Sketching

Drawing is the basis of painting. Once this foundation is sound, one can readily build on it, whether in the Realistic or Abstract style.

Sketching is the beginning of drawing. The purposes of undertaking sketching are quite a few: sketching helps to 'loosen up' our hands, and helps retaining any ideas or concepts for future reference. It also helps one to arrange the components for a composition, as preparatory for a painting, or for determining the values in a composition. Last, but not the least, sketching can be a joy in its own right. Quite often, a pencil or pen-and-ink sketch has proved to be an independent picture in itself.

Sketching gives a new depth of understanding to one's eyes. It is not just a matter of practice for one's hands only. My paintings often have houses, wadas (old traditional buildings), remnants of buildings, ruins and such scenes of

everyday life shown to such an extent that I am frequently asked: "How come we never noticed it, though we pass by this way daily?"

I can only say that by sketching whenever possible, by keeping one's eyes open to the beauty of everyday sights I find subjects for my paintings. Then the composition is crystallized, and the painting takes shape. Beauty after all is not outside, but in the eye of the beholder, as they say.

Some time back, there was a gap of a couple of years in my painting activity. As I took it up again, I felt as though I had lost my 'touch'. The question was: Do I begin all over again? I kept my paints aside for a while, and did only sketches and before long, I was back into my stride easily.