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Drawing is a form of visual art in which a person uses various drawing instruments to mark paper or another two-dimensional medium. Instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, various kinds of erasers, markers, styluses, various metals (such as silverpoint), and electronic drawing.
An artist who practices or works in technical drawing may be called a drafter, draftsman, or draughtsman.[1]
A drawing instrument releases small amount of material onto a surface, leaving a visible mark. The most common support for drawing is paper, although other materials, such as cardboard, plastic, leather, canvas, and board, may be used. Temporary drawings may be made on a blackboard or whiteboard or indeed almost anything. The medium has been a popular and fundamental means of public expression throughout human history. It is one of the simplest and most efficient means of communicating visual ideas.[2] The wide availability of drawing instruments makes drawing one of the most common artistic activities.
Drawing is one of the major forms of expression within the visual arts. It is generally concerned with the marking of lines and areas of tone onto paper, where the accurate representation of the visual world is expressed upon a plane surface.[3] Traditional drawings were monochrome, or at least had little colour,[4] while modern colored-pencil drawings may approach or cross a boundary between drawing and painting. In Western terminology, drawing is distinct from painting, even though similar media often are employed in both tasks. Dry media, normally associated with drawing, such as chalk, may be used in pastel paintings. Drawing may be done with a liquid medium, applied with brushes or pens. Similar supports likewise can serve both: painting generally involves the application of liquid paint onto prepared canvas or panels, but sometimes an underdrawing is drawn first on that same support.
Drawing is often exploratory, with considerable emphasis on observation, problem-solving and composition. Drawing is also regularly used in preparation for a painting, further obfuscating their distinction. Drawings created for these purposes are called studies.
There are several categories of drawing, including figure drawing, cartooning, doodling and shading. There are also many drawing methods, such as line drawing, stippling, shading, the surrealist method of entopic graphomania (in which dots are made at the sites of impurities in a blank sheet of paper, and lines are then made between the dots), and tracing (drawing on a translucent paper, such as tracing paper, around the outline of preexisting shapes that show through the paper).
A quick, unrefined drawing may be called a sketch.
In fields outside art, technical drawings or plans of buildings, machinery, circuitry and other things are often called "drawings" even when they have been transferred to another medium by printing.
Drawing as a Form of Communication Drawing is one of the oldest forms of human expression, with evidence for its existence preceding that of written communication.[5] It is believed that drawing was used as a specialised form of communication before the invent of the written language,[5][6] demonstrated by the production of cave and rock paintings created by Homo sapiens sapiens around 30,000 years ago.[7] These drawings, known as pictograms, depicted objects and abstract concepts.[8] The sketches and paintings produced in prehistoric times were eventually stylised and simplified, leading to the development of the written language as we know it today.
Drawing in the Arts Drawing is used to express one's creativity, and therefore has been prominent in the world of art. Throughout much of history, drawing was regarded as the foundation for artistic practise.[9] Initially, artists used and reused wooden tablets for the production of their drawings.[10] Following the widespread availability of paper in the 14th century, the use of drawing in the arts increased. At this point, drawing was commonly used as a tool for thought and investigation, acting as a study medium whilst artists were preparing for their final pieces of work.[11][12] In a period of artistic flourish, the Renaissance brought about drawings exhibiting realistic representational qualities,[13] where there was a lot of influence from geometry and philosophy.[14]
The invention of the first widely available form of photography led to a shift in the use of drawing in the arts.[15] Photography took over from drawing as a more superior method for accurately representing visual phenomena, and artists began to abandon traditional drawing practises.[16] Modernism in the arts encouraged "imaginative originality"[17] and artists' approach to drawing became more abstract.
Drawing Outside of the Arts Although the use of drawing is extensive in the arts, its practice is not confined purely to this field. Before the widespread availability of paper, 12th century monks in European monasteries used intricate drawings to prepare illustrated, illuminated manuscripts on vellum and parchment. Drawing has also been used extensively in the field of science, as a method of discovery, understanding and explanation. In 1616, astronomer Galileo Galilei explained the changing phases of the moon through his observational telescopic drawings.[16] Additionally, in 1924, geophysicist Alfred Wegener used illustrations to visually demonstrate the origin of the continents.[16]
Notable draftsmen[edit]
Since the 14th century, each century has produced artists who have created great drawings.
Notable draftsmen of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries include Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo and Raphael.
Notable draftsmen of the 17th century include Claude, Nicolas Poussin, Rembrandt, Guercino, and Peter Paul Rubens.
Notable draftsmen of the 18th century include Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, and Antoine Watteau.
Notable draftsmen of the 19th century include Paul Cézanne, Aubrey Beardsley, Jacques-Louis David, Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, Edgar Degas, Théodore Géricault, Francisco Goya, Jean Ingres, Odilon Redon, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Honoré Daumier, and Vincent van Gogh.
Notable draftsmen of the 20th century include Käthe Kollwitz, Max Beckmann, Jean Dubuffet, George Grosz, Egon Schiele, Arshile Gorky, Paul Klee, Oscar Kokoschka, Alphonse Mucha, M. C. Escher, André Masson, Jules Pascin, and Pablo Picasso.
The medium is the means by which ink, pigment or color are delivered onto the drawing surface. Most drawing media are either dry (e.g. graphite, charcoal, pastels, Conté, silverpoint), or use a fluid solvent or carrier (marker, pen and ink). Watercolor pencils can be used dry like ordinary pencils, then moistened with a wet brush to get various painterly effects. Very rarely, artists have drawn with (usually decoded) invisible ink. Metalpoint drawing usually employs either of two metals: silver or lead.[18] More rarely used are gold, platinum, copper, brass, bronze, and tinpoint.
