"Striptease" - 5 x 5 inches - oil on paper

"Striptease" - 5 x 5 inches - oil on paper

I'm not sure why clementines make me think sexy thoughts.  I just kept thinking "striptease" as I peeled the skin so I had the title long before the paint hit the paper.  My first crack at clementines was entitled "Undressed" and you can see it by clicking here.

If you want to see a complete breakdown of my painting process, keep reading....

"Striptease" is a 5 inch square painting and is available for $40.  Click the Buy Now button below to purchase using a credit card/Paypal or here for other payment options. 

MY PAINTING PROCESS

I thought I'd take some time to explain my painting process for this "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge.  So here goes:

I set up my still life next to my easel and adjust the light until I'm satisfied with the shadow.  My preference is natural light but I'm doing most of painting in the evenings.

I select my paper.  I treated watercolor paper with 3 coats of gesso (a sealant) and then painted them with a coat of acrylic for a colored ground.  I have a variety ready to go in all different colors.

I now have to transfer my still life set up onto my paper.  I use a plexiglass square to view my still life and trace what I see using a dry erase marker.  The plexiglass is permanently marked with a box divided into 9 squares.  I created this tool using red acrylic paint. 

I attach my paper to a board with bulldog clips and prop it up on my easel.  I place 4 dots on my paper where the 4 intersecting lines are on the plexiglass.  I could draw the grid onto the paper but 4 dots will suffice to give me a frame of reference and make less mess.

I transfer the image from the plexiglass to the paper using the dots and lines as a guide.

I start by blocking in the darkest areas first.

I continue adding the middle values.

I added the white rind to help define the form and then added the stem on top.

I worked on the texture of the fruit and then started on the shadow...

...and then the background color.

 

The final step is signing the painting.  I use a rubber tipped "wipe-out" tool to scrape the paint away and leave my signature.