"Clementines and a Sunburst"

Oil on 8x10 in. canvas

I decided to try something a bit different. I rearranged my room to change the position of my easel and subject. I pushed my chair back, and stood to paint. It made a big difference. (plus, standing burns a few more calories than sitting, and I could sure use that!)
These are some clementines and a sunburst tangerine, sitting on a silver platter, with a vase of green leaves and white cloth. I was attracted to the deep green color and orange together, and the dark wood of the table top. I enjoyed painting the cloth with all it's folds, I think I will do that more often in the future.
Thank you for all the lovely comments everybody!

"Apple, Grapes, Lemon and Strawberries"

Oil on 8x6 hardboard

It took me a couple of days to finish this one, because I kept thinking it needed a little something extra. I finally added the single grape on the left, and then it seemed to need something on the right, so I put in another strawberry :-) Looking back, I probably could have just left it alone and it would have been fine. But, I like the way it ended up.

"Peach Cherry Still Life"

Oil on 5"x7" hardboard panel
I bought this little hand painted ceramic pot months ago, thinking I'd use it in a painting, but I haven't tried it until now. I love all the colors and designs in it, it was fun to paint.

"Cantaloupe and Nectarine and Cherries"

This is a painting that I had done a few days ago, you can see it here. It was nice, but, I felt like I needed to make some changes to it. I had some cherries nearby and thought it would be nice to add a couple of those, and maybe it would balance the composition out a little better. And I changed the background color. The nectarine and the slice of cantaloupe aren't much different. I like it much better now. :-)

"Black Plum with Peach"

Available on "Fresh Paint Daily Painters"

Oil on 5"x7" hardboard panel
I'm enjoying painting this black plum, it has such a beautiful dark color and subtle reflections in it's skin. Also, I have rediscovered chromium oxide green, (or oxide of chromium). I've had a tube kicking around in my paint box for... years? Don't know why I've been ignoring it. I have been experimenting lately with various mixtures to produce green, using blues and thalo green, and viridian with yellows. The c o green is really great! Very opaque and makes nice natural looking greens when mixed with different yellows, or add blue or brown to make it darker. Add a tiny bit to any red, with a touch of yellow and see what happens!!.. A juicy looking red just right for painting strawberries!!
Thanks to everyone for the awesome comments!! You're the best :)

"Black Plum and Lemon"

Oil on 5'x7" hardboard panel

I can't help it, there's something so appealing about fruit, I love to paint it. So many colors and textures, and shapes to choose from. I also find that it is a sort of mysterious thing. How a piece of fruit comes to be. How many varieties and flavors, almost an endless assortment! The same with flowers too. Just makes me think of how creative, and clever, and immense God's imagination is. Awesome :-)

"Plate of Fruit w/ Peaches" 8"x10"

Oil on hardboard panel
I learned a lot painting this, one was that I should remember to put black on my palette. I usually try to do without it, and make a black with whatever dark colors I have out already. I experimented with a few different ways to do the white cloth, using mixes of white with blue/red/yellow... or just a mixes of a brown/yellow ochre with white, and adding blue..??? I tried lots of things, but I wound up making a gray of ivory black and white, and adding cadmium orange.
I like it.

"Ripe Today"

Oil on 6"x6" hardboard
Here is the finished painting, and I love it! I'm gonna get busy and do another of this fruit while it is still looking fresh.

"Ripe Today" Work in Progress...

I bought lots of fruit at the store today, can you tell?? The peaches had a sign that said "ripe today" and they aren't kidding. I'll have to finish this painting today so I can eat them! I also added some golden cherries, strawberries and green grapes. I think I will take some pictures of this plate of fruit and do another larger painting of it.
My original set up didn't have the white cloth in it, I added that after, and then decided to take it out. Maybe I'll try another painting with it in?
I started this painting this afternoon, I might be able to finish it tonight... I hope.