Paper comes in a variety of different sizes and qualities, ranging from newspaper grade up to high quality and relatively expensive paper sold as individual sheets.[19] Papers can vary in texture, hue, acidity, and strength when wet. Smooth paper is good for rendering fine detail, but a more "toothy" paper holds the drawing material better. Thus a coarser material is useful for producing deeper contrast.
Newsprint and typing paper may be useful for practice and rough sketches. Tracing paper is used to experiment over a half-finished drawing, and to transfer a design from one sheet to another. Cartridge paper is the basic type of drawing paper sold in pads. Bristol board and even heavier acid-free boards, frequently with smooth finishes, are used for drawing fine detail and do not distort when wet media (ink, washes) are applied. Vellum is extremely smooth and suitable for very fine detail. Coldpressed watercolor paper may be favored for ink drawing due to its texture.
Acid-free, archival quality paper keeps its color and texture far longer than wood pulp based paper such as newsprint, which turns yellow and become brittle much sooner.
The basic tools are a drawing board or table, pencil sharpener and eraser, and for ink drawing, blotting paper. Other tools used are circle compass, ruler, and set square. Fixative is used to prevent pencil and crayon marks from smudging. Drafting tape is used to secure paper to drawing surface, and also to mask an area to keep it free of accidental marks sprayed or spattered materials and washes. An easel or slanted table is used to keep the drawing surface in a suitable position, which is generally more horizontal than the position used in painting.
Almost all draftsmen use their hands and fingers to apply the media, with the exception of some handicapped individuals who draw with their mouth or feet.[20]
Prior to working on an image, the artist typically explores how various media work. They may try different drawing implements on practice sheets to determine value and texture, and how to apply the implement to produce various effects.
The artist's choice of drawing strokes affects the appearance of the image. Pen and ink drawings often use hatching—groups of parallel lines.[21] Cross-hatching uses hatching in two or more different directions to create a darker tone. Broken hatching, or lines with intermittent breaks, form lighter tones—and controlling the density of the breaks achieves a gradation of tone. Stippling, uses dots to produce tone, texture or shade. Different textures can be achieved depending on the method used to build tone.[22]
Drawings in dry media often use similar techniques, though pencils and drawing sticks can achieve continuous variations in tone. Typically a drawing is filled in based on which hand the artist favors. A right-handed artist draws from left to right to avoid smearing the image. Erasers can remove unwanted lines, lighten tones, and clean up stray marks. In a sketch or outline drawing, lines drawn often follow the contour of the subject, creating depth by looking like shadows cast from a light in the artist's position.
Sometimes the artist leaves a section of the image untouched while filling in the remainder. The shape of the area to preserve can be painted with masking fluid or cut out of a frisket and applied to the drawing surface, protecting the surface from stray marks until the mask is removed.
Another method to preserve a section of the image is to apply a spray-on fixative to the surface. This holds loose material more firmly to the sheet and prevents it from smearing. However the fixative spray typically uses chemicals that can harm the respiratory system, so it should be employed in a well-ventilated area such as outdoors.
Another technique is subtractive drawing in which the drawing surface is covered with graphite or charcoal and then erased to make the image.[23]
Shading is the technique of varying the tonal values on the paper to represent the shade of the material as well as the placement of the shadows. Careful attention to reflected light, shadows and highlights can result in a very realistic rendition of the image.
Blending uses an implement to soften or spread the original drawing strokes. Blending is most easily done with a medium that does not immediately fix itself, such as graphite, chalk, or charcoal, although freshly applied ink can be smudged, wet or dry, for some effects. For shading and blending, the artist can use a blending stump, tissue, a kneaded eraser, a fingertip, or any combination of them. A piece of chamois is useful for creating smooth textures, and for removing material to lighten the tone. Continuous tone can be achieved with graphite on a smooth surface without blending, but the technique is laborious, involving small circular or oval strokes with a somewhat blunt point.
Shading techniques that also introduce texture to the drawing include hatching and stippling. A number of other methods produce texture. In addition to the choice of paper, drawing material and technique affect texture. Texture can be made to appear more realistic when it is drawn next to a contrasting texture; a coarse texture is more obvious when placed next to a smoothly blended area. A similar effect can be achieved by drawing different tones close together. A light edge next to a dark background stands out to the eye, and almost appears to float above the surface.
Form and proportion[edit]Measuring the dimensions of a subject while blocking in the drawing is an important step in producing a realistic rendition of the subject. Tools such as a compass can be used to measure the angles of different sides. These angles can be reproduced on the drawing surface and then rechecked to make sure they are accurate. Another form of measurement is to compare the relative sizes of different parts of the subject with each other. A finger placed at a point along the drawing implement can be used to compare that dimension with other parts of the image. A ruler can be used both as a straightedge and a device to compute proportions.
When attempting to draw a complicated shape such as a human figure, it is helpful at first to represent the form with a set of primitive shapes. Almost any form can be represented by some combination of the cube, sphere, cylinder, and cone. Once these basic shapes have been assembled into a likeness, then the drawing can be refined into a more accurate and polished form. The lines of the primitive shapes are removed and replaced by the final likeness. Drawing the underlying construction is a fundamental skill for representational art, and is taught in many books and schools. Its correct application resolves most uncertainties about smaller details, and makes the final image look consistent.[24]
A more refined art of figure drawing relies upon the artist possessing a deep understanding of anatomy and the human proportions. A trained artist is familiar with the skeleton structure, joint location, muscle placement, tendon movement, and how the different parts work together during movement. This allows the artist to render more natural poses that do not appear artificially stiff. The artist is also familiar with how the proportions vary depending on the age of the subject, particularly when drawing a portrait.
