VM Gallery - 14th Emerging Talent Exhibition 2016

Thursday, June 30, 2016 Heba Moeen 1 Comments



It has become an artistic ritual for me to go to Rangoonwala Comunity Center every week in search of art since it makes me feel complete and serves a way to discover myself each step at a time. It's a great place for anyone who wants to polish up their artistic skills and the owners are doing a marvellous job by serving the society well, considering the courses are so cost effective. Well, I attend art classes there under the supervision of Mr. Hanif Shahzad who himself is a renowned artist and gems like him are rare who prefer making art accessible in terms of education without any commercial gain or any self serving motive.

The V. M Art Gallery there recently hosted the 14th Emerging Talent Exhibition 2016 and gave the highly talented emerging artists a chance to showcase their awe inspiring work. Words can't do justice to these exceptional minds that are reaching new heights already.

Below are the pictures of some of the finest works of art Pakistan has:


Wipe (Oil on Canvas) by Mansoor - Arts Council Institute of Art & Craft

Age Imprints (Acrylic on Canvas) by Murk Malik - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Age Imprints (Acrylic on Canvas) by Murk Malik - CEAD (Jamshoro)
Sindh Identity (Multi Technique) by Aisha Khan - CEAD (Jamshoro)


Monologue of Cow stuck in Traffic Jam (Mixed Media on Board) by Noreen Ali - Indus Valley School

The painting below depicts and exceptional idea, making use of a bar code used as window blinds. I wonder how artists think in such a unique manner. This one should definitely get his brain cells insured.


Humans for Sale (Oil on Canvas) by Anas Abro - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Oil on Canvas painting by Javed Iqbal Mughal - University of Punjab



Sculpture (Plaster of Paris) by Rukhsana - University of Karachi

Haunting Memories (Etching and Dry Point) by Areeba Khan - NCA (Rawalpindi)

Partition Drawing (Etching) by Rebail Khanzada - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Partition Drawing (Etching) by Rebail Khanzada - CEAD (Jamshoro)
For the following piece of art, the artists has collected layers of net and printed various gestures of these sportsmen and later merged these layers to depict motion in a phenomenal style. Here I missed out on the name behind this work. Sorry, artist.















Just look at how realistic this artist has made the glare and the droplets on glass. It's a superb painting indeed. Also following this is another painting made along the same theme.


Sun Glass (Oil on Canvas) by Hafsa Sheikh - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Behind the Glass (Oil on Canvas) by Hafsa Sheikh - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Watercolour and Carbon Transfer on Paper by Fatima Naeem - Indus Valley School

Cat (Mixed Media on Board) by Noreen Ali - Indus Valley School

Tribute to Pakistan Army (Oil Painting) by Ana Ifikhar - Karachi School of Art

Now who could have thought that staple pins could be used for an amazing portrait such as the one below? These Jamshoro artists are out of this world! 

Art work (Staples) by Hallar Abro - CEAD (Jamshoro)

Intent (Oil on Canvas) by Jawaid Iqbal Mughal - University of Punjab



This painting is the most thought provoking painting which is also probably the reason it won the first prize. It simply shows the intellect level of the artist. It's simply a WOW thing!
Painting (Oil on Canvas) by Mohsin Sheikh - NCA (Lahore)




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Safar Badnamah (S03, E04): "Crazy Traffic, Fanta, and Pantene Tales"

Friday, June 10, 2016 Heba Moeen 2 Comments


Thank God, Ramzan has started, not only does this Holy month bring about blessings but it also gives us a break from the crazy (pre-Ramzan) shopping and chaos on roads, talking of which, last Tuesday was a massive disaster on roads, thanks to the nonsensical water tanker strike. It's sad knowing that water being scarce is still capitalised by this mafia. An article in the Express Tribune has speculated that Pakistan would run dry by 2025. And thanks to the Eucalyptus trees planted all over the city, this might happen soon, given such trees not at all suited for our environment and them making the ground dry the effects of which would for a decade even after these are uprooted.

When some negativity seems to prevail, it's good to be pleasantly surprised with a present. So look what Coca-Cola sent us! The new Fanta flavours along with the coll summer sunglasses. My nephew was really excited about these and posed with an attitude.

Humza with Fanta
My personal favourite was Fanta Apple, I liked the tangy flavour that sparks the sense of taste the moment you take a sip. So it's a mist try, although Fanta Grape I believe would cater to a niche, however, all flavours are good, it's all a matter of personal preference.


