Journey Unknown.....Or Maybe Not...!!!

          Its been a while since the last time I have written a post on my blog and I am really sorry if you one among many who follows my blog. Hope it doesn't continue this way in future, I admit, I am such a lazy a**. Anyway, here we are and I am doing good. Hope its the same at that end of yours too.

          Well, officially I haven't got much to share as I haven't done much lately. Four new paintings done and that's all, but unfortunately, I ain't posting those pics here (or anywhere) very soon or until my next exhibition. So, lets talk unofficially. In the mean time, so that you don't get bored with my crappy style of writing and also because, many of my friends wanted me to post it, I am posting some sketches of some T-Shirt designs that I have done recently for a fest. Consider it a Pro Bono project.

Girls T-Shirt Design 1

           First, I am an artist and that means I have to put in a lots of hard work within the boundaries of being alone for hours, to just come up with a piece of work. Its not a very fancy thing to fancy about. Sometimes its really very hard. Well, I am not complaining about it, but here is a rough picture of what it takes me to come up with a painting.

          What/How I do is, come up with a blur picture in my head (a time consuming process), then make a rough pencil blueprint of it on the canvas (sometimes this is really frustrating for me because of my very bad shaky hands), now make an under paints of it and decide what stays and what not, then the serious paintings and finally, the final touch. Sometimes a painting can take like a month and at times it just take 2/3 days. Well, that's when things goes right (which usually does) but at times things doesn't turn out the way I picture and that's when my mind is like, "why don't I just pick up a knife and tear the whole things into pieces" (I wish I could do that).

Girls T-Shirt Design 2

          Now, you are wondering why I wrote this. This maybe a little funny and to be honest, I really hate to talk about this. But lately, I started to feel that its kinda absolutely necessary for a struggling artist like myself to discuss this and set the message clear. Believe it or not, but lately many people (rather friends) had express their desire to own one of my works. This is supposed to be good right? Well, it's not when they wanted me to paint them for free.  Now I am kinda in a situation where I don't even want to pick the phone calls. Yes, the last exhibition was followed by a Cover Page by a magazine, two National Daily newspapers and some more local newspapers coverage and a TV channel broadcast. Since then, I have made a lot of new friends and also came in touch with a lot of old lost friends. Its a very good feeling and specially when they appreciate my art, but this doesn't mean that I can now stop paying the bills. At the end of the day I still have to pay my bills, eat my daily meal and survive. And when I say I am a struggling artist, I mean it. Why don't these people realize that this is my work and my livelihood, exactly like the way they go on to their daily work schedule. What would their answer be if I ask, "Can I take your one month paycheck because I really like your work?". Well, I hope now you get my point.

          Yes, I do free paintings but that's for charity purpose where I am supporting some genuine cause through some NGO's and will do so in future whenever or wherever I feel the need to. But please, yes please don't come and ask me to paint one for free for you. Just think about the price of a 250 ml tube of oil colors. Its anywhere between 300-500 bucks depending on the color for Christ Sake. Now let me not mention the price of brush, canvas, thinner etc.

Men's T-Shirt Design 1

          Well, that's about it and apart from that, recently me and some friends had decided to start an online business for online shopping and have been pretty much busy with the said business thingy. I should say, its going well on that side but as you know it, like any business, its in the initial stage and we are just hoping it works out well. For now its just investment and investment and advertisement , can't wait for the returns to happen...hahaha (Just kidding).

          As I said earlier, apart from the four paintings mentioned above, I did two more paintings but that's for charity purpose and I don't want to reveal much information on it. I prefer it that way. And one more painting as a gift to someone who has been very kind and help me and my friends a lot when we started out as an artist. Well, this person deserve it because where I came from, art is like a canyon in the desert and it has not been very easy for us in our journey, but this person has help us in reaching out to many people and also to our own people and it has been going good so far and we are so very much oblige.

Men's T-Shirt Design 2

          Apart from art and business thing, for sometime I have had some bad Insomnia bug caught up with me for over two months and did had some real frustrating times. Well, that's me every summer and I really wish this goes away from my body. But fortunately, today is the 8th day with proper sleep and so, I guess my mind is working perfectly good. Now, a little writing on the collection of short stories I am working on is what I plan to do along with the next art exhibition which me and my friends are planning and looking forward in the month of October/November if things work out the way we have planned. Please pray for us as were are meeting up a lot of people, advertising and also looking out for help from wherever possible. Some meetings has turned out to be very good but to be honest some of the meetings have really piss us off. I think that's the part of the game and there isn't much to complain about it for now. And yeah, I really miss my family these days. Its been over 6 months since the last time I met them and I really look forward to this Christmas to see them again. If you are from here, you know the reason why and if you aren't from here, then its just a long and boring story.

Men's T-Shirt Design 3

          And finally, these days I am also trying to save up some money as I am thinking of an art show back home from where I came from early next year.

          Its just a thought for now but I will talk more about it very soon. For now its better this thing stay in the dark because it will not make much sense to you right now if you aren't from around here (my place). And yes, I haven't wrote much about myself or where I came from to make things easier for you to understand. But these I will not do today, but I will very soon, I promise. Then you will understand what these lines really means to me or us. And oh...What do you think about these T-Shirts designs?

          And be blessed.