Perspective[edit]
Linear perspective is a method of portraying objects on a flat surface so that the dimensions shrink with distance. Each set of parallel, straight edges of any object, whether a building or a table, follows lines that eventually converge at a vanishing point. Typically this convergence point is somewhere along the horizon, as buildings are built level with the flat surface. When multiple structures are aligned with each other, such as buildings along a street, the horizontal tops and bottoms of the structures typically converge at a vanishing point.When both the fronts and sides of a building are drawn, then the parallel lines forming a side converge at a second point along the horizon (which may be off the drawing paper.) This is a two-point perspective.[25] Converging the vertical lines to a third point above or below the horizon then produces a three-point perspective.
Depth can also be portrayed by several techniques in addition to the perspective approach above. Objects of similar size should appear ever smaller the further they are from the viewer. Thus the back wheel of a cart appears slightly smaller than the front wheel. Depth can be portrayed through the use of texture. As the texture of an object gets further away it becomes more compressed and busy, taking on an entirely different character than if it was close. Depth can also be portrayed by reducing the contrast in more distant objects, and by making their colors less saturated. This reproduces the effect of atmospheric haze, and cause the eye to focus primarily on objects drawn in the foreground.
K. Balachander
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K. Balachander
K Balachander.jpg
Born9 July 1930
Nannilam,
Madras presidency,
British India
(now in Tamil Nadu, India)
Died23 December 2014 (aged 84)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
OccupationPlaywright, stage conductor, screenwriter, director, producer, actor, television director
Years active1964–2012
Spouse(s)Rajam
Awards
Kalaimamani
Padma Shri
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
ANR National Award
Kailasam Balachander (9 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who worked mainly in the Tamil film industry. He was well known for his distinct film-making style, the Indian film industry knew him as a master of unconventional themes and hard-hitting subject matters of contemporary time. His films are well known for its portrayal of women as bold personalities and central characters. Popularly referred to as Iyakkunar Sigaram ((lit.) The Director who scaled the peak),[1][2] his films are usually centred on unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. Starting his cinematic career as a screenwriter, Balachander soon graduated as a director with Neerkumizhi in 1965.
In a career that spread over 45 years, he had contributed to nearly 100 feature films either as a screenwriter or director, thus becoming one of the most prolific film-makers in the country.[3] Known among his colleagues as a tough task master,[4] he was credited with having nurtured numerous actors, notably Nagesh, Sujatha, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Jayaprada, Jayasudha, Saritha, Prakash Raj and Vivek.
As of 2013, Balachander had won nine National Film Awards and multiple Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, in 1987, and is a recipient of the ANR National Award and Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema. K. Balachander is revered as one of the best directors India has ever produced. His ideas were original and his subjects were complex ideas expressed via art.
A production house named Kavithalaya Productions which has been producing films since 1981 is Balachander's very own production house. Apart from Tamil, he had made films in other languages such as Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. He had also made a few film appearances and has directed a few TV serials as well.
Contents [hide]
1 Early life and background
2 Career
2.1 Entry into films: 1960s
2.2 1970s
2.3 Bollywood success: 1981–89
2.4 Later years
2.5 Television career
3 Personal life
4 Film artists associated with K. Balachander
5 See also
6 Notes
7 Bibliography
8 External links
Early life and background[edit]
K. Balachander was born in 1930 into a Tamil household,[5][6] at Nannilam in the then Tanjore district (now Tiruvarur district), India.[7][8] Balachander stated that, "From my eighth year I've been seeing cinema"[2] and recalls that his earliest interest towards cinema grew after watching films of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, then the Superstar of Tamil cinema.[2] At the age of twelve he was drawn to theatre and drama,[2] which eventually helped him develop an interest in acting, writing and directing amateur plays.[7][9] His obsession towards theatre continued even while doing his graduation (in Zoology) at the Annamalai University, as he regularly took part in stage plays.[2] After completing his graduation in 1949, he started his career as a school teacher in Muthupet, Tiruvarur district. In 1950, he moved to Madras (now Chennai) and joined the Accountant General's office as an apprentice clerk,[10] and during this time he joined "United Amateur Artistes", an amateur drama company.[2] Soon he formed his own troupe and it was during this time he came to prominence as an amateur playwright with Major Chandrakanth, written in English. As the scope of English was highly limited in Madras, he re-wrote the play in Tamil, which ultimately became a "sensation" among the people. Balachander's acting troupe consisted of people from film industry such as Major Sundarrajan, Nagesh, Sreekanth and Sowcar Janaki.[7] Other plays include Server Sundaram (Waiter Sundaram), Neerkumizhi (Water Bubble), Mezhuguvarthi (Candle), Naanal (Tall Grass) and Navagraham (Nine Planets).[2] All these produced and directed by him, were received well by the critics.[7]
Career[edit]
Entry into films: 1960s[edit]
Balachander while working in the Accountant General's office, was offered to write the dialogues for the film Dheiva Thaai (1965) by its lead actor M. G. Ramachandran.[2][11][12] Balachander was initially reluctant, as he was more theatre-oriented, but on the insistence of his friends he decided to work on the film.[2] By this time he was promoted as a superintendent in his office.[2] Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar acquired the rights of his play Server Sundaram, and decided to make a film based on it. The film dealt with the story of a waiting staff at a restaurant had Nagesh playing the lead.The film was directed by the renowned duo directors, Krishnan Panju.[13] It won a lot of accolades including the Certificate of Merit for the third Best Feature Film in Tamil and Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Film.[13] During this time another play written and directed by him - Major Chandrakanth was adapted into a film in Hindi as Oonche Log. The film won a National Film Award. Balachander then made his directional debut through Neerkumizhi (1965) which in turn was based on his own play.[13] The film's cast consisted of actors who were a part of Balachander's regular troupe.[13] His following efforts included Naanal, Major Chandrakanth and Ethir Neechal, all based on his own plays.[14] Major Chandrakanth was already filmed in Hindi as Oonche Log the previous year. The Tamil version Major Chandrakanth (1966 film) had Jayalalithaa essaying the lead heroine role.[13] In 1967 he made Bama Vijayam, a full-length comedy family drama film. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film was highly successful and remade in Telugu by Balachander himself. The success of both the versions prompted a Hindi remake titled Teen Bahuraniyan, produced by Gemini pictures. In 1969, Balachander made Iru Kodugal, a family drama starring Gemini Ganesan, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
1970s[edit]
During the 1970s, Balachander started making off-beat films, mainly revolving around family and social issues.[2] In 1971 he made four films.[2]
In 1973, he made Arangetram, which dealt with poverty and prostitution.[2] The film centred on the eldest daughter of a conservative Brahmin household who becomes a prostitute to settle her siblings and support her family.[2] It was ahead of its time in Tamil cinema mainly because of the controversial theme.[15][16] The film also had Kamal Haasan playing his first major role as an adult actor. The actor would go on to act in 35 films under Balachander.[17]He made his directorial debut in Hindi films with the film Aaina starring Mumtaz and Rajesh Khanna in 1974, which was remake of Arangetram.
