Wish every one a Happy & Safe Diwali.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Onam Pookalam @ Home - 2009
Onam is the greatest festival for Keralites. It is celebrated irrespective of the caste and creed. Creating pookalam is one way of celebrating Onam. I am posting the snaps of the pookalam created at my home.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Onam Pookalam @ Technopark - 2009
Here are a few photos of the competition held at Technopark as a part of the Onam celebrations.
Find more images here
Find more images hereSunday, August 23, 2009
Designing Onam Pookalam (Athapookalam)
Pookalam
Pookalam is a special arrangement of flowers. It is also referred as ‘Athapookalam’. Pookalam is created at the time of Onam. This is a very traditional way of celebrating Onam. It is believed that the great King, Mahabali will come to watch the Pookalam on the day of ‘Thiruvonam’. Most of the Pookalam are designed circular in shape. A variety of flowers are used for creating Pookalam.
Pookalam Design
Design is the primary thing needed for creating a pookalam. First the design is drawn on a paper. Let’s make a design of a sample pookalam. This a pookalam with circular and symmetric shape. To make the design simple as possible, complex design elements like boat, kathakali, etc are not used.
Before start designing the pookalam, the first thing needed is to identify the design elements. Design element can be defined as a shape that we are using in the pookalam. Create a few design elements separately before putting it in the actual design. The design element can be a leaf, a flower petal, a diamond etc, see picture below. Once the design elements are ready, it’s time to decide how these elements can be incorporated in the pookalam.
Divide the circle into 8 0r 16 equal parts. Each of this divided part forms an arc. We need to design for a single arc, simple. But it is important to think that how the design will look when we encapsulate these arcs into a circle.
Draw inner circles to separate the circle into layers. Separate the circle in such a way that the outer circle takes more space than the inner circles. See the picture below.
The circle is now divided into pieces. Put the design elements in each piece to form a design for the arc. Once the design of the arc is complete, repeat the same design over the entire arc. The design of the pookalam is ready now. See pictures.
Here is the finished design of the Onam Pookalam.
Drawing Pookalam on floor
Once the design is ready on the paper the next challenge is to recreate the design on the floor. For drawing the design on paper we may use pencil, scale etc. For drawing the design on floor the tool set is different. For drawing the design on the floor we can use chalk or crayons. Follow the same steps that we did for drawing the pookalam on the paper.
Decorating the Pookalam
After drawing the design on the floor the next step is to decorate the design. For decorating the design flowers and leaves are used. Once the design is there on the floor it is to get the things together. Just have to follow the lines while putting the flowers/leaves on the floor.
Various flowers are used on each day as a specific flower is dedicated to each day of Onam. Commonly used flowers include Thumba (Lucas Aspera), Kakka Poovu, Thechipoovu, Mukkutti (little tree plant), Chemparathy (shoe flower), Aripoo or Konginipoo (Lantana), Hanuman Kireedom (Red pagoda plant) and Chethi (Ixora). Thumba flowers are considered as important in Pookalam as they are small in size and glitter in the the soft rays of the sun.
Find more images here.
Pookalam is a special arrangement of flowers. It is also referred as ‘Athapookalam’. Pookalam is created at the time of Onam. This is a very traditional way of celebrating Onam. It is believed that the great King, Mahabali will come to watch the Pookalam on the day of ‘Thiruvonam’. Most of the Pookalam are designed circular in shape. A variety of flowers are used for creating Pookalam.
Pookalam Design
Design is the primary thing needed for creating a pookalam. First the design is drawn on a paper. Let’s make a design of a sample pookalam. This a pookalam with circular and symmetric shape. To make the design simple as possible, complex design elements like boat, kathakali, etc are not used.
Before start designing the pookalam, the first thing needed is to identify the design elements. Design element can be defined as a shape that we are using in the pookalam. Create a few design elements separately before putting it in the actual design. The design element can be a leaf, a flower petal, a diamond etc, see picture below. Once the design elements are ready, it’s time to decide how these elements can be incorporated in the pookalam.
Divide the circle into 8 0r 16 equal parts. Each of this divided part forms an arc. We need to design for a single arc, simple. But it is important to think that how the design will look when we encapsulate these arcs into a circle.
Draw inner circles to separate the circle into layers. Separate the circle in such a way that the outer circle takes more space than the inner circles. See the picture below.The circle is now divided into pieces. Put the design elements in each piece to form a design for the arc. Once the design of the arc is complete, repeat the same design over the entire arc. The design of the pookalam is ready now. See pictures.Here is the finished design of the Onam Pookalam.
Drawing Pookalam on floor
Once the design is ready on the paper the next challenge is to recreate the design on the floor. For drawing the design on paper we may use pencil, scale etc. For drawing the design on floor the tool set is different. For drawing the design on the floor we can use chalk or crayons. Follow the same steps that we did for drawing the pookalam on the paper.
