Orange Wedges

4x6", water mixable oil on linen board, 2/19/16

Just a one-hour study of an orange from yesterday afternoon. I've really been focusing on drawing lately, and I have to say, paint feels like a stranger. 

I can't say I was 100% pleased with how this turned out, and I was getting a little frustrated with my lack of time and the stream of constant distractions I had while working on it. I had a babysitter over, but that doesn't always curb all of the demands of life with little ones (especially since I paint in a corner of the family room, where I am readily accessible ;) And really, an hour isn't very long to paint something, even if it is only a simple 4x6" still life. 

I think my sense of color has definitely gotten a little better over the past year. It seems like I would look at an orange and be pretty bewildered by the color I was seeing--then end up just relying more on what I thought the color should be and try to make it work. But I'm starting to go through a little (albeit almost subconscious) thought process of determining what the base color is, then whether it is a warm or cool version, muted or saturated, tinted or shaded, and usually I can get to something I see as pretty close when considering all those aspects. Shadows are still a little nebulous, but definitely better than a year ago. Thinking "cool light, warm shadows" and visa versa has helped, but figuring out how to mix the colors I'm going for is a constant learning process. I'm always surprised by how much gray there is in the flesh of an orange :)

And for the sake of showing progress, here is a similar painting (this one 8x10") from about 14 months ago. An hour a day adds up, and I'm glad when I can see a noticeable difference in what I'm able to accomplish. My treatment of values and colors is becoming a little more subtle, which I think is a good thing. So don't get too frustrated, self. The little slots of time here and there are a lot more than nothing :)