The same year, he made Sollathaan Ninaikkiren, based on a novel by Manian. The following year he made Naan Avanillai.[18] He made the film on the insistence of Gemini Ganesan, who also produced and enacted the lead role.[19] It is based on the Marathi play To Mee Navhech, revolved around a man who deceives and marries five women performing nine roles.[19] The film met with commercial failure. However, Gemini Ganesan was adjudged the Best Tamil Actor at the following year's Filmfare Awards ceremony.[19] Following that, Balachander's made Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974),[20] his second female-centric film after Arangetram that dealt with the story of a working woman who hails from a middle-class family.[21] Inspired by the 1960 Bengali film Meghe Dhaka Tara,[22] it explored the emotions of a young woman who happens to be the sole earner for her family.[21] The film Aboorva Raagangal was an original story about an inter-generational romance involving two families. It marked the acting debut of Rajinikanth, who would go onto establish himself as a leading actor.[23] It won critical acclaim in spite of its controversial theme; it won three National Film Awards including the award for the "Best Feature Film in Tamil".
During this period he made films mostly with Kamal Haasan as the lead actor. In 1976, he made three films: Manmadha Leelai, Anthuleni Katha and Moondru Mudichu. Manmadha Leelai explores the life of a womaniser, played by Kamal Haasan, who gets himself involved in affairs with women.[24] Often considered ahead of its time, it achieved cult status and is considered a "trendsetter" in Tamil cinema.[24] Anthuleni Katha, a Telugu remake of Aval Oru Thodar Kathai had Jayaprada in her first starring role. received equal acclaim in Andhra Pradesh as in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Avargal (1977) follows the life of a divorcée as she traverses relationships in reverse, from divorce, to marriage, to falling in love. Varumayin Niram Sigappu (1980) was a drama that charts the travails and conflict of being unemployed in a bombastic and harsh city. 47 Natkal (1981) traces the adversities of a newlywed Indian woman living with an scurrilous, expatriate husband in a Parisian suburb,
Bollywood success: 1981–89[edit]
Balachander re-entered the Hindi film industry after Aaina through Ek Duuje Ke Liye in 1981. The project was a remake of his own Telugu film Maro Charitra had Kamal Haasan repeating his role as a lead actor. The film marked the Bollywood debut of various artists from South India including Kamal Haasan, Madhavi and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. Like the original, Ek Duuje Ke Liye emerged as a major box-office success and earned critical acclaim. Balachander received the Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay, apart from two other nominations – for Best Director and Best Story.[25] The song "Tere Meere Beach Mein" became so popular, eventually winning a Filmfare Award for Anand Bakshi and a National Film Award for Balasubrahmanyam. Sindhu Bhairavi (1985), about the intellectual collision and subsequent romance between a lofty Carnatic musician and his ardent critic.
Later years[edit]
His later films include Parthale Paravasam (2001) and Poi (2006).[26]
Television career[edit]
The period starting from the late 1980s till the late 1990s saw Balachander venturing into Television and making a number of Television series including Kai Alavu Manasu, Rail Sneham,[27] Ramani vs Ramani,[27] Oru Koodai Paasam,[27] Kadhal Pagadai,[28] Premi,[28] Jannal,[28] and Anni.[24] Like his earlier films, most of his serials focussed on women, and portrayed them as strong personalities.[24] In 2003, he made Sahana, that touted to be the sequel of his 1985 film Sindhu Bairavi.[24] On venturing into Television, he noted "This medium helps to reach out to the public. That's why I am into making serials".[24] In 2009, Balachander returned to theatre after a 40-year hiatus through the play Pournami, which had Renuka playing the lead role.[29]
Personal life[edit]
Balachander got married to Rajam in 1956, while he was working at the Accountant General's Office.[3] The couple has two sons named Kailasam and Prasanna, and a daughter Pushpa Kandaswamy, who is the Chief executive officer (CEO) of their production house Kavithalaya Productions.[30][31] Kailasam was an entrepreneur while Prasanna, a Chartered Accountant, is the managing director and CEO of a leading investment bank in India. Balachander's first son, Bala Kailasam, died on 15 August 2014 after contracting pneumonia. He was the head of the television production company Minbinbangal, and delivered memorable series in Tamil includes, Kaialavu Manasu, Rail Sneham, and Marma Desam.[32]
Film artists associated with K. Balachander[edit]
K. Balachander is revered as one of the best directors India has ever produced. His ideas were original and his subjects were complex ideas expressed via art. He is also known for introducing new faces to the film industry. He has introduced over 100 actors in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. Balachander had long associations with some senior artists in the South Indian film industry like Gemini Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki, Nagesh and Muthuraman. Even though he was not the one to discover them, he played a prominent role in shaping their careers. The following refers to a limited number of film personnel who were either discovered by him or enacted their first major role in a film directed by him: Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Saritha, Prakash Raj and Vivek. And his favorite actors in Telugu are N.T.Rama rao, A.N.R. and Chiranjeevi.[33]
Daily #Art - Day 05-05-19
(2019 Space Opera day
“My own name is a killing word.
