Assignment 7 - Fruit Study ...

Physalis peruviana, Cape Gooseberry

I loved painting this generous plant with such healthy fruits and I really have a soft spot for it now.  I have to say though I am very glad this assignment is off my table.   Summer in Western Australia is often pretty tough when the hottest days come ... but the last week has been a record breaking heatwave.  I know many of you understand how difficult it is to paint in the extremes of weather ...  thankfully so many other elements went pretty smoothly for me ...

When I last posted here the first branch had been composed and painted ... now it was time to paint the larger papery calyx and the little fruits with one undressing by peeling off the calyx .... well trickier than I thought it would be because of our late rains and then strong heat - the fruits were either too small or too ripe so the colours were a little richer than usual.

  My photos don't help in reflecting that because neither camera seems to interpret the colour in my botanical artworks accurately!
I like to check the tones by changing a photo of the artwork to black and white to make sure I have enough highlights and depth.
I really like the effect it creates and helps me to see I'm on track.

I then had to bring in the left hand side branch ... after referring to initial sketches and options, using the drawing on the tracing paper to position makes it easy to see it will all fit together ...


 First washes going on .... wanting to include more Cape Gooseberries to show the variety in colour a little more ...

Two more little fruits added ... it's starting to look like my theatrical production with the archway of the stage proscenium ... the leaf on the left branch bowing to the performers, the little flower watching on and the younger fruits waiting to be centre stage with the very ripe trio ....
Well - when you work a long time on an artwork and the heat starts to bother you - it gets a bit stir crazy and the subject develops a personality of its own ...

Now I am hoping my artwork is with my tutor ... in a much cooler climate in the UK - away from clammy arms and sweating brow .... and hoping for a good reception.