Warts and all...

So here is the pumpkin and the gourds- a bit of fun because of all the warts. They are still sitting in my studio but I guess they are destined for the compost box soon. Interesting to see the different shades of orange. I think the "Lanterns" painting is done now - although there will be one further "mull" and then I'll also see what the comments are at the critique. I'll have to buy some more mandarins if I want to paint some- the others have been eaten. I've been using pastels, rather than painting for figure studies again and I did two this past week - which have yet to be photographed- then I'll post them. The paper is easier to store than more canvases. Strangely, figure studies seem to sell in New York but not here on the West Coast. I wonder why? I was looking at some paintings by Milton Kobayashi. I like the way he crops the paintings tightly and has interesting space with the flat dark areas. I wonder why he exaggerates the lips so much? They have very red lipstick, very bowed mouths and quite full lips- basically all the models seem to have the same lips. -and then Malcolm Liepke has pretty well the same lips. Is this a male fantasy? I  might try tighter cropping but I think I"ll stay away from those lips.