Will it be a healing word as well?"
- Paul Atreides
Here's an illustrated doodle as a tribute to Space Opera I like, including Battlestar Galactica, Dune, and Alien, and their memorable one liners.
(#15,592 / #182 / #84)
.
.
.
#dailyart #illustration #pendrawing #spaceopera #maythe4thbewithyou #starwars #yoda #livelongandprosper #startrek #spock #sosayweall #bsg #battlestargalactica #adama #dune #princessirulan #alien #brett #ripley #right #hinxlinx #ericlynxlin #elynx #instaart #artofinstagram
Charles Dana Gibson (American illustrator, 1867-1944)
ca. 1893-189 pen and ink on paper
published in the artist's collection Drawings (1894)
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
Gibson, Charles Dana. The Gibson Book; a Collection of the Published Works of Charles Dana Gibson ... New York: C. Scribner’s Sons [etc.], 1906
Thai Pongal (Tamil: தை பொங்கல்) is a Tamil harvest festival.[1] Thai Pongal is celebrated over four days, usually spanning January 13th to 16th in the Gregorian calendar. This corresponds to the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai.
Thai Pongal is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamil people in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry,[2][3] and Sri Lanka. Thai Pongal corresponds to Makara Sankranthi, the winter harvest festival celebrated throughout India.
The day marks the start of the sun’s six-month long journey northwards (the Uttarayanam). This also corresponds to the Indic solstice when the sun purportedly enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac Makara or Capricorn. Thai Pongal is mainly celebrated to convey appreciation to the Sun God for providing the energy for agriculture. Part of the celebration is the boiling of the first rice of the season consecrated to the Sun - the Surya Maangalyam.[4]
History[edit]
The origins of the Thai Pongal festival may date to more than 1000 years ago. Epigraphic evidence suggests the celebration of the Puthiyeedu during the Medieval Chola empire days. Puthiyeedu is believed to represent the first harvest of the year.[5] Tamil people refer to Pongal as "Tamizhar Thirunaal," the festival of Tamizhs.[6] Thai Pongal, also referred to as Makara Sankranti, is referred to in the classic work of Hindu astrology, the Surya Siddhanta.[7]
Etymology[edit]
Thai refers to the name of the tenth month in the Tamil calendar, Thai (தை). Pongal usually means festivity or celebration;[8] more specifically Pongal is translated as "boiling over" or "overflow." Pongal is also the name of a sweetened dish of rice boiled with lentils that is ritually consumed on this day. Symbolically, pongal signifies the gradual heating of the earth as the Sun travels northward toward the equinox.
This day coincides with Makara Sankranthi which is celebrated throughout India.
NameRegion
Thai PongalTamil Nadu
Makara SankranthiAndhra Pradesh, Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,Telangana Uttar Pradesh
UttarayanaGujarat and Rajasthan
LohriHaryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab
Magh Bihu/Bhogali BihuAssam
Maghe Sankranti or Makar SankrantiNepal
Pongal Dish :
Besides rice and milk the ingredients of this sweet dish include cardamom, jaggery, raisins, Green gram (split), and cashew nuts. Cooking is done in sunlight, usually in a porch or courtyard, as the dish is dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. The cooking is done in a clay pot that is decorated with coloured patterns called kolam. Pongal has two variants, one sweet and one savoury. The dish is served on banana leaves.
Bhogi[edit]
The day preceding Pongal is called Bhogi. On this day people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. The disposal of worn-out items is similar to the traditions of Holika in North India. The people assemble at dawn in Tamil Nadu to light a bonfire in order to burn the discards. Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look. The horns of oxen and buffaloes are painted in villages.
Bhogi is also observed on the same day in Andhra Pradesh. In the ceremony called Bhogi Pallu, fruits of the harvest such as regi pallu and sugar cane are collected along with flowers of the season. Money is often placed into a mixture of treats and is poured over children. The children then separate and collect the money and sweet fruits.
This day is celebrated in Punjab as Lohri and in Assam as Magh Bihu / Bhogali Bihu.
Thai Pongal[edit]
The main event, also known as Thai Pongal, takes place on the second of the four days. This day coincides with Makara Sankranthi, a winter harvest festival celebrated throughout India. The day marks the start of the Uttarayanam, the day of the Indic solstice when the sun purportedly enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac i.e. Makara or Capricorn.
In the Tamil language the word Pongal means "overflowing," signifying abundance and prosperity.
During the festival milk is cooked in a vessel. When it starts to bubble and overflows out of the vessel, freshly harvested rice grains are added to the pot. At the same time other participants blow a conch called the sanggu and shout "Pongalo Pongal!"[9] They also recite "Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum" ("the commencement of Thai paves the way for new opportunities"). This is repeated frequently during the Pongal festival. The Pongal is then served to to everyone in the house along with savories and sweets such as vadai, murukku, paayasam.Tamilians decorate their homes with banana and mango leaves and embellish the floor with decorative patterns drawn using rice flour.[2] kolams/rangolis are drawn on doorsteps. Family elders present gifts to the young.
