Paint and create this "Every artist is an alchemist" with Vipra Karkare, an amazing artist. Bring this mesmerizing artwork to life through innovative contemporary painting techniques 

Every artist is an alchemist, working patiently with the raw elements of existence, transforming the weight of lived experience into moments of clarity, beauty, and resonance. Like the alchemists of old, the artist seeks no shortcuts. The process demands time, repetition, failure, and faith. What emerges is not merely an object, but a transformation—of material, of perception, and often of the artist themselves.

In Life of an Artist, this series explores creation as an act rooted in the everyday. The street, the studio, the passing hour, and the unnoticed gesture become sites of quiet transmutation. The artist stands within the world, absorbing its textures—weathered walls, tired hands, worn instruments, fleeting glances—and reworks them through intuition and discipline. What was once ordinary is rendered meaningful; what was once transient is given presence.

Alchemy was never only about turning lead into gold. It was a spiritual practice—an inward journey toward refinement. In the same way, artistic practice refines perception. Through observation, persistence, and vulnerability, the artist distills emotion into form, silence into rhythm, and chaos into coherence. Each brushstroke becomes a record of attention, each decision a negotiation between control and surrender.

This series also honors the unseen labor behind creation. The repetition, the solitude, the years spent listening, practicing, and enduring. Art here is not performance alone; it is devotion. The act of making becomes a way of staying awake to life, of insisting that even in struggle there is value, dignity, and beauty worth preserving.

Created live, these works carry the immediacy of the moment in which they were born. They hold time within them—breath, movement, hesitation, resolve. They invite the viewer to witness not just the finished image, but the transformation itself. In this way, the artist and the audience meet at the threshold of change, where observation becomes participation.
Ultimately, Every Artist Is an Alchemist is a meditation on transformation—how art reshapes the materials of life into meaning, and how, in the process, it reshapes us all.

In this workshop, create your masterpiece, learning the techniques and history of this beautiful art form. You can attend live Zoom sessions where you interact with the master artist and other participants, learning not only the art form in depth but also more about the culture of the region. A structured classroom with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and recorded videos will be available after the session on Google Classroom

This is a great opportunity to learn different motifs, techniques, and history. Sign up for the workshop today!

Theme: Every artist is an alchemist

Date: 26th Feb Jan to 27th March 2026 (Thurs and Friday)

Time: 10:30 AM to 12 noon IST

Duration: 15 Hours approx (10 Sessions)

Price: INR 4000

Learn the intricate design and techniques of contemporary paintings along with live artist interaction. Also, learn the importance and the folk stories behind the paintings and their relevance in modern times.

Module 1: The Ground — Preparing the Vessel

Concept: Before transformation begins, the vessel must be prepared.
Technique:
• Toning the canvas with a mid-value neutral (warm ochre, raw umber, or grey-blue)
• Establishing overall temperature (warm vs cool dominance)
Focus: Removing the fear of a white canvas and setting the emotional mood

Module 2: The Gesture — Capturing Energy

Concept: Alchemy starts with intention, not detail.
Technique:
• Loose gestural drawing using diluted acrylic or charcoal
• Blocking major movement lines and posture
Focus: Rhythm, balance, and life force over accuracy

Module 3: Big Shapes — Seeing in Masses

Concept: Transformation begins with simplification.
Technique:
• Blocking in large shapes (figure, instrument, background architecture)
• Ignoring details, working only with value and shape
Focus: Composition, negative space, and proportion

Module 4: Value Structure — Light as Truth

Concept: Light reveals form; value creates believability.
Technique:
• Establishing a clear light source
• Separating light, mid-tones, and darks
Focus: Strong value relationships before color complexity

Module 5: Color Alchemy — Temperature & Harmony

Concept: Pigment is raw matter; harmony is transformation.
Technique:
• Introducing a limited color palette
• Exploring warm vs cool contrasts within forms
Focus: Emotional storytelling through color temperature

Module 6: Form & Volume — Sculpting with Paint

Concept: The image begins to breathe.
Technique:
• Building form using opaque and semi-opaque layers
• Using directional brushstrokes to describe volume
Focus: Turning flat shapes into three-dimensional forms

Module 7: Edges & Transitions — Control and Surrender

Concept: Not everything demands clarity.
Technique:
• Softening and sharpening edges intentionally
• Losing and finding forms within the environment
Focus: Guiding the viewer’s eye and creating atmosphere

Module 8: Texture & Material — The Language of Surfaces

Concept: Texture carries memory.
Technique:
• Palette knife and dry brush techniques
• Differentiating surfaces: stone, fabric, wood, metal
Focus: Expressive mark-making over realism

Module 9: Accents & Focal Points — The Gold

Concept: Alchemy’s moment of revelation.
Technique:
• Introducing high-contrast accents
• Refining focal areas (face, hands, instrument)
Focus: Visual hierarchy and emotional emphasis

Module 10: Final Glazes & Reflection — Sealing the Transformation

Concept: The work reveals itself when we stop forcing it.
Technique:
• Transparent glazes to unify color
• Final adjustments and selective simplification
Focus: Knowing when to stop; honoring the process

Vipra Karkare is a versatile artist who pursues her passion for painting, exploring styles ranging from graffiti to dreamy landscapes and dramatic oils.

E-Mail: info@catterfly.art

Phone: +916393897910