My dadi (paternal grandmother) passed away in March, probably the first loss in my direct family since my birth. She was quite an eccentric person, but a lively and enthusiastic one, with tastes quite odd for someone of her age - from maggi in lunch and dinner to posing for photographs. So I thought I would try painting her, from some photographs I had, from a trip to Kerala we had recently. I got a printer and scanner recently, so I put it to use first for this one.
The original photographs from which the painting is derived.
I worked mostly with paint tubes remaining from previous years, and bought myself a primed 36cm by 42cm canvas.
I am somewhat lazy, so I did not bring out my DSLR. So I clicked this one in progress with my phone. It is after day 3, after grid making & sketching it out on day 1 and 2 - the basic color layers laid out for the face.
2 days before finishing it. I have a messy workplace, and I don't have much space in my house, and I need music while painting, so I paint in drawing room of my home.
I didn't have much time complete it, as I had to return to institute after the summer break. So I used quite a good amount of turpentine oil, and went wet on wet for the saree, though it needed a greater amount of wet on dry for being more true to the photograph, but I messed up somewhat in the detals of the folds. Thus I went in for a faded look of the saree, concentrating less on the print, and more on the folds. The sheer amount of oil has formed a film, and will probably take months dry.
I finished this in about 15 days. I could and would have worked more, but both time and energy were decreasing. The face has more strokes visible, and the color a bit too saturated than I would have imagined, but I am satisfied with it I think. What do you think ?
(Painting Dadi - Premlata Jain)
(Painting Dadi - Premlata Jain)
Premlata Jain
"Dadi"
36cm x 42 cm
Oil on Canvas
"Dadi"
36cm x 42 cm
Oil on Canvas