Newly cooked rice and savouries prepped for celebrating pongal.
The Sun stands for "Pratyaksha Brahman" - the manifest God, who symbolizes the one, non-dual, self-effulgent, glorious divinity blessing one and all tirelessly. The Sun is the one who transcends time and also the one who rotates the proverbial wheel of time.
Maattu Pongal :
Maatu Pongal is celebrated the day after Thai Pongal. Tamils regard cattle as sources of wealth for providing dairy products, fertilizer, and labor for plowing and transportation. On Maatu Pongal, cattle are recognized and afforded affection. Features of the day include games such as the Jallikkattu and taming wild bull.[citation needed]
Kanu Pidi is a tradition for women and young girls. During Kanu Pidi women feed birds and pray for their brothers' well being. As part of the "Kaka pidi, Kanu pidi" feast women and girls place a feast of colored rice, cooked vegetables, banana and sweet pongal on ginger or turmeric leaves for crows to share and enjoy. During this time women offer prayers in the hope that brother-sister ties remain forever strong as they do in a crow family.[citation needed]
On this day celebrants bathe and decorate their cattle with garlands. Cows are decorated with manjalthanni (turmeric water) and oil. Shikakai apply kungumam (kumkum) to their foreheads, paint their horns, and feed them a mixture of venn pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits. In the evening people pray to Lord Ganesh. One ritual is to light a torch of coconut leaves and carry it around cattle three times and then run to the border of the village to drop it. This is believed to remove the evil influences caused by the jealousy of other people over the cattle.[citation needed]
Kaanum Pongal[edit]
Kaanum Pongal, the fourth day of the festival, marks the end of Pongal festivities for the year. The word kaanum in this context means "to visit." Many families hold reunions on this day. Brothers pay special tribute to their married sisters by giving gifts as affirmation of their filial love. Landlords present gifts of food, clothes and money to their tenants. Villagers visit relatives and friends while in the cities people flock to beaches and theme parks with their families. Celebrants chew sugar cane and again decorate their houses with kolam. Relatives and friends receive thanks for their assistance supporting the harvest.
In Andhra Pradesh, Mukkanuma, the final day of Sankranthi festival, is celebrated by worshiping cattle. Mukkanuma is famous among non-vegetarians. People do not eat non-vegetarian dishes during the first three days of the festival, saving them for the day of Mukkanuma.
JALLIKATTU:
History:Jallikattu, which is bull-baiting or bull cuddling/holding, is a Tamil tradition called 'Yeru thazhuvuthal' in Sangam literature(meaning, to embrace bulls), popular amongst warriors during the Tamil classical period.[3][4] Bull fighting was has been common among the ancient tribes who lived in the ‘Mullai’ geographical division of Tamil Nadu[5] Later, it became a sport conducted for entertainment and was called ‘Yeruthu Kattu’ in which a fast running bull was corralled with ropes around its neck. In the Naik era, prize money was introduced and the sport became a display of bravery. The term Jallikattu was coined in this era. ‘Jalli’ referred to the silver or gold coins tied to the bulls’ horns. – R. Sundaravandhiya Thevan, Author of Piramalai Kallar Vazhvum Varalarum.[5] . According to legend, in olden days the game was used by women to choose their husbands. Successful "matadors" were chosen as grooms.
The term jallikaṭṭu comes from the term calli kācu (coins) and kaṭṭu (meaning a package) tied to the horns of the bulls as the prize money. Later days during the colonial period this evolved to jallikattu which is the term currently used. A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization[6] depicting the sport is preserved in the National Museum.
Tamil-style bull-cuddling:
Jallikattu is based on the concept of "flight or fight". All castes participate in the event. The majority of jallikattu bulls belong to the pulikulam breed of cattle. These cattle are reared in huge herds numbering in hundreds with a few cowherds tending to them. These cattle are for all practical comparisons wild, and only experienced cowherds can mingle with them safely. It is from these herds that calves with competent characteristics and body conformation are selected and reared to become jallikattu bulls. Other breeds of cattle that are suitable for jallikattu are the palingu (or naatu) maadu, the umblachery and the malai maadu.Variants[edit]
There are three variants of jallikattu:
vaṭi manju viraṭṭu - This version takes place mostly in the districts of Madurai- Palamedu, Trichy, Pudukkottai, Dindigul, Theni, Thanjavur, Salem. This version that has been popularised by television and movies involves the bull being released from an enclosure with an opening. As the bull comes out of the enclosure, one person clings to the hump of the bull. The bull in its attempt to shake him off will bolt (as in most cases), but some will hook the guy with their horns and throw him off. The rules specify that the person has to hold on to the running bull for a predetermined distance to win the prize. Only one person is supposed to attempt catching the bull, but this rule being strictly enforced depends on the village where the event is conducted and more importantly, the bull himself. Some bulls acquire a reputation and that alone is enough for them to be given an unhindered passage out of the enclosure and arena.
vēli viraṭṭu - This version is more popular in the districts of Sivagangai, and Madurai. The bull is released in an open ground. This version is the most natural as the bulls are not restricted in any way (no rope or determined path). The bulls once released just run away from the field in any direction that they prefer. Most don't even come close to any human, but there are a few bulls that do not run but stand their ground and attack anyone who tries to come near them. These bulls will "play" for some time (from a few minutes to a couple of hours) providing a spectacle for viewers, players and owners alike.
vaṭam manjuviraṭṭu - "vaṭam" means rope in Tamil. The bull is tied to a 50-foot-long rope (15 m) and is free to move within this space. A team of 7 or 9 members must attempt to subdue the bull within 30 minutes. This version is very safe for spectators as the bull is tied and the spectators are shielded by barricades.
