Figs on a Grey Plate

My fig tree is supplying me with figs that are delicious to look at and to eat. I’m working on simplifying my painting and stopping at “good enough for jazz.” This is so much more fun than trying for perfection and ending up with overworked instead. Below are the steps in the progress of this painting and below that some bonus fig sketches.

My fig tree is supplying me with figs that are delicious to look at and to eat. I’m working on simplifying my paintings, aiming from strong values and composition, and trying to stop at “good enough for jazz.” This is so much more fun than trying for perfection and ending up with overworked instead. This painting is available on DailyPaintworks here.

Below are the steps in the progress of this painting and below that some bonus fig sketches. Doing each of these steps (preliminary study, careful redrawing in pastel pencil on Arches Oil Paper or panel, monochrome underpainting to create the value pattern I want, and pre-mixing colors that look pretty together on the palette, is making it much faster and easier to successfully complete the color painting in one go.

Study/Sketch for painting in Moleskine 8x10" — Study/Sketch for painting in Moleskine 8×10″

Drawing composition with Pitt Pastel Pencil onto Arches Oil Paper, working from life and referring to study

Pitt Pastel Pencil completed drawing on Arches Oil Paper

After applying mix of 50% Gamblin Oil Free Medium and 50% Gamsol over drawing to make surface less absorbent

Monochrome underpainting with burnt umber

Next day photo of setup before beginning to paint. Figs were shriveling a bit.

Bonus recent fig sketches:

First Figs of 2016 with fig leaf and setup

Figs on a Paper Towel on a Box, 2B Pencil in 8x10 Moleskine — Figs on a Paper Towel on a Box, 2B Pencil in 8×10 Moleskine

First Figs of 2016, 2B Pencil in 8x10 Moleskine — First Figs of 2016, 2B Pencil in 8×10 Moleskine

2 replies on “Figs on a Grey Plate”

I love your post and I love figs! It so interesting to see how your work has evolved while I’ve been away.

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Thanks Linda. It seems to be evolving in many directions at once. Sometimes I feel like I’m just chasing ideas around (like coming back to still life for a cycle in between portraits). I’m sorry to hear about your injury! It sounds like it made life pretty difficult for quiet awhile, especially trying to paint!

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2 replies on “Figs on a Grey Plate”