Decorating the Pookalam
After drawing the design on the floor the next step is to decorate the design. For decorating the design flowers and leaves are used. Once the design is there on the floor it is to get the things together. Just have to follow the lines while putting the flowers/leaves on the floor.
Various flowers are used on each day as a specific flower is dedicated to each day of Onam. Commonly used flowers include Thumba (Lucas Aspera), Kakka Poovu, Thechipoovu, Mukkutti (little tree plant), Chemparathy (shoe flower), Aripoo or Konginipoo (Lantana), Hanuman Kireedom (Red pagoda plant) and Chethi (Ixora). Thumba flowers are considered as important in Pookalam as they are small in size and glitter in the the soft rays of the sun.Find more images here.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Bike sketch - Suzuki GSX-R750
Here is the sketch of the bike, SUZUKI GSX-R750. More sketches to come, watch this space for more.
Also see sketch of Bajaj Pulsar 200
Also see sketch of Bajaj Pulsar 200
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Bike sketch - Pulsar 200
Its my leisure time activity to draw sketches. I used to design logos, Onam pookalams (flower carpet) when i get time. This is one among them. I am posting the pictures which shows how the sketch of the bike has derived. The sketch is the Pulsar 200 model, which is one of the best looking bikes available in India.
The sketches of bikes are usually drawn with pen, instead of following the conventional method drawing with pencil. The risk of using pen is that, it cannot be redrawn. So there is no room for error. This sketch almost took a month or more than that to complete. But it doesn't mean that it took 30 days to complete. It all depends on the mood.
Final sketch of the Pulsar 200.
The sketches of bikes are usually drawn with pen, instead of following the conventional method drawing with pencil. The risk of using pen is that, it cannot be redrawn. So there is no room for error. This sketch almost took a month or more than that to complete. But it doesn't mean that it took 30 days to complete. It all depends on the mood.
Final sketch of the Pulsar 200.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Cool Bike Design
Check the yet to be launched bike from Bajaj, which is displayed in the 2008 Auto Expo. Hopefully the bike will be available in the market in a few months or even days. I don’t know the Bajaj design team will retain the same design theme or not. The bike is radical looking, not like anything on the road. A very adventurous design theme, I should say. Definitely it is going to impress the youngsters.
The conventional bike lovers may find it difficult to accept the design theme. The headlight fairing is positioned slightly low. The taillight section and the back cowl looks really sexy. It is pretty much evident that Bajaj has evolved over the years, especially in the design department. Even the design of the very own Pulsar has evolved over the years. The era of not good looking bikes like Boxer or Caliber has gone. Welcome to the world of good, radical looking bikes.
The conventional bike lovers may find it difficult to accept the design theme. The headlight fairing is positioned slightly low. The taillight section and the back cowl looks really sexy. It is pretty much evident that Bajaj has evolved over the years, especially in the design department. Even the design of the very own Pulsar has evolved over the years. The era of not good looking bikes like Boxer or Caliber has gone. Welcome to the world of good, radical looking bikes.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Christmas decorations - Pulkoodu (Crib)
Its again a Christmas time. Everyone prepared to celebrate Christmas. Christmas decorations play an important role in bringing joy in the minds of people. Christmas decorations can be done many ways, hanging stars, color bulbs, creating Xmas trees and of course creating crib (Pulkoodu). If we translate "Pulkoodu" in english its is "cover/box, made of grass".
As like every Christmas I created crib in my home. It will take around a full day to create the crib. Its the support of the small children, which encourages me more.
“Pulkoodu” is a recreation of the manger where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Making “Pulkoodu” (crib) is a part of the Christmas festivities in Kerala.
Beautiful “Pulkoodu” and decorated Christmas tree adorn the front porches of houses in Kerala during Christmas. There is a competitive spirit among children to make the most creative “pulkoodu” at their home.
“Pulkoodu” is normally made of locally available material and baby Jesus will lie down on a bed of grass or hay. Balloons, color bulbs and beautiful hanging are used to decorate the “Pulkoodu”.
As like every Christmas I created crib in my home. It will take around a full day to create the crib. Its the support of the small children, which encourages me more.
“Pulkoodu” is a recreation of the manger where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Making “Pulkoodu” (crib) is a part of the Christmas festivities in Kerala.Beautiful “Pulkoodu” and decorated Christmas tree adorn the front porches of houses in Kerala during Christmas. There is a competitive spirit among children to make the most creative “pulkoodu” at their home.“Pulkoodu” is normally made of locally available material and baby Jesus will lie down on a bed of grass or hay. Balloons, color bulbs and beautiful hanging are used to decorate the “Pulkoodu”.
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