The cool summer Fanta Give-away
After far as last week's musing go, there was a lot happening around. For instance, the Pantene Masterclass Event in which Nina Lotia and Ayesha Omer explained how the newly launched formula can do wonders to one's hair. It consists of Pro-V and Histidine meant for hair nourishment. According to the brand's claim, the new Pantene shampoo and conditioner penetrate deep inside the hair shaft, up to the cellular level, cleansing all the damaging impurities. Specially developed to address the needs to working women and those on the go, both shampoo and conditioner are said to eradicate the damage of up to 100 blow drys and stand upto 450 degrees Fahrenheit degree heat. Well this is definitely in my to-get list when I go for grocery shopping.
It was good to see Ayesha Omer, the Bulbulay star in reality, this full of life sitcoms is definitely worth watching as it gives a break from one's daily routine while the light humour wards off all the days worries.



Ayesha Sana with Nina Lotia
In order to demonstrate the blow dry and post shampoo effect, the highly experienced salon girls blow dried Amnah Ayaz Khan's (who also happens to be a blogger) hair leaving it in immaculate bouncy curls. She had used Pantene products prior to this.
Amnah Ayaz Khan in her flawless hairstyle
Beautiful Flowers at the Venue: Sky Banquet, Ocean Mall

Now say hello to my new friend, the Cactus plant that I got on my way back from Lalazay Nursey, Clifton. 


This one cost me Rs. 450 and according to the claims of the nursery owner, it was from Holland. For some odd reason, ever since I got it, I have a strong feeling that I am going to make someone sit on it!
This thorny plant also seems to be a good defense tool for public places, especially public buses. But on a serious note, it's a great friend and a good colleague for your office desk. According to Green Moxie, cacti plants capture any negative energy that comes from the computer screen. And they are not very demanding plants either and do not require much watering, this one especially would need to be watered just once a week and that's it. However, cacti plants do require good light for approximately 8 hours a day, Aloe Vera for instance also needs light but should never be kept under direct sunlight as it would damage it, rendering it brown, affecting its turgidity. 

Till the next episode, it's goodbye from me! Good day! :)

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The making of the Coca-Cola Can - Pen Drawing

Friday, June 10, 2016 Heba Moeen 31 Comments


Last Sunday, I tried killing the artist block that had invaded my very existence, I can't live a week without art and here I was not being able to produce anything worthwhile. 

So I decided to pick a reference the soft copy of which I took from my colleague a few months ago and had been procrastinating its art production. Procrastination for art doesn't actually happen with me, things have to happen right there and then in my 'Me Time' which could be after work or during the weekend. Honestly, I was afraid I won't be able to pull it off well.

So here is the reference that I decided to draw. This wonderful picture was snapped by his wife, Samra who runs a photography studio by the name, Manjoo Studio Photography


So here I began (apologies for the blurred image, I didn't realise it got blurred until I was entirely done with the drawing). Personally I really feel inspired by Marcello Barenghi however, my work isn't even close to the wonders of art he produces but practice makes the woman perfect. :)


As you can see above, the typography part was the most difficult and still to this day is an immaculate creation of penmanship. This was designed by Dr. John Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson in 1885. Well if you do not know who Dr. John Pemberton was then please observe a moment's silence the next time you consume Coca-Cola, this gentleman was the creator of this very soft drink we enjoy.

Moving on ... this is where I reached with the pen drawing and continued going towards the final stage:

Picture taken with Samsung Note 2

This is where I played with warm and cool colours. Where ever a dark shade was required as well as a three dimensional effect, I added in warm colours, for example green and some blue as well which happens to be a cool colour. I also used white gel pen for the white part and added some cross hatching of cerulean blue (Staedtler 0.3 mm pointer). Below is the colour wheel that differentiates between warm and cool colours.


So altogether, the materials that I used were:

1. Dollar Pointers (Pakistani origin: these are very cost effective and seem to come with an over substantiated amount of ink but the colours are limited. It's perfect for beginners),
2. Signature Pointers (Pakistani origin: these are very cost effective too and come in a variety of colours some of which even Dollar doesn't have),
3. Staedtler Pointers (German brand: The range of colours is phenomenal and fall in the higher price range),
4. Pentel Markers (I mostly used red because the red surface area was greater compared to the rest of the colours and it saved some time),
5. Silver Uniball Signo Pointer (Japanese brand),
6. Sakura Gelly Roll Classic Gel Pen - White  (Japanese brand: I haven't found the white ones in local art shops though some of their coloured pens are available. My brother had sent the white ones to me from Dubai and the brand is just wonderful).

And voila! Here is the completed art piece! Do share your feedback. :)  


Coca-Cola Pen Drawing - Picture snapped with my Samsung Note 5




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