Fading Gracefully: A Tribute to Tatas & Nagas

 Fading Gracefully: A Tribute to Tatas & Nagas

Acrylic painting linking Tata’s Air India Boeing 747 with Nagaland’s Head Hunters, blending iconic history and tribal culture producing creative art.

Welcome to my debut blog post, the kickoff of an exciting series that will delve into my artistic journey. Join me as I guide you through the entire creative process – from the birth of an idea to the motivations driving my work. I'll candidly share my thoughts and decision-making at every step, making it a valuable resource for fellow artists seeking insights and inspiration for their own painting ventures. This series promises to be a creative tonic for art enthusiasts, so if you find it inspiring, your appreciation is greatly welcomed!

"Fading Away Gracefully" is my latest original acrylic painting that captures two iconic elements of Indian heritage - the fierce Naga head hunters and the vintage Air India Jambo aircraft. This unique composition explores themes of cultural transition and the passage of time through bold colors and symbolic imagery.

Embracing the Blank Canvas: A Journey of Artistic Inspiration

For novice artists, a blank canvas can be a daunting sight, but as one gains experience, it becomes an exhilarating opportunity. The first step is to carefully choose a subject and outline the broad strokes before the brush ever touches the canvas.

The Birth of an Idea: Unveiling the Creative Process

During one of my travels by air from New Delhi to Dimapur , I found myself engrossed in a newspaper, captivated by a stunning black-and-white photograph of a colossal airplane. The headline read, "After 51 years, Maharaja 'retires' his 'queens of the sky': Air India's iconic Boeing 747s may have finally reached the end of an era."

Air India's Jambo Aircraft: Aviation History

Hey folks, here are some facts on Air India's iconic Boeing 747s:

- Tata Group took over Air India.

- They decided not to refurbish the aging Boeing 747s because it's pricey and these giants guzzle fuel.

- The aviation honchos recently said goodbye to the last four 747s. They've been chilling in Mumbai & haven't flown since Feb 2020.

- Fun fact: Two of them used to chauffeur VIPs, including PMs and Presidents. When they weren't on VIP duty, they took regular folks on international jaunts.

- Air India's four Boeing 747s, named Agra, Ajanta, Khajuraho, and Velha Goa, played epic roles, like evacuating students from Wuhan during the COVID-19 chaos and rocking Operation Desert Storm in '90.

- In the world of aviation, 747s are giants with up to 600 seats. Compare that to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which seats 330 passangers.

- Back in '71, when Air India got its first 747s, they celebrated with a fancy theme - "Your Palace in the Sky."  The aircrafts featured a fresh exterior look characterized by silver and white hues with striking red accents. It even had a rad 'jharokha window' look that reminded people of the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur.

Cool, right? ️

And there you have it—some aviation nostalgia for your soul!    

But for me, it turned into food for thought, feeding my artistic curiosity.

The Genesis of an Artwork: From Air India's Jumbo to Nagas

The article about Air India's majestic Boeing 747 and the accompanying photograph ignited my imagination. The moment I arrived home, I felt an irresistible urge to paint. I began by capturing the graceful form of the aircraft, reflecting on its dignified retirement. Most importantly there was an immediate emotional & personal connection because of me being a devoted fan of the Tata’s. I couldn't help but draw parallels between this iconic plane's graceful exit from the Tata legacy with something equally legendary.

I painted the majestic aircraft in silver as we are generally used to seeing them and thought that I’ll put the red colour of Air India subsequently or maybe it’ logo “Maharaja” at the end.

But then I thought that the painting has to be a masterpiece in order to pay a proper tribute. I can make this painting look beautiful by making tarmac and bright blue sky but no, that’s not what I wanted! I decided to sleep over it and wait for an idea to come knocking.

Generally, when I paint I keep thinking about the painting. There is nothing else in mind but the art work in progress: the subject, the composition, the perspective, the size and placement of the subjects on the canvas, the relation between different objects, the colour combination, the dark & light areas, the focus area and the likes. These things also keep coming in my dreams and frankly many times I find solutions in my dream. It is an exhilarating experience; one is in different world, oblivious to what is happening around. Being in your own world is like meditation. I’m sure other artists also feel the same.

The Naga Head Hunters: Cultural Context

So, as I contemplated what else might be slowly fading away, I turned my thoughts towards something of local significance during my time in Nagaland. It was then that the idea crystallized; I would pay tribute to the legendary "headhunters" of Nagaland. These ancient warriors, all of them now aged 90 or above, possess a unique depth in their eyes—a blend of pride and emptiness that speaks volumes.

