8 October 2010

Illustration Friday - 'beneath'


Mangosteen fruit
watercolour ©Caroline Soer 2010


It's that time of week again already - where does the time go? It's flying at the moment! Herewith, my offering for 'Beneath' - this week's Illustration Friday theme. A watercolour of the delicious Mangosteen fruit - you'd never know that such a delicious little fruit lies beneath that leathery skin!



I've been sketching and painting these fruits on and off all week - getting the colour right by layering on the pigment without disturbing the previous layer has been a test of my patience! I've tried sloshy effects on scrap paper, this more precise version and now I'm part way through a textured painting on tissue covered mountboard. I'll share the finished painting at a later date (if it's a success!).








24 comments:

  1. I have never even heard of this type of fruit before. It is unusual looking. If I just saw it lying on the ground I wouldn't think to pick it up and look beneath that leathery skin.

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  2. What a great piece for IF...wonderful....and your color swatches and sketches look fantastic. I never saw this fruit before either but it is truly interesting looking and I do love the surface and color of it. Could you tell us what it tastes similar to in the "normal" fruit world?

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  3. OMG! I love this!!! I love your watercolors. I also love mangosteen. My husband and I went to Cebu and we bought dozens of mangosteen fruits and I ate a lot of mangosteen. I also swallowed the seeds which did not turn out to be a good idea! Ugh! I hope you have a lovely day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sweet Sweet Dearest Caroline! Tsup! Tsup!!!

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  4. Looking at it I wouldn't have thought it would be tasty. Love all your sketches, illustrations and notes.

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  5. Well I think you nailed it! I love seeing the process. You do such lovely work Caroline.


    Birthday??? May it be all you wish for!

    xo♥

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  6. No wonder the week is flying by with the detail you put into your beautiful illustrations! I love seeing how you work. Never heard of this fruit either but I'm learning something every week!
    Oh and Happy Birthday!

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  7. oh wow!!! this is so wonderful Caroline!!! what a fantastic painting...

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  8. Oh how I wish I could paint like you.

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  9. Oh goodness gracious! I am in complete AWE! I cannot believe how you captured the lighting. And the texture of that stem, right down to the nubbly cut end! WOW. The colors are gorgeous!

    I've never eaten one, but it looks yummy!

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  10. Caroline, I have a little something for you on my blog.

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  11. OMG, another "ces"??? Hey she is the one who 'sent' me, and I'll thank her some day, maybe in March 2011.
    That is because I'll be too busy checking YOUR blog so often!

    You are good painter, the lighting effects, and I love the way your backgrounds have become a part of the subject, and unobtrusively so.

    You can tell I'm a real 'art critic' right? --grin!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  12. the light, the shadows, the roundness, the color: ah, caroline. another beauty. i so wish i could watch you, and after that sit in your garden and have tea. i am channeling this idea.....

    happy birthday my sweet friend. i hope this half way mark is totally great :)

    love
    kj

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  13. AAAAAHHHH!!! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! All my best wishes to YOU!!!!!

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  14. Oh, your paintings is so gorgeous!! I just love the way you paint with watercolors! I wish I could... And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear friend!! Hope you have the most magical day!!! Love, Silke

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  15. How I envy your watercolour skills. I can almost taste it. Beautiful.

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  16. OOOoooo I have never heard of a mangosteen fruit, but I will tell you it's love at first sight! Oh such beeeeeutiful water colors. Ever so happy I came to visit the Birthday Girl! ♫♪ Happy Happy Birthday ♫♪
    **blows kisses** Deb

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  17. Beautious fruit! never heard of it...must have one now!

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  18. I've never heard of this fruit. It looks rich and delicious. How do you serve it?
    Your painting looks very real.

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  19. I have never heard of this kind of fruit, but the painting is lovely. And I like to see your studies with this fruit.

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  20. Hah! Caroline! You are now riding in the BBB Club Transporter! I added you. Hahahaha! Yes!

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  21. Woooaah, what a great surprise! I was bracing myself for another great watercolor masterpiece but I wasn't expecting my favorite fruit!

    I am currently doing a series of watercolors but I'm no longer sure if I'm doing it right when I saw this. This is just awesome Caroline. Can't wait to see the result of your experiment!:)

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  22. it's so beautiful! The skin reminds me of a pomegranate, but I've never seen nor heard of this fruit before - thank you for the introduction through your artist eye. I love your study of it very much!!
    and thank you for your visit and words...
    xox

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  23. What a beautiful painting and so interesting to see your study! They are even gorgeous!!
    Have been to Kuala Lumpur for the first time in 15 years last week. It was only a short trip and I was meeting a friend of mine there from Holland so I knew I wouldn't have any time to contact you. I hope to do so when I have a longer trip there ;)

    Hope you are ok and are having a wonderful week!!

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Thank you for passing by. I love to read your comments!

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