Unique characters began to play.
Introductions not needed at all,
Joined to celebrate; memories recall.

Aromas boundless; senses intense,
Delicious cuisine; choices immense!
Culinary etiquette ripe from the start,
Few glasses of wine, manners must part.

Conversations, many and scrabbled,
Some brief and sharp! Others rambled.
Another birthday, carved in stone,
Ending is near, details unknown.

Everyone drawn, towards likeable host,
Glasses are raised, with the most worthy toast.
Repeated with exuberance, expressions bliss,
Your birthday in Y!360 I would not miss.

Here is wishing Sabiha a very very happy Birthday.

Today is the Birthday of one of my closest friends in 360- Sabiha. She is one of the most popular blogger in 360. Sabiha and I are contemporaries. We grew up listening to the music of Airsupply, Micheal Jackson, Starship, Roxette, Foreigner, Chicago, Europe…etc..the list would go on.( People of this generation firmly believe that good music met its extinction by the end of 80s).

Here is a song that is a reminder of the rock ambiance of the 80s, dedicated to you Sabiha.

I started drawing or scribbling like any child even before I can remember. I remember painting (which consisted of only filling shapes with colors), with dry watercolor cakes when I was 5 or 6 years. Completing one painting per day after school was aimed at honing the skills and improving the rapport with the medium. Apart from vivid mental images, I used to get excited at looking at photographs of wildlife and landscapes. My immediate urge would be to express the same with colors in my own way.

When I was about 11 years, I had a feeling that I had ‘mastered’ painting with watercolors (I laugh at myself thinking of such foolishness now). I wanted to try out oil painting. But I had absolutely no idea about oils. A great artist whom I idolized then, Paul Thomas, who was several years my senior, gave me the first inputs on oil painting. He gave me a list of materials, which included a box of 'Camel' Artists’ Oil colors, a bottle of turpentine, purified linseed oil, a few flat brushes and a few sheets of oil sketching paper.

He then gave me a series of lectures on the difficulties of oil painting (which I discovered for myself later, that it was one of the easiest, but laborious medium), and how painting with oils is different from painting with watercolors. Right from the difference in dilutions to the method of applying it on the surface, oil painting appeared to be confusing. While watercolor painting is done with thin dilutions of the paint with water, Oil painting was done with thick paint mixed slightly with linseed oil. When watercolors were done with layer upon layer of thin washes, oil colors were applied in thick dabs. The most confusing part was this : building up a watercolor painting begins with applying the lightest tones first to the darkest tone in the end. While oil painting is just the reverse!!!

I gave the list to Dad, and best Dad as he always is, bought me the entire list in no time. I think he was more excited than I was in my progress, for he asked me several times what I was planning to paint and if I had begun.

I was scared, confused and tensed thinking of all the formulas of oil painting instructed to me by Paul. I had the image playing in my mind for a considerable amount of time now. Managed to get a few reference pictures and ONE FINE DAY , I took the dive!!! While painting, I was facing the greatest road block now… the paint was not drying up like watercolors!!! Several telephone calls to Paul’s house ensued and finally I was convinced to believe that the painting would take about 10 days to dry and the painting process would never be complete in one day!!! After about 3-4 days my painting was complete, and the excitement was indescribable. Weeks and days of struggle had attained fruition! Finally, and finally I could ‘paint like the masters’ (Lol) with oil paint!!!

Posted above is my First ever painting in Oil

There is an internal struggle the first time. A fear of committing a mistake, as one wrong stroke can spoil the whole effort. It is after a series of such struggles and conscious efforts, painting becomes a natural mode of expression!

I would like to present to you the “First time ever” paintings of a few of my friends here.

Husna’s first Oil on Canvas titled “Jannath”

Madhavan (Maddy’s first painting of a still life with a real life object as reference)

Mina’s First watercolor painting of a still life.

Anki’s First Ever non figurative abstract in watercolours.

Please take a look at my friend Mahesh's Blog where he has posted a few of his FIRST art works.

On this occasion of the 200^th entry in my gallery, I dedicate this blog to all who love Fine Art for its own sake: who love art but cannot paint, hobby artists, beginners, and professionals alike!!!!

Thank you all for the support you all have given me all through out, without which I wouldn’t have had the enthusiasm to continue this long.

Vinod Laxman