As I gazed at the blank canvas, I started to meticulously execute my now planned composition and began painting. With each stroke, I carefully moved ahead keeping in mind to blend the essence of both subjects into the artwork at each step.

 

Color Scheme and Symbolism

So here I chose an old Naga Head Hunter with a skull in his hand raised above his head and his gaze fixed on it. Next was the placement, the bottom & the right side of the canvas was covered by the canvas and I did not want the 747 to be disturbed. So, I decided on placing it in the centre of the canvas, on top of the airplane, where there was maximum space available at this stage.

So accordingly I made a rough sketch but then it seemed to be too big and overshadowed the 747 so I reduced the dimensions, as visible in the photo. Then I decided on the colours which are actually the toned skin and also the dress what the various tribes in Nagaland wear. I decided the two important components of this particular figure, the skull and the way the headhunter was looking at the skull; both should look impressive.  

Step-by-Step Creation Process

After this I proceeded to make the tarmac, the same moment as the plane is landing and some far off landscape & mountains to give a depth to my work and also side by side keeping in mind that it was important for the “Jumbo 747” to look massive like its name. Keeping in mind the subject I decided that Red background would complement the headhunter and also give brightness to my painting. But then I thought that an airplane has a deep connection to the sky so I need to somehow make this connect. Moreover, the background had to relate with both my main subjects. Here you can clearly see the initial sky at the left centre of the canvas all along the massive wing of the airplane and understand what I’m trying to explain. The head hunter seems to be emerging out of the clouds but notice; gradually and not abruptly. Great, all seems good so far.

Final Painting Photo

So, now you can see that the progressing of an artwork is a complete process in itself like a growing up process of a child which is a multidimensional, multifaceted and all-round activity happening simultaneously. Here also it is not a single brush stroke for making any subject giving it the intended effect the only focus but side by side the mind is running to anticipate its relation to others in terms of perspective, size, colour, tone, theme keeping in mind the overall objective. There are so many angles to it that it is difficult to explain which all are working at any given point of time and at which intensity. It is only possible to record them if it was possible to attach a hard disc to the mind to make a backup of every millisecond. But anyways, I’ll do my best to explain and take you through the journey.

After the changes I realized the 747 is now looking out of place, remember this was the first thing I had made in the painting. This shows that what you had initially thought and even decided the main subject of the painting may also require changes keeping in view the overall art piece or what is the final intended result. So I decided to make it darker.

Artist's Reflection

When you paint from your heart then there should be no ifs & buts. Like “I could have painted better IF I had spent more time”.

There should be no excuse of proper things, if you have to paint just do it.

Being here for in this station for a short term I do not have an easel also. Improvise anything you feel like. See in the photo graph, I have just put the canvas on a white board and placed on a chair. A table is used for keeping the Paints and the plastic mug for water, that’s all.

Also, I have to reiterate it again and again that there is no shortcut to hard work.

Visit my inspiration page by going to the tab or clicking here to see the hard work put in throughout my life

                                                        or

Click to see my progress over the years..  

Now, after seeing the overall effect I considered on what needs improvement and also steps to be taken to integrate the overall painting.

I noticed that the airplane has to further blend with the background. The dark brown background on the extreme right, then the pure red, the orange and yellow in the centre, the blue of the sky on the right and the dark at the bottom of the canvas depicting the foreground while graying as it moves towards the rear has to all blend gracefully into each other giving an overall integrated effect.

I also realized that the bottom of the 747 has the landing gear covering the right side but the left side is looking blank, something needs to be done.

To add an extra layer of intrigue, I introduced a Naga Shikari (hunter) poised with a spear, as though preparing to confront a wild beast. Once I made the Naga with the spear it became clear that some wild animal has to be shown maybe slightly.

My attention then again shifted to crafting the backdrop and foreground.

And there it was, my painting came to life a sincere homage titled- “Fading Gracefully: A Tribute to Tatas & Nagas."

 

How’z that! 

In conclusion, the artistic journey is a continuous exploration of creativity, self-discovery, and growth. It's a path where ideas take shape, emotions find expression, and where the artist's unique perspective is shared with the world. Remember, every stroke, every color, and every piece of art has a story to tell. As artists, we embark on a lifelong adventure, constantly pushing boundaries and evolving our craft. So, keep creating, keep sharing, and never stop embracing the beauty of your creative voyage. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey with me.

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