Plump and Juicy

Plump and Juicy

6x6, soft pastel

What is it about a simple little peeled orange that seems so irresistible?  I set this still life up just like a photo I saw a couple years ago with dramatic lighting to emphasize the translucent qualities of the orange.  I knew while painting this little guy that I would eat it for breakfast...but since it was my first attempt at painting an orange, breakfast time turned into lunchtime.  It took several hours so I was very hungry the whole time. But, I knew I was finally on the right track when the painting began to be as mouthwatering as the real orange.