This was so pleasurable to paint. I experimented with doing an underpainting in acrylic first to put in the darks without having to wait for paint to dry. Then I tried to focus on values and color temperature, but I think I got sidetracked by all the interesting shapes of light, color, reflections and hazy surfaces (they were organic persimmons and some of the skin had a kind of filminess like blueberries have).
I’m also working on trying to see and mix just the right color of paint, and apply strokes once (instead of guessing, putting paint down, scraping it off, trying again). Last night when I realized I’d been painting for an hour with dirty brushes and not mixing specific colors but just using random paint left on the palette I dragged myself away from the easel and went to bed, finishing the painting this afternoon.
I’m pretty happy with this one but would like to try again getting closer with color temperature changes and stronger values. Below are the steps I took along the way, including a change in composition. Although I liked the rich dark in the corner, it was drawing too much attention to itself.
If you click on one thumbnail you’ll be taken to a big picture with another thumbnail to click to go to the next.
Jana Bouc, Artist 