Painting 44

Lemons are another favorite of mine and a good subject for another quick painting. Again it's 6x6. I like the square canvases and these have a deep 2 inch edge which makes them pop out nicely on the wall. Again, I played with being loose with the brushwork and I like the feel. I love the slice of lemon. It doesn't show as well on the photo, but there is a glimmer of light shining through the slice. However, if you look at the lemon that is cut, you may notice I made the slice too small. Also, I'm getting a little too repetitive with the perspective and I should explore different angles, but since I painted this from a still life, I'm limited to my table height. I should shake things up and try a straight-on view for a change. I question my choice of the bright blue shadow—not sure how that would have been created in nature. The red hue on the bottom of the lemon in the background is also a bit too bright. The shadows should have been warmer since they would be reflecting the lemons’ color, right? Yeah, I don't like this one. Just too many things about this one that bother me.

Painting 43

A small 6"x6" study I did in one sitting. Still trying to master painting in one day. I did cheat and worked on it another day, mainly to add a bit more drama to the background. I tried using more deliberate brush strokes instead of blending and I like some of the results. It doesn't show up as well on the background, looks more smooth and blended. I like the reflection of the table on the pear and the composition works for me. I still feel that some of the values in the pear could be a bit darker as it was with the bell peppers. Overall, for a fast painting I was pleased. Once again I donated this painting to a fundraiser and a fellow artist I know purchased it. He was the only bid so I think he felt sorry for me. He's nice that way.

I still have a block against picking up a brush. I can't even think of going to the studio.