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Vijaykumar Kakade

About Vijaykumar Kakade

http://vijaykumarkakade.com

Posts by Vijaykumar Kakade:

The Kathmandu Zilla Football Sangh Building

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Kanthmandu Zilla Football Sangh Building

Travel isn’t always about famous landmarks. Sometimes it’s a building on an ordinary street that quietly asks you to stop and take a closer look.

This watercolor is inspired by a street in Kathmandu, Nepal, where I came across the Kathmandu District Football Association (Kathmandu Jilla Football Sangh) building. Its striking red color immediately stood out against the muted tones of the surrounding neighbourhood. The web of overhead utility wires, the scooter, and the old buildings all came together to create a scene that felt unmistakably Kathmandu.

Rather than painting every architectural detail, I focused on the relationship between light, colour, and shape. The bold red building naturally became the centre of the composition, while loose washes and expressive brushwork allowed the surrounding streetscape to remain suggestive rather than literal. I wanted the painting to capture the atmosphere of a city that reveals its character one street at a time.

This is my Day 14 painting for July Watercolor Month. One of the greatest joys of travelling with a sketchbook is discovering that memorable subjects often appear where you least expect them.

“The best travel memories aren’t always found at famous landmarks. Sometimes they’re waiting at the next street corner.”

#JulyWatercolorMonth #Watercolor #Kathmandu #football #népal

A Bend in Banikhet, Himachal Pradesh

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A bend in Banikhet, Himachal Pradesh.

Some of the most memorable travel moments happen when you stop at places that were never part of the itinerary.

This watercolor is inspired by a quiet roadside corner in Banikhet, Himachal Pradesh. As we rounded a bend, a small house caught my attention. In front of it, a modest shop displayed fresh vegetables and fruits, while a roadside vendor had clothes hanging nearby. It was an ordinary scene, yet it reflected the simple rhythm of life in the hills.

I wanted to preserve that feeling of discovery rather than paint every detail. The sweeping curve of the road leads the eye through the composition, while loose washes and soft greens help convey the freshness of the mountain landscape. Small touches of colour bring life to the shop and the people without taking away from the peaceful atmosphere.

This is my Day 13 painting for July Watercolor Month. Painting scenes like this reminds me that the best travel memories are often found between destinations, where everyday life quietly unfolds.

“Sometimes the road itself offers the most rewarding stop.”

#JulyWatercolorMonth #Watercolor #HimachalPradesh #banikhet_dalhousie #incredibleindia🇮🇳

 

The Swadeshi Market Building, Mumbai

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The Swadeshi Market Building, Mumbai

Some buildings tell stories not through monuments or museums, but through the lives that pass by them every day.

This watercolor is inspired by the Swadeshi Market Building in Mumbai. With its weathered façade, elegant arches, and bustling street below, the building reflects the city’s layered history. A passing cyclist, the familiar black-and-yellow taxi, and the colourful shopfronts bring a sense of everyday life to this heritage streetscape.

For this painting, I focused on suggesting the character of the architecture rather than painting every detail. Loose washes, broken brushstrokes, and a restrained palette allowed the old building to emerge naturally, while small touches of colour helped bring the street to life. My aim was to capture the atmosphere of a place where history and daily life continue to coexist.

This is my Day 12 painting for July Watercolor Month. One of the things I enjoy most about urban sketching is discovering how ordinary streets can reveal the identity of a city.

“Every old building carries a story. The people passing by add a new chapter every day.”

Good Morning, Pune

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Karve Road

Every city has a morning rhythm of its own. This is the Pune I enjoy most, when the streets are filled with soft light and the day is only just beginning.

This watercolor is inspired by the junction near the Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve Statue in Kothrud, where three roads meet and Karve Road begins. The steady movement of vehicles, the canopy of trees, and the familiar skyline make this a place I’ve passed many times. On this particular morning, the light transformed an ordinary intersection into a scene worth painting.

I kept the brushwork loose and the palette restrained, allowing the light and atmosphere to take center stage. Rather than focusing on every building or vehicle, I wanted to capture the feeling of a peaceful Pune morning before the city settles into its daily routine.

This is my Day 11 painting for July Watercolor Month. One of the joys of this challenge has been discovering that inspiration isn’t limited to distant destinations. Sometimes it can be found on roads we travel every day.

“Every morning is a chance to see a familiar place with fresh eyes.”

Mumbai on the Horizon

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Mumbai Skyline

Some cityscapes are instantly recognizable, even when reduced to little more than shapes and light.

This watercolor is inspired by the Mumbai skyline as seen from Marine Drive. Looking across the water, the city’s towers rise like a silhouette against the sky, creating a rhythm of vertical forms that is unmistakably Mumbai. Rather than focusing on individual buildings, I wanted to capture the city’s overall character.

