What inspired this drawing?
I wanted to make my own vibrant still life. Renaissance still lifes typically have a dark undertone. In the grocery store, oranges stood out to me as a way to include color, especially against a blue plastic bag.
What was your working process?
To make the still life arrangement, I cut up the bag and put it underneath the sliced oranges for contrast. I drew the shadows. Then I covered the dark areas with parchment paper. Smudging was my biggest concern. I used a lot of reds and oranges. I added green to bring out the fruits’ shadows.
How did you work with light?
I settled on one large overhanging light source to cast shadows under the orange. I wanted to emphasize the translucency of the orange’s flesh, which was a challenge. It involved a lot of mixing and blending. I used highlights to sharpen the texture in the foreground, creating a realistic sense of depth and detail.
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists like yourself?
Be resourceful. Creating art doesn’t have to be expensive.