leaves in the nature journal and painted the trio.  I just love those warm colours.  I would very much like to see them made in different shades of green and yellow as new leaves.

 

 

 

Book Drive at Barnes And Noble @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Every December, my husband and I purchase a set of books at our local Barnes and Noble book store for their yearly book drive for underprivileged children.  Hopefully these books from last December provided the little ones some much-needed escape.

 

Without going too much into my childhood, let’s just say I was glad to have the stars and books as my two constant companions growing up.  I dreamed about escaping to distant worlds whilst lying under the stars.  At other times, I dove into books to shut out the world outside, often wishing I was made of ink and paper.  They are still my escape, my world, my friends and family.

 

 

 

The Girl and Her Cat with Death watercolour painting @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

A few months ago,  I finished painting a little blue book about the Girl and Her Cat and about stories themselves.   There are some stories that are so heartbreaking, they would make Death cry.  Seems like we are living through one of those times yet again.  Sitting on his robe, the Girl and Her Cat listen to him and comfort him.

 

 

 

The Girl and Her Cat and butterflies watercolour painting @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

I flat out refuse to read a book where there is no hope.  Not every story has a happily ever after, but there is no living without hope.  After the Girl and Her Cat travelled to the end of the world to see Death, the two of them found something beautiful in the midst of the surrounding darkness.

 

When the war started, the constant thought in my head was how to get books / ebooks to the children who are so afraid and have lost their childhood.  I kept on looking daily until I came across this page on BBC.   I followed the link on Little Toller Books website and promptly donated.  You can find out more about this amazing endeavour at the links above.

 

Our cat Charlie is now dreaming on his new autumn leaves blanket, the leaves I drew from a few I found on the wayside.  Fragile things like leaves and butterflies spark simple childlike joy and hope, and become part of our art and stories.  I hope you will find the Autumn Leaves download helpful and make something beautiful with them.  We need that now more than ever.

 

See you on Wandering Camera linky party on March 31st.

 

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.  Also linking up with Meadow Mist Designs this month.

 

 

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