For this painting, I embraced simplicity. A limited palette, loose washes, and a panoramic format allowed the skyline to remain the focal point, while the open water in the foreground creates a sense of distance and calm. By resisting the urge to add detail, I hoped to let the viewer experience the atmosphere rather than the architecture.

This is my Day 10 painting for July Watercolor Month. Each painting in this challenge encourages me to simplify, observe more carefully, and trust the expressive nature of watercolor.

“Sometimes a skyline is more than a collection of buildings. It becomes the memory of a city.”

A Morning in Matunga West, Mumbai

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A Morning in Matunga West, Mumbai

Cities often reveal their gentlest side in the morning. Before the rush takes over, the light feels softer, the streets quieter, and even familiar places seem to slow down for a while.

This watercolor is inspired by a scene from Matunga West, Mumbai, captured around 9:40 on a December morning. The winter sun cast long, gentle shadows while the trees framed a solitary high-rise rising above the neighbourhood. It was a simple urban scene, but one filled with the quiet charm of an ordinary day.

I wanted to capture the freshness of the morning using a restrained palette of cool blues, muted greens, and warm earth tones. The broad sky, loose foliage, and expressive brushstrokes allowed me to focus on light and atmosphere rather than architectural detail. Leaving generous areas of the paper untouched helped preserve the brightness that first drew me to this scene.

This is my Day 09 painting for July Watercolor Month. Through this challenge, I’m learning that some of the most rewarding paintings come from everyday moments that are easy to overlook.

“Morning light has a way of making even the busiest cities feel unhurried.”

An Afternoon in Pathankot

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An Afternoon in Pathankot

Every city has a place where life never seems to pause. For Pathankot, Gandhi Chowk is one of those places.

This watercolor is inspired by a busy afternoon at Gandhi Chowk, Pathankot. The constant movement of people, motorcycles weaving through traffic, long shadows stretching across the road, and the web of overhead wires all came together to create a scene full of everyday energy.

Rather than painting every building and shop, I focused on the movement of the street. Loose brushstrokes, soft edges, and expressive figures helped capture the rhythm of the place, while the bright road and strong shadows naturally guide the eye through the composition. I wanted the painting to feel lively without becoming overly detailed.

This is my Day 08 painting for July Watercolor Month. One of the joys of painting urban scenes is discovering beauty in places we often pass through without a second thought.

“Every busy street has its own rhythm. Sometimes all we have to do is pause long enough to notice it.”

Before Takeoff, IGIA Delhi

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A aeroplane at IGIA Delhi

Every journey begins with a moment of waiting.

This watercolor is inspired by a scene at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Before boarding, I was drawn to the quiet geometry of the runway, the distant aircraft, and the open sky stretching above it all. It was a simple scene, yet it carried the excitement that comes just before a new adventure begins.

I intentionally left much of the paper untouched, allowing the negative space to become part of the composition. The broad washes suggest the vastness of the tarmac, while the small aircraft and boarding bridge provide just enough detail to anchor the scene. Sometimes, what we leave unpainted can be as important as the brushstrokes themselves.

This is my Day 07 painting for July Watercolor Month. Through this challenge, I’m discovering that travel is not only about destinations, but also about the quiet moments in between.

“Every runway holds the promise of a new story.”

Meadows of Khajjiar

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Meadows Of Khajjiar

Some landscapes don’t overwhelm you with grandeur. Instead, they quietly invite you to slow down and take in every detail.

This watercolor is inspired by Khajjiar, a hill station often called the Mini Switzerland of India. Surrounded by tall deodar trees and open meadows, it is a place where nature sets its own pace.

For this painting, I simplified the scene into broad washes and a limited palette. The dark greens of the forest contrast with the open meadow, while the small hotels add just enough warmth to draw the eye. I wanted the vast open space to remain the hero of the composition, allowing the viewer to experience the same sense of calm I felt while standing there.

This is my Day 06 painting for July Watercolor Month. Every painting in this series is a reminder that some of the most memorable travel moments come from simply observing and appreciating the places around us.

“The quietest landscapes often leave the deepest impressions.”

A Winter Morning in Coorg

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A Winter Morning in Coorg

Some mornings reveal themselves slowly. As the mist begins to lift, the landscape quietly comes to life.

This watercolor is inspired by an early winter morning in Coorg, Karnataka. A blanket of fog softened the distant hills while the first light of the day gently outlined the trees, rooftops in the background. It was one of those peaceful moments that made me pause before reaching for my camera.

To capture that feeling, I worked with a limited palette of cool blues and soft neutrals. I kept the distant forms light and hazy, gradually building darker values in the foreground to create depth. Rather than painting every detail, I allowed the watercolor to flow naturally, letting the mist become an important part of the composition.

This is my Day 05 painting for July Watercolor Month. Each day reminds me that some of the most memorable landscapes are the quietest ones.

“Winter mornings don’t reveal everything at once. They invite us to slow down and look a little longer.”

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