Training of jallikaṭṭu bulls:The calves that are chosen to become jallikattu bulls are fed a nutritious diet so that they develop into strong, sturdy beasts. The bulls are made to swim for exercise. The calves, once they reach adolescence are taken to small jallikattu events to familiarize them with the atmosphere. Specific training is given to vadam manju virattu bulls to understand the restraints of the rope. apart from this, no other training is provided to jallikattu bulls. Once the bulls are released, then instinct takes over.
Controversy[edit]
Injuries and even deaths occur in jallikattu. In 2004, at least 5 people were reported dead and several hundreds injured in various villages. Two hundred have died over the past two decades.[7] Unlike in Spanish bullfighting, the bull is not killed. There are rarely any casualties suffered by the bulls. Several animal activists object to this dangerous game every year,[8] but so far these objections have been in vain. In fact jallikattu is loaded against the matadors, unlike in Spain bullfighting. For instance, the bull's horns are sharpened and the matador cannot use any weapons.
The Animal Welfare Board of India took the case to the Supreme Court, which is considering an outright ban on jallikattu because of the cruelty to animals and the threat to public safety involved. Villagers throw themselves on top of the terrified animals in an effort to "tame" them and claim the prize. This is opposed by animal advocates.
A committee was formed called "Tamizhar Veera Vilayathu Peravai" which was headed by P. Rajasekaran from Madurai. With the support of the Tamil Nadu government, he appealed against the claim of Animal Welfare Board in Supreme Court of India.
On November 27, 2010 the Supreme Court in accordance with the law enacted on the regulation of events, permitted the Tamil Nadu government to allow jallikattu for five months in a year from January 15.
A Bench composed of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice A.K. Patnaik made it clear in their order that the animals participating in the event were to be categorized as per the provisions of the Act.
The Bench also directed the District Collectors to make sure that the animals that participate in jallikattu are registered to the Animal Welfare Board and in return the Board would send its representative to monitor over the event.
The Act states that no jallikattu would be permitted or will be carried out without the permission of the collector and such permission should be obtained one month in prior to the event and the location should also be informed to the board before hand.
Considering the report submitted to the board, which stated the statistics of 12 deaths and 1,614 injuries at the event, the Bench directed the collectors to segregate the events into smaller and larger ones and also added that large amount should be deposited when the events were set large. The Bench considers the board’s suggestion for framing the rules.
The State also responded stating that jallikattu is an ancient, religious and sentimental cultural game that had been conducted for more than 400 years in rural areas during Pongal in January and also for few church festivals from January to December. However, as per the law directs, the event was restricted to five months between January and May.
The State added that at present two lakhs be deposited by the organizers for the benefit of the victims which also includes the victim’s family, in case of an accident or injury during the event.
The government said that a team of veterinarians would be present at the venue for testing and certifying the bulls for participation in the event to provide treatment for bulls that get injured.After the State Government enacted the 'Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Act', the stringent pre-conditions especially the huge caution deposit of Rs. 2 Lakh for small venues and Rs. 5 Lakh for big venues has caused a huge drop in the number of venues where Jallikattu is being held. Over 3000 Jallikattus were believed to have been held a decade earlier. This has now dwindled to just about 25 to 30 villages. The new rules have also meant that there are negligible reports of animal abuse and also very few cases of injuries to Jallikattu Participants (Bull tamers), spectators and bulls.
Ban by Supreme Court[edit]
The Supreme Court on 7 May 2014 banned Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu bull fights.[9][10] A bench of Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose also asked the center to amend the law on preventing cruelty to animals to bring bulls within its ambit.
The court also struck down a 2011 Tamil Nadu law regulating the conduct of Jallikattu. The law provided for conducting Jallikattu from January to May in various places in Tamil Nadu to ensure the protection of not only the participants but also of the spectators.
The ban order came as the apex court allowed an appeal by the Animal Welfare Board of India challenging a Madras high court verdict.
Artistic depictions[edit]
The event has fascinated movie makers for decades. Several movies featuring Jallikattu have been made in Tamil. The most popular among them is Murattu Kalai playing the role of a professional and the most successful bull tamer of the village. Virumaandi, released in 2004, had Kamal HaasSan playing the lead role, and offered the most realistic depiction. He is also known to have acted without stunt doubles.
Another single painting discovered in a cave at Kalluthu Mettupatti, about 35 km west of Madurai, between Madurai and Dindigul, shows a lone man trying to control a bull. Art historian K.T. Gandhirajan estimated that this painting, done in white kaolin, was about 1,500 years old.[11]
Cooking pongal is a traditional practice at Hindu temples during any part of the Temple Festival in Tamil Nadu.
Charles Dana Gibson (American illustrator, 1867-1944)
ca. 1895-1896 pen and ink on paper
published in the artist's collection Pictures of People (1896)
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
Gibson, Charles Dana. The Gibson Book; a Collection of the Published Works of Charles Dana Gibson ... New York: C. Scribner’s Sons [etc.], 1906
Daily #Art - Day 04-10-19
(2019) A Bot in a Bar
This is a pen drawing remake of my bizarre insectoid robot drawing from my childhood (flic.kr/p/23aZAMj 1990), mixed with the bar tender and her customer from Édouard Manet's "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère" (1882).
Since today is the day we got the first ever image of a black hole, why not shamelessly mixed it in to the artwork?
(#15,567 / #157 / #58)
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#dailyart #illustration #pendrawing #portraitart #surrealart #insectoid #robot #manet #Édouardmanet #abaratthefoliesbergère #bar #foliesbergère #blackhole #hinxlinx #ericlynxlin #elynx #instaart #artofinstagram
(1997) Here'a an old interior bar illustration I did back in 1997, based on a magazine photograph, and drew the characters in a chibi big head style.