"Lime, Orange, Lemon and Cherries"

Oil on 5"x7" hardboard
I'm happy to be finished with this one, and now I'm satisfied with it. Whew! I think I'm painted out for a while. I need to mow the lawn and catch up on my laundry!!

"Bowl of Fruit with Lemon"

Oil on 6"x6" gessobord
This painting started out with just a lemon and lime in a glass bowl, but it seemed to need more to fill in the empty space. Before I knew it, I added the grapes, then the strawberry for color and more grapes in the background. I tried to keep the background fruits loose, so that the lemon still seems to be the attraction, which is what I intended in the first place. My favorite part to paint was the glass bowl, and the patterns in it.
(I'll list this painting on ebay later this evening)

"Watermelon Still Life"

Oil on 6"x6" hardboard panel

(below) My set up, and painting in progress...

I wanted to do a composition that was a triangle shape within this square panel, and this wedge of watermelon seemed to do the trick! The green grapes added a nice compliment to the red colors of the other fruit. I took quite a few pictures out doors on a partly cloudy day. Some of the images were brighter, and some in a lower light. I had a hard time choosing just one to post, so I thought I would just post a couple, why not? I think it might give a better impression of how the painting looks in different light.

"Lemon, Cherries and Strawberry"

Oil on 5"x7" hardboard panel
Here is another painting of the same fruit, only I added a lemon. I forgot how difficult it is for me to paint a lemon!! I don't know if it's the shape, or the color, or the texture, or maybe all of the above.. but, it seems every lemon I've ever painted took many tries.

Also... There is still time to vote in the next Daily Painter Contest... if you haven't already, why not take a second and vote! Click Here for the contest page.

"Fruit on a Plate"

Oil on 5"x7" board
Note to self: Draw!! Draw!! Draw!! before painting! Things always go smoother, and come out better! Why don't I take the time to draw before each painting?? Because most of the time I'm too impatient, and want to make a painting, rather than enjoy the process first, and then get a good painting from it.

"Banana with Strawberries and Grapes"

Oil on 5"x7" Ampersand Gessobord panel
I wasn't too excited about this painting, until I had an impulse to add the blue across the top and include the same color in the shadows. That really made a difference!! I like it much better now.
(I will post this to ebay later this evening. )

Fruit re-painted

Oil on 5"x7" canvas panel
I liked this painting alot, but something about that tangerine bothered me. It seemed too perfectly round, and the nobby end was at an awkward angle, and I had a hard time making it look right. (Scroll down to see the previous painting) So, I put an orange in it's place. I like this much better.

More Fruit

Oil on 5"x7" Canvas Panel
This fruit brings to mind a warmer climate, and sunshine, and the colors of summer. All the things that are missing right now. It snowed today.
Sorry the clip holding the panel is in the picture, but no time to retake it right now, maybe tomorrow.

"Strawberries and Pear"

Oil on 5"x7" Gessobord.
I had the day off yesterday and spent the afternoon painting this, and I finished it today. I used some thalo blue for the green mixtures, which was a fun change from ultramarine blue, or viridian, or thalo green.

"Peeled Tangerine with Cranberries"

Oil on 5"x7"Linen panel
I peeled the tangerine, and painted another picture of it with some cranberries. This one is done on a linen panel that I had made. I had primed the panel with a thin "scumble" of raw sienna oil paint and then let it dry. Painting on this surface was enjoyable. The dark paint in the background is thin and transparent, and the light foreground is also thin, but opaque. The tangerine is painted thicker, which makes a nice contrast. This was my last linen panel, I think I'd like to make some more!

"Tangerine, Nuts and Cranberries"

Oil on 5"x7" Canvas Panel
Around this time of year it seems that I always have these items in the kitchen. They look good together, like they might be ingredients in some sort of holiday recipe. Orange Cranberry bread comes to mind. Anyway, I enjoyed painting this one, I might try another with these subjects sometime. I especially liked putting the highlights on the cranberries, they look like little jewels.
Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments, I appreciate them so much!!