• Title: Study Works
  • Dip pen,Black ball pen in Derwent Sketch book
  • Reference: Own Images

Welcome back everyone to another edition of Birds of Bangalore, its rather been few weeks of unproductiveness. I have been birdwatching however not able to put my head together and spend sometime at the drawing board. You might be wondering what's going on, they call this period, artist block and every artist goes through this tough phase, its part and parcel of being creative! You feel un-inspired and don't feel confident enough, self-critic inside you is too strong and constantly saying you are not good enough. With all this going on, your past failures and bad memories haunt you. Artist life is mostly solitary, we work in our studios all alone and being mentally and physically tough is very essential.

Anyway, artist block is real and I have been through it and have sometimes spent many years without making any finished work, however you can use this period to make study sketches, travel to various destinations or even meet up with your friends, catch up with your family, listen to your favorite music. I have started free hand sketching during this two weeks of this tough phase and also started yoga, meditation which helps me keep myself mentally and physically strong. Also, I have not been sleeping to well for many months, these days I stick to a strict timing when it comes to food and sleep. With all these in place, I should be able to comeback stronger and make art again in few weeks time, hope so!

(Study Sketches)

Smiling Hornbill, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Image 1: Title: Smiling Hornbill
  • Indian grey hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)
  • Paper: Oxford Sketch Pad
  • Weight: 120gsm
  • Size: 8 1/4 x 11 1/2
  • Pen:Daler-Rowney Dip Pen
  • Ink: Camel Black Indian Ink
  • Duration: 4 Hours
  • Reference: My own image

The crest and bill of hornbill is prehistoric, with interesting markings and shape. Watched a pair interact with each other and the third challenger was trying to impress the female. So he's the challenger!

Baya weaver, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Title: Spinning Magic!
  • Baya weaver Male (Ploceus philippinus)
  • Medium: Reynolds Ball pen
  • Derwent Big book,A5,110GSM
  • Duration: 2 Hours
  • Reference: My own image

Bayaweaverss are one of my favorite birds, their ability to work relentlessly is really inspiring, also they are creative minds as well. They don't settle for an ordinary nest, there is various chambers and also a decoy in their nest, most often than not the predator enters the decoy and finds empty chamber!

Sewing Machine, Common Tailor bird, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Sewing Machine
  • Common Tailor bird (Orthotomus sutorius)
  • Medium: Black Ball Pen and Pencil Study.
  • Derwent A5 Sketch Book
  • Duration:25 Minutes
  • Reference: My own image

Bill of this bird is the most essential tool for sewing leaves together and so are his tail for balancing during the elaborate nest building. Hence lot of attention is paid in making his bill.

Little Grebe, Dabchick, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Study Sketch - Little Grebe
  • Title: Dabchick!
  • Medium: Reynolds Ball pen
  • Derwent Big book, A5, 110GSM
  • Duration: 2.5 hours
  • Location: Kaikondrahalli Lake, Bangalore
  • Reference: My own image

Grebe's are great characters to watch, the way they fight with each other, dive into the water, the way the glide on the water, overall great performer to look out for!

Meettu, Rose-ringed parakeet, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Title: Meettu!
  • Rose ringed parakeet(Psittacula krameri)
  • Medium: Reynolds Ball pen
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Location: Cubbon Park, Bangalore
  • Reference: own image

They build their nest in tree cavity, during my visit to Cubbon park was lucky enough to watch this mating pair occupying one the cavities in the gulmohar tree.

Hovering bolt, Pied Kingfisher, Wildart talk with Prasad Natarajan - Wildlife Artist, Birds of Bangalore - Week 31

  • Title: Hovering Bolt!
  • Pied Kingfisher(Ceryle rudis)
  • Medium: Reynolds Ball pen
  • Derwent Big book, A5, 110GSM
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Location: Bangalore
  • Reference: own image

Their main diet is fish, rarely feeding on insect larvae. They hover on top of the water surface, upon finding its prey, dive vertically into the water to catch the prey. This long bill is what does the talking once it dives into the water!

Hope you enjoy my study sketches, ball pen is unforgiving tool, you make one mistake and that artwork is going to the dustbin and always like to challenge myself and that's what helps me in pushing it forward!

So until next time, keep watching!

Posted with: Bangalore Wildlife, Birding Destinations, Hoskote

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