Philosophy Series Sketch No. 05: Arthur Schopenhauer

This work is done in HB and pencil on A5 paper.

This is the final sketch of my Philosophy Series. He is my favorite philosopher and one of the very few western thinkers who understood and weaved Eastern philosophy into his works. He was an exponent of Vedas and Upanishads. Also, I think his aphorisms are really good. He was a pure vegetarian and an animal lover. The name of pet poodle was ‘Atma’ a Sanskrit word for ‘Soul’.

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 –1860) was a German philosopher. He is best known for his 1818 work The World as Will and Representation, wherein he characterizes the phenomenal world as the product of a blind and insatiable metaphysical will. Building on the transcendental idealism of Immanuel Kant, Schopenhauer developed an atheistic metaphysical and ethical system that rejected the contemporaneous ideas of German idealism.

His work has been described as an exemplary manifestation of philosophical pessimism. Though his work failed to garner substantial attention during his lifetime, Schopenhauer has had a posthumous impact across various disciplines, including philosophy, literature, and science. His writing on aesthetics, morality, and psychology have influenced many thinkers and artists. Schopenhauer saw his philosophy as a continuation of that of Kant, and used the results of his epistemological investigations, that is, transcendental idealism, as starting point for his own. As a consequence of his monistic philosophy, Schopenhauer was very concerned about the welfare of animals. For him, all individual animals, including humans, are essentially the same, being phenomenal manifestations of the one underlying Will. The word "will" designated, for him, force, power, impulse, energy, and desire; it is the closest word we have that can signify both the real essence of all external things and also our own direct, inner experience. For this reason, he claimed that a good person would have sympathy for animals, who are our fellow sufferers.

Schopenhauer died peacefully on September 21, 1860, in his apartment in Frankfurt at Schöne Aussicht 16. He was 72.

Philosophy Series Sketch No. 04 : Baruch Spinoza

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Sephardi origin. One of the early thinkers of the Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism including modern conceptions of the self and the universe. He came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy. He was born a Jew but at 23, was expelled from his community and shunned by his family for his philosophy and revolutionary ideas. He was a trained lens maker and polisher and earned his income from this craft.Spinoza's magnum opus, 'The Ethics' was published posthumously in the year of his death. The work opposed Descartes' philosophy of mind–body dualism, and earned Spinoza recognition as one of Western philosophy's most important thinkers. Spinoza argues that the way to 'blessedness' or 'salvation' for each person involves an expansion of the mind towards an intuitive understanding of God, of the whole of nature and its laws. In other words, philosophy for Spinoza is like a spiritual practice, whose goal is happiness and liberation.

Self-Portrait

Nietzsche

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and scholar of Latin and Greek whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history.

In the Western philosophy tradition, Nietzsche's writings have been described as the unique case of free revolutionary thought, that is,revolutionary in its structure and problems, although not tied to any revolutionary project.

This work is done in HB, 3B and 10B pencils on 75 gsm A4 paper.

Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was an eminent British philosopher and is considered one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century. He was both a brilliant mathematician, a logician and a moralist. He popularized the philosophy and was a left-wing supporter. Russell was also a prolific writer. Medium- HB and 3B pencils

A Pastel Portrait

This is a soft pastel portrait of my friend.

This work is done in Derwent pastel Pencils on toned Brustro A5 pastel Matt paper.

Haruki Murakami

. 

Haruki Murakami is a famous writer from Japan

This work is done in Derwent soft pastel pencils on a Brustro toned A5 paper.

Jennifer Lopez

My favorite Jlo. I love her personality and fitness. she is so inspiring! 

Jennifer Lynn Lope (July 24, 1969) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and producer of Peurto Rican heritage. (Wiki)

Medium- Polys and Caran D' Ache Luminance color pencils on Strathmore 400 series Color pencil paper.

The Godfather

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." 

