Fruit on a Shelf

Fruit on a Shelf, Charcoal on Paper, 24"x18"

Fruit on a Shelf

In this drawing, I wanted to play with the idea of different planes. Each plane has fruit sitting on it. The trick here was to create movement, a visual path, and interesting shapes and values. I was working from memory with regard to the various fruits, so not all of them sit on their shelf as they should or adhere to the rules of perspective. But that's what sketching is all about - exploring ideas and figuring out how to make them work. I actually like this - the repeated criss-cross areas connect the various planes while the assortment of fruits make for interesting shapes. I could make a bunch of different paintings using this underlying concept while varying the colors, sizes and varieties of fruit as well as changing up the division of space. Lots of potential!

Most of these drawings take about an hour to do. I try to work relatively quickly to nail down the concept without over-thinking it. I can always come back to an idea and refine it.