"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.

"Watermelon and Strawberry"

Oil on 6x6 gessobord
I did this painting a couple of days ago, but wanted to wait for the cloudy weather to pass so I could take a picture of it outside. I painted it with the same colors as I mentioned before, for the lemon, but added pthalo green, and some winsor red. I like using the green to darken the reds, and it makes a super dark color when mixed with alizarin crimson.

watermelon slices , Oil on 6x6 board

I don't know why I have had so much trouble getting an accurate image of this painting. I usually do wind up taking many photos of paintings in different lighting, but this one for some reason, just would never come out as perfectly as I wanted. Either the reds were too red, or the background was too chalky looking.. the highlights on the red watermelon would look way too pink... and so on. So, after a few hours of trying to pick the one best photo, I am giving up and I'm just going to post the 2 or 3 best ones.

This will be posted on ebay later this evening.

Small Wedge of Watermelon, with Cherries

Click on images to enlarge


Here are a couple of photos of the finished painting. I think it's a nice little summer time painting. I'll remember how hot these last few days have been here, every time I look at it, and of the other piece of melon that didn't make it into the painting, I ate it instead.

This painting is SOLD.