Live Posting

January 22, 2012

I have been stuck in a rut lately, wondering what to do.  And just when I needed some help, wouldn’t you know it comes from a fellow blogger.  Poet Gabrielle Bryden has asked for citrus fruits and so I’m going to draw (mostly) lemons.  And this will involve some “live blogging” because I’m just now starting.  The lemons came out of the refrigerator a little while ago.  They’re sitting on a plate.  I’m getting the crayons out now.

UPDATE:  The first citrus drawing made using watercolor pencils.  I am searching for the edges of things.  Trying to find the character of these patient fruit that sit here “looking” at me.  They’re all so dignified.  Wish I could get to the essence of their gravitas.  The shadows are deepening.  Not a quality to be well captured by watercolor pencils.

With the second drawing, I’m already encountering some problems.  I have the wrong crayon box with me.  Keep forgetting that this box has run out of certain colors.  It’s “limited palette” time.  And the yellow has already smeared into the blue outline I used.  I’m never getting rid of that smear.  A small matter, this smear, but defining.  Some artists would go to great lengths to avoid a smear from the very outset while I always figure that mistakes are inevitable.  Must work it into the plan somehow.

More stuff in the picture.  But do the citruses enjoy the status that one wants.  Is this an arrangement of shapes and colors or really a citrus picture?  Not enough citrus presence…

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5 Responses to “Live Posting”


  1. Wonderful – thank you Aletha – we are all on the same citrus page – haha


  2. yellow and blue always make me think of Monet, his dining room, he would love your lemons and oranges, I think.
    and so do I! And I do like your construction lines appearing!


  3. [...] near Washington DC (location top secret ) has begun work on some citrus paintings over at her art and writing blog for the citrus [...]


  4. I love the way you share your process. I wondered what kind of crayons you were using.


  5. Squirrel, they are Caran d’ache oil pastel crayons.


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