A Little Bit of Jhulon Bari

Few quick urban sketches from Jhulon Bari, Kolkata today. Tiny ink-and-watercolour painting, keeping it loose and expressive while capturing the charm of the old buildings and the lively colours around them.

Somewhere in Chandipur

A quick acrylic painting from a photograph taken somewhere in Chandipur. Painted on a tiny 3.5" × 2.5" piece of watercolor paper, this study focuses on capturing the mood of the place with a few bold strokes and simple shapes rather than fine details. A small painting, but a memorable scene.

Tiny Canvases, Big Stories

I pulled out my tiny canvases again, this time working in acrylics. The more I use this medium, the more I enjoy its bold colors, and versatility. 

The first painting is based on a photograph I took in Kumartuli, capturing an artisan at work shaping crafts for idols. I wanted to convey the atmosphere of concentration and craftsmanship that fills those workshops.

The second painting comes from a photograph taken during our trip to Kankrajhor. The rustic hut surrounded by greenery brought back memories of the quiet beauty of the place, and painting it was a pleasant way to revisit that journey. 

Both pieces are small in size, but each carries a little story and a memory worth preserving in paint.

Fragments of Kizom, 2024

Two quick acrylic studies on 4 × 2.5 inch watercolor paper, based on photos I took during my trip to Kizom, Darjeeling, in 2024.

Acrylic on tiny tin box

Tried another tiny painting on my little tin box. This time I worked with acrylics—only my second time using them after a casual rough painting earlier. I must say, I probably should have bought larger tubes instead of the small 9 ml ones, though there’s nothing wrong with experimenting with the smaller set. The image is painted from a photograph I took during our Silk Route journey last year.

Mota Mahadeb Temple

Sunday morning Urban Sketch with the Urban Sketchers Kolkata Group.

Street View

Another painting on my tiny tin box with a limited palette. This time, I fully went with gouache since I needed to use those tubes :)

Same Canvas, New Flow

Another progression in my small paintings. The canvas sizes remain the same; I’ve just switched to a box with a larger mixing area.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling Town, sketched from a photograph I took earlier. A small attempt to capture the charm of the hill town.

Urban sketching on location with my tiny setup

After doing four studies over the last two days, today I stepped out with it. I’m not fully satisfied with the results yet, but I want to continue and explore more.

A Busy Scene in a Tiny Frame

Trying a slightly more complex scene with people in it. Before stepping out with my tiny painting kit for tomorrow’s sketch meet, I wanted to be a bit prepared—especially to see if I can capture people at such a small scale. The scene is from Koley Market, from a photograph I took a while back.

The house at Kumortuli

Continuing my tiny painting series. The House at Kumortuli, Kolkata, painted from a photograph I took a while ago. Trying to see how much I can include within such a small canvas.

Bartir Bill

It’s another tiny painting I did yesterday, and I must say I’m really enjoying it right now. A painting based on a photograph I took at Bartir Bill.

Painting Small

Trying for the first time to do a tiny painting with watercolor and white on my portable small watercolor palette. I don’t use that palette anymore for watercolor because it has become rusted. Recently I saw tiny paintings done on a tin box, but those were done with oil paint. So I thought—why not give it a try?