I am painting apples this week. It is a good thing to fall back on when stating up again. I think I missed the whole pumpkin opportunity, so will just get on with what I have.

Man in New Mexico

I saw this guy in Santa Fe this year after the IAPS Convention for pastels in Albuquerque. I took his picture and started blocking in a pastel of him. I was having some trouble with it and decided to do a drawing in pencil to check out the values. I can see where I want to change some things and I would like to go back in this one and add more really dark areas. My pencil would only get so dark, so I may have to use charcoal over it.

Young Prune

Here is another little study of these plums.

Prune plum

I like this color combination.

Pomegranate plus 2

Another try at the pomegranate. I like the plums but not the composition or the pomegranate.
I really liked my start, but then I over worked it.

My pomegranate is starting to spoil. Time to move one.

lemon

This one is a little grayed out, but it was fun to do.

pomegranate and plums

The pomegranate was from my front yard. Even with the drought the bush put out fruit. It is a tough plant. I like the shadow on this alot and the color combination.

prune plums

I liked the background color with the blue and purple.
I need to try to use a winder brush stroke.

what is she thinking?

This is not a daily painting...it took more like 3 weeks and I am not sure if I am finished. It is pastel on Wallis paper.
I look the reference photo of this little East Indian girl in Chicago this year. She was very serious and direct in her stare. I have another view I may try also.
I often do more than one pose or more that one painting of the same pose for a portrait. I don't try to get it the first time, and that helps the pressure of getting a likeness.