The speaking eyes....

The Ustad

My first portrait attempt. Done using normal HB, 2B, 4B and 6B pencils. Took almost(should I say just :P) 4 hours to finish the work.

Bliss

First work after I started working in IT industry. It was almost 2 years after my previous work. Done using HB, 2B, 4B, 6B pencils. A small portion(Eye balls and hairs) is done using Charcoal pencils. My first use of charcoal pencils.

Cute

First complete charcoal work(charcoal pencils). This is the picture where I got to know the limitations of charcoal pencils.

Disappointed

Fusion of charcoal pencils and regular HB, 2B, 4B and 6B. Fusion doesn't work quite well because graphite is slippery and it doesn't allow the charcoal to the surface of the paper.

Johnny Depp

There's something special about Johnny's eyes!!. Majority portion was done using graphite pencils. Small amount of HB and 2B pencils is used in it.

The Stare

My first very satisfying work with the new medium. I was searching for my next work on the internet. I saw her, she kept staring at and so did I. I love her stare!!
98% charcoal pencils and 2% HB.

It's her...

Done using charcoal pencils. No graphite pencils used. The best compliment I got for this work was when I was searching for my next picture on the net and this picture's original photo was listed in the search result. My friend saw that and said "Your charcoal painting is listed in the result". Man!! I was glad :).

The innocence

My first charcoal work, not the charcoal pencils but the compressed charcoal. Compared to pencils they are smooth as butter.

Anxious

Again, done using compressed charcoal (99%) 1% graphite pencils used.

Caught you!!

This work was  as an order but I never give it to the person who ordered this. 

Happy and Free 

 After my first art exhibition I felt the need to go big. This is a charcoal on 33"x23" paper. Big things demand everything big, first patience then concentration and then time. It took 14 days to finish it and at the end of it I was relieved not because it came out good but I had finished it. It is hard to identify the flaws in larger than life pictures. I had to take picture at every milestone and analyze the smaller image.

.... and then she speaks

Charcoal on 26"x16" paper. Many asked me if I take order. I said yes to few but, I don't know if it was an honest response. I don't think I'm good to go as a profession. I'm too choosy in picking the work. I had shortlisted at least 20 pics after my previous work. But the moment I saw this I knew the search has ended. I went home and started working on it.

Thanks to my new set of charcoal pencils(cretacolor), damn, they are so amazing!!! I realized why I shouldn't be using camlin products.

 The unspoken words..... Spoken!!

 

 Charcoal on on 26"X16" paper. There has been serious drive within me to go pro off-late . I don't know if I'm ready for it yet. For now, I shall eye "Chitra Santhe - 2014".

Certain things are best said when they are expressed through eyes. Neither do you need any words nor actions.... and the message is delivered. Of course, it takes an equally sophisticated person to interpret it as intended.....
One thing she taught this time was patience. It took 46 days for me to finish it. Ok, it doesn't mean that I worked each day on it but it is the days between the start day and the end day. For a person traveling at least 4-5 hours a day, and 6-8 hours in office it is not possible to spend any time on it on a weekday. I could have just rushed in scratch some charcoal and finish it in 10-15 days. I held my nerves to pay attention to details like the design on the veil, eyes, hairs, lips, highlight on the lips & below the eyes, eye brows, nails.

I'm still waiting

I'm still waiting...... Yes, I was waiting for my next work. The subject was shortlisted but was incubating in my cupboard for the right moment to arrive. It took about 3 months to finish this work. I must admit she challenged my patience while doing this work. Like they say "Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet". 
Medium: Pencil & charcoal on paper
Dimension: 23" X33"

New life.... New love.... New hope....

 
To the mother of my child 😄.  I thought it was an apt gift to my pregnant wife. With her date due in less than a month I was working on this without her knowledge. I spent hours in the night working late to finish this in time. I had never felt the pressure of finishing an artwork before. The expectation was high from myself.
Medium: Charcoal on paper
Dimension: 34"X23"