Goopy Surface

I don't like this painting but it does look good through the viewfinder of the camera for whatever that means. It even looks like a slice of lemon. The paint is gooey and felt gross. 

Fast Painting

I didn't have a lot of time to fuss with this one. It is probably better for that reason. I decided to not to over think what I don't like about the paintings. I'll make more paintings instead.  

Alright Painting

I seemed to have veered from going towards directness to fussiness. I don't usually care for doing a lot of blending on the surface. It felt wrong. But perhaps that is for the better.  I can't say I really like the painting but it does hold up to many of the others.  I need a little more contrast. 

Oops

I forgot to bring a lemon to my studio. But I did have a lime handy. It turned out to be a change for the better. The pulpy matter under the skin of this lime is kind of bluish. That was kind of challenging. Gradually I am moving towards a consistency of paint that is more sticky with medium and has less solvent.  

I am reassessing what I mean by painting as directly as possible. I want to paint everything only once in the hopes of preserving some freshness. I don't need any doubts or hesitation. I just want to paint the lemon or possibly a lime. It's not that I want my brain to be wired to never blink. I'm not confronting a rogue nation with nuclear weapons. I'm just making a painting. What I want is the act of painting to be sort of a reflection unto itself.

Too Thiebaud

I feel like I got a little too Wayne Thiebaud with this one. I have some lingering doubts about this painting.  It feels too stiff and symmetrical.  The lemon doesn't feel like a lemon. I imagine this lemon would have the consistency of one of those orange circus peanut candies. It's not lemon like. There is always tomorrow.

Light Purple Pip

Finally the color is approaching something that I want.  I like that the pip is light purple when sliced through.

A Decent Lemon Wedge

I am gradually beginning to think that I might be getting somewhere.  

Overwhelming

This painting is a little bigger. It might be almost eight inches tall. I thought I would have more time to paint but I felt like I lost the sense of urgency. I also allowed myself to paint the underside of the lemon wedge. I felt like I was getting lost in Alaskan tundra.

Crispy Edges

For a short period of time I was drawn to the crispness of the image. But I am thinking of moving more towards simplifying what I am seeing. I haven't even bothered to paint the highlights reflecting of the wetness of the lemon. I don't want the images to be cheesy. Maybe one day I can deal with those highlights.

Day Two

The paintings are quite small.  For the most part they are about four by five. You would think that the larger paintings would be easier but it doesn't seem to be the case. They work best when I need to be somewhere else and I might only have a half an hour to paint.

The Beginning

This is the composition that I have settled on for the time being. I don't the need to innovate or try something different everyday. Instead I'll continue to paint the flat side of a lemon wedge daily.  Nothing glitzty. Just a lemon.