- Don Vito Corleone (The Godfather, 1972)

Medium- FC Pitt Pens and black marker pen on A4 paper

'Still I Rise'- A Portrait of Maya Angelou

Tried Derwent Pastel Pencils today. Pastel pencils are far more easier than bar pastels for these provide much control and neatness. The paper used is Brustro 160 gsm A5 pastel paper. This paper is not smooth but is slightly dotted in texture which I think, is not very appealing.

This is a pastel portrait of Maya Angelou, the great American writer. Her poem 'Still I Rise' is one of my favorites!

Dr. Shashi Tharoor

Dr. Shashi Tharoor (born 9 March 1956) is an Indian politician and a former diplomat who is currently serving as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala since 2009. 

He was born in London to a Malayali family from Palakkad, Kerala. His paternal uncle was the founder of Readers Digest in India. 

Read more@ Wikipedia

Medium- FC Polychromos color pencils and white gel pen

Portrait

I am excited to share a recent commissioned work I did. 

This is a portrait of Dr. Reddy, a distinguished Indian academician. 

Below is the ref. photograph I was given for the portrait. 

*

For commissions, please contact me through my blog or 

my website ankitasharma.co.in

P!nk

P!nk is one of my fav singers! Her songs have a deep meaning; be it ‘Fuc***g Perfect’, ‘So What’ or, ‘Stupid Girls’, every song is awesome!

Alecia Beth Moore (Sep 8, 1979) known as P!nk, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was signed to her first record label with original R&B girl group Choice in 1995. Recognized for her strong signature vocals and acrobatic performances, she has sold over 47 million albums worldwide. She has been credited for breaking boundaries and pushing the envelope throughout her career and regarded as the "most trailblazing artist" of her pop generation. Pink is an animal-rights activist and a prominent campaigner for PETA, contributing her voice toward causes such as the protest against KFC. 

Read more@ Wiki

Hey Baby!

FC Polychromos on 130 gsm paper

Captain Von Trapp

Actor Christopher Plummer as the charismatic Captain Von Trapp of ‘The Sound of Music’

This 1965 musical drama is one of my most fav movies and was inspired by a real family of Captain Baron von Trapp, an Austro-Hungarian Navy officer.

Christopher Plummer (born December 13, 1929) is a Canadian actor and is the oldest person ever to win an Academy Award for acting.

Color Pencil on 130 gsm artist paper.

Sir Salman Rushdie

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (born 19 June 1947) is a British Indian novelist and essayist. His second novel, ‘Midnight's Children’ won the Booker Prize in 1981. Rushdie was born in Bombay, into a Kashmiri Muslim family. His books have been translated in more than 40 languages. 

(Info- Wiki)

FC Polychromos on 130 gsm artist paper.

Michael Schumacher

Wishing Michael Schumacher a speedy recovery

Michael Schumacher (born 3 January 1969) is a retired German racing driver who raced in Formula One for Benetton and Ferrari. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers and regarded by some as the greatest of all time. In December 2013, Schumacher suffered a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident. He was placed in a medically induced coma for six months until 16 June 2014. Then in September 2014, he was relocated to his home where he continues to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation privately. (Info- Wiki)

This sketch is my first work with ‘Faber Castell Polychromos’, I used ‘Staedtler Luna’ before that. The shades in Polychromos are different than those in Luna. I took me some time to pick ones suitable for skin tones. However, as these are oil based, these blend easily and do not pose the issue of ‘wax bloom’. 

R D Burman

Rahul Dev Burman (27 June 1939 – 4 January 1994) 

He was an Indian film score composer, who is considered one of the seminal music directors of the Indian film industry. Nicknamed Pancham, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman. 

Read more @ Wikipedia

Medium- Color Pencil

Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene

Thomas Hardy’s ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’ is one of my favorite fiction works. The protagonist, Miss Bathsheba Everdene is a proud and independent woman who comes across as inspiring as well. This is also an important feminist character in English literature. 

This portrait is of British actress Carey Mulligan who played Bathsheba’s character in the movie based on this novel (by the same name). 

Medium- Color Pencil 

Portrait of a Friend

Medium- Pencil Colours