“Coconuts”
Another week and here we are, the week 54 of my project. Still winter, obviously, not as harsh as could be, but still winter. Still very humid and windy and, for me, uncomfortable to paint outdoors. Although I am waiting anxiously for better weather I have more time to concentrate on still life.
The subject chosen for this week is coconuts. I have bought two of them from the supermarket and initially intended to paint both whole. After trying many compositions and unable to decide which, I thought that I might crack one of them. Believe it or not, I have never cracked a coconut before in my entire life! I didn’t know what to do, firstly I tried with a very sharp serrated knife, but the attempt was unsuccessful. So, after watching some YouTube tutorials I did it the proper way, or, at list an easier one. Drilled the 3 holes with a screwdriver, poured the coconut water in a bowl and then cracked it with a hammer. And, now I know how to do it. Not to mention that the fresh coconut is delicious.
Back to the painting.
I painted it alla prima, over few sessions, done the same day. I used a reduced palette with some browns and yellows (Italian genuine Cassel, burnt umber, raw and burnt sienna, Indian yellow, cadmium yellow medium, transparent brown oxide, cadmium maroon), cobalt blue and white. I used some diluted de Mayerne medium and some turpentine.
So, here it is:
“Coconuts”
Oil on linen.
24 X 30cm (10” X 12”).
