Little Stories – July Days

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

As August is trundling along,  I took a look back at July.   With all the time spent at home, I piled up my days even more than usual with music and Japanese studies.  This is my July along with a few more black and white everyday photos, and my finished quilt block.

 

 

Simple 365 – Set 12

 

Here is another set of everyday Simple365 photos.   A few years ago,  I took one b&w photo of simple little things around me for a year.   I have been sharing those photos here every now and then.

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

 

 

I created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365.  I continue to add photos to that page as I share them here.  That way I can relive the journey through the year via black and white photos, like in an old photo album.

 

 

 

Let There Be Dragons by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

I was trying out a couple of old glass pens with homemade black walnut ink.  The slanted light coming through the window often casts wonderful shadows.  I liked the two little light spots under the glass nibs in this photo.

 

 

 

Muir Woods by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

This is only outing I had in July.  We got up around 5:30AM and drove an hour to avoid the hot day.  Usually I set my route beforehand, but this time I decided to explore a bit more.  Of course, I did have a map and compass with me.  It would not be prudent to get lost in that heat in an area without cell coverage.   We walked around 7 miles without any incident and then I fell…hard! Just before reaching the car.

The resulting backache took me out of commission for a while.   That is the reason for my long delay in email replies and blog revisits.

 

 

 

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

Get Musical Instruments Quilt Patterns

 

Playing music calms my mind and helps me focus.  This old girl has been neglected for the last four years.   “She” is now around 100 years old.  I love all the marks showing its age.  Nobody wanted it because it was not new and shiny.  The luthier repaired it for me, and it was mine.

 

 

 

Violin by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

In July I took it out, tuned it, and started to bring the sweet sound back again by playing a little everyday.  As the wood resonates, the violin sounds nicer with every passing day.  I am also a bit rusty, so we are both waking up together.  I took these two photos the day I took it out of its slumber.

 

 

 

Tavish the cat in a violin case by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

Shortly after I took it out, Tavish climbed into the case…

 

 

 

Tavish the cat in a violin case by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

…and fell asleep.  Violin is an extremely loud instrument.  I have no idea how he was sleeping comfortably in there!

 

 

 

Piano Studies by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

Get Musical Instruments Quilt Patterns

 

Even though I learned to play music on the violin, I have been playing the piano a lot more lately.  I learn music fairly slowly; I let the melody develop as I play.  It makes for slower learning, but I like it that way.  Currently I am working through Mozart’s K. 545 Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, II Andante.  I find it to be such a gentle, happy piece.

Here is a recording of the piece – K. 545 Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, II Andante

 

 

 

Genki Japanese by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

Additionally, I have upped my Japanese studies.  My goal is to be completely proficient at it with reading and writing, and hopefully able to do translations one day.

 

 

 

Harmony Star quilt pattern by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

 

I also finished this little star for my kitty quilt.  I will share more about the fabric choices with photos when I share the finished quilt here.

 

 

 

Blaze - The Girl and Her Cat drawing by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I will wrap up with a drawing of The Girl and Her Cat from my sketchbook.   By now, my cabin fever has not only moved in, but has settled in quite well for me.  That’s probably what reflects in this drawing.

 

I wish you a lovely rest of August.  I will see you all in September.

-Soma

 

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

 

 

Leave a comment

 

Joy In Imperfection

Handmade book @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Hi Everyone!  During the last few days,  I took some photos and happened to come across a few paintings that are far from perfect.  They are, however, perfect examples of how letting go of perfection often provides a playground for learning and honing skills without pressure.  I would love to share a few of these with you today, along with my approach.

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the photos –

 

 

 

I always keep a stack of small pieces of inexpensive watercolor paper on my desk.   I paint simple things on them whenever I need to warm up before working on something larger.  I also use them to try out new art supplies.  There is never any pressure with these practice pieces.   These were just floating about, so one day I decided to put them all in a book.

 

 

 

Scrap drawings @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

 

I keep cuttings from drawings that have not worked out.  I pulled a tiny piece of pen drawing from that stack.

 

 

 

Handmade book @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

For the cover, I used washi tape and boards that were leftover from books that I had previously bound.   I inset the little pen sketch in the middle and finished the book by making a grey frame from another piece of scrap paper.   Improvising while creating this book let me hone some of my skills further.  I need a place where I can play, and this book is the perfect playground.

I continued in the spirit of the experimental paintings that were already part of this book and painted these two next.

 

 

Cottage watercolor painting @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

I love the idea of a cottage overgrown with shrubbery set by the edge of the woods.  The green paint I was using for the forest dried much darker than I had anticipated.  I put it aside and went to bed.  I sometimes have trouble falling asleep, and that night happened to be one of those nights.  Finally, I gave up on sleep, and started fiddling with it at 3:00AM.

I put a coat of titanium white on the area to cover up the dark green mess.  As I  started to paint the green back again, the white kept on diluting the green.  So I changed my approach and daubed on the green in places instead of painting with brush strokes.  It worked.  I like the mix of light and dark in the green now.

 

 

Tree on a misty rainy day watercolor painting @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

I wanted to learn a little more about this particular green paint that I mostly use for shadows. So I set out to paint a tree on a misty, rainy day.

The green paint is in every part of this painting.  I added yellow and red to the green to create the other colors.  This particular green paint is very textured and opaque.  If I used even a smidge extra, the area looked very dirty and mucky.

I wet the paper first.   As I added paint, I let the water on the paper pull or push the pigment around.  That avoided the dirty look and kept the edges soft for a misty day look.

 

 

North Bay Area California Sky photography @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

Last Saturday it was raining off and on.  I love to be outside on days like this.  While My husband and I were driving to Japantown in San Francisco,  I took this photo from the car.   Not a clean photo, but few raindrops on the windshield only added to the drama.

 

 

Japantown @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

After browsing, getting a few books from my favorite book shop, and having dinner at the most wonderful udon noodle restaurant, we went to a Japanese convenience store to pick up our favourite snacks and drinks.  I always find something there for my journals and this time I got this A5 size case.  A wonderful fit for my sketchbooks, plus a couple of pencils and erasers for traveling.  Sometimes things just work out!

 

 

Bowers Museum Photography exhibit, Ted Crone Taxi New York @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

Back at Bowers Museum, I was completely smitten by Ted Croner’s Taxi, New York at night photo.  If you are interested, you can read more about him on  this Howard Greenberg Gallery page.

 

 

The Golden Gate Bridge in the rain inspired by Ted Crone Taxi New York photography @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

Inspired by Ted Croner’s Taxi, New York at night photo

 

On the way back, as we were driving on the Golden Gate Bridge, rain started to fall.  I asked my husband if he could hold off running the wipers, and quickly snapped this photo of the bridge through a rain-spattered windshield.  Not quite as brilliant as Ted Croner’s photo, but it will do for now.

 

 

The Girl and Her Cat drawing @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

Work in progress teaser:  The girl is watering while her little cat patiently…

 

I have been doing a lot of book binding lately, experimenting with new techniques and materials.  I had just started sketching a cover for an experimental book when I noticed two tiny 1.5”/2.0” scraps on the desk.

 

 

Little purple wildflowers drawing @ inktorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

 

I couldn’t resist painting these little flowers on them.  I painted them completely outside the lines quite intentionally.  Hubby already claimed one of them, so we will each have one for our journals.

 

I really hope this gives you some ideas and encourages you to play and make.  There is sweetness and joy in imperfection.

Until next time,
-Soma

 

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

 

 

Leave a comment

 

error: Content is protected !!