I don't normally draw or paint scene, so this was a rare but useful illustration exercise at the time.
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#scene #interior #bar #stairs #bartender #chibi #shirley #gold
#illustration #pendrawing #hinxlinx #ericlynxlin #elynx
#markerdrawing
Daily #Art - Day 05-02-19
(2019) Study for the Head of Leia
Here's an illustration of Star Wars' princess Leia in her iconic hairdo, in a drawing exercise based on Leonardo da Vinci's "Study for the Head of Leda" (1505).
(#15,589 / #179 / #81)
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#dailyart #illustration #pendrawing #portraitart #femaleportrait #characterart #princessleia #princess #leia #carriefisher #carrie #fisher #starwars #deathstar #heroine #leonardodavinci #davinci #headofleda #leda #hinxlinx #ericlynxlin #elynx #instaart #artofinstagram
Charles Dana Gibson (American illustrator, 1867-1944)
1895 pen and ink on paper
illustration for Life Publishing Co.; published in the artist's collection Pictures of People (1896)
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
Gibson, Charles Dana. The Gibson Book; a Collection of the Published Works of Charles Dana Gibson ... New York: C. Scribner’s Sons [etc.], 1906
Charles Dana Gibson (American illustrator, 1867-1944)
ca. 1895-1896 pen and ink on paper
published in the artist's collection Pictures of People (1896)
See MCAD Library's catalog record for this book.
Gibson, Charles Dana. The Gibson Book; a Collection of the Published Works of Charles Dana Gibson ... New York: C. Scribner’s Sons [etc.], 1906
POIKKAL KUTHIRAI - FAMOUS TAMIL FOLK ART FARM
Folk arts typically closely represent the culture and heritage of a region. In Tamil Nadu, the dance form of Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam is one such art. Also called Puravai Aatam, this is one of the oldest dance forms of the state that has been the birthplace for various innovative arts.As a community art, this dance is popular in villages across Tamil Nadu and has blended with the day-to-day life of the people. Unlike Karagattam and Kavadi Aatam, both religious dances, Poikkal Kuthirai is mostly performed as an entertainment during festivals. It may also be performed as part of religious celebrations; for instance, in honor of Ayyanar, the Hindu idol that is worshipped to protect the village.
Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam is performed bearing a lightweight dummy horse around the dancer’s waist. This dance may be called Puravi Naatiyam (Horse Dance), Poi Kuthirai (False Horse) and Marakkaladal (Wooden Leg Dancing). It is also popular in states other than Tamil Nadu. The dance is known as Saithikoda in Orissa, Theelu Gurram in Andhra Pradesh, Kachikoti in Rajasthan and Kuthikali in Kerala.
HISTORY
It is said that Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam was introduced to Tamil Nadu by the Maratha kings. There are also references to this art form in early Tamil epics. The dance is one of the 11 dances performed by Madhavi, a character in Silappadikaram. This work was written in the 2nd century and is one of the ancient epics of the Tamil language. References to Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam can also be found in the epic Tholkaapiam. In one section, the heroine’s parents ban the marriage between their daughter and her lover. The hero dons a horse-like structure made up of maple leaves and starts protesting in the streets to marry the girl. Mentions in these epics indicate that this art form originated many centuries ago.
There is a legend that Goddess Durga used to perform this dance. To take revenge, her enemies disguised themselves as poisonous snakes and scorpions, and planned to bite her while dancing. Durga was aware of their plan and for self-protection she tied wood around her legs and danced. As a result of heavy dance steps made by her, her enemies died. This gave the dance the name of Marakkaladal, or Wooden Leg Dancing. Later, the dance was renamed Poikkal Kuthirai.
AESTHETICS
The dummy horse is typically made up of jute, cardboard, paper and glass. It contains a hole into which the dancer can fit. The legs of the horse are, of course, the legs of the dancers, but it looks as if the dancer is sitting on a horse. The dancers also don wooden legs that sound like the horse’s hooves. The dummy horse is adorned with colorful skirts that swing around with the movements of the dancers.
This dance requires extensive training and skill as the wooden legs constrict one’s movement and are also heavy. In some places, such as Madurai, there is a practice of performing the dance without wooden legs and they dance barefoot, wearing only anklets.
This dance is typically performed in oorvalam, meaning procession, which covers all the areas surrounding the temple during festivals. Dancers often portray kings and queens and sport swords. Sometimes, the dance is performed by groups of eight or ten dancers standing in circles or lines.
Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam is performed to the accompaniment of Naiyandi Melam. A Naiyandi Melam musical ensemble typically includes two nathaswarams (wind-pipes), one sudhipetti, and one thaalam, and several drums played with drum sticks such as thavils, pambai, kidumutti or sinukuchatti. This is the style followed in Kongunadu region of Tamil Nadu. In southern parts of the state, an urumi—a drum with two conical heads—is also used along with the other instruments.
STALWARTS
Mr. Ramakrishnan, who lived in Thiruvayaru (near Tanjavur), was the first person to practice Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam.
POPULARITY
Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam is famous all over Tamil Nadu and most parts of India.
M.G. Ramachandran (former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) was a great fan of various forms of dances. Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam was one of his favorites.
Sculptures of Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam can be seen in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, near Loyola School, Valluvar Kottam, Cathedral Road and Tirumalai Road.
Poikkal Kuthirai Aatam was made popular in the state of Tamil Nadu, and particularly in Chennai, by the Chennai Sangamam festival a few years ago.
INSTITUTIONS
Some institutes that provide training in folk dance forms are
● Alapadma Dance Yoga
● Academy of Arts of India, Chennai
● Academy of Modern Dance, Chennai
● Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar
● Koothambalam, Chennai
● PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore.