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Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Ode to a Tomato



My first tomato in the patch out back, ripening on the bush, drawn for the Everyday Matters Weekly Challenge. It was pointed out by another EDM group member (who also drew a tomato for the vegetable challenge) that tomatoes are actually fruit, not vegetables. Oh well.

I was really taken by the play of light and shadow when I saw this, and did the underpainting very quickly in the back yard. The rest of the sketch was completed later on in the week at the breakfast nook table, and I think I lost the freshness of what I'd originally intended. It looks incomplete to me, but it also is beginning to look muddy and overworked, so I quit painting and am now just, well, considering things.

Meanwhile, this tomato in real life was viciously attacked by hungry non-human creatures just as it turned truly red.

Other stuff this week: We finally got high-speed internet. I've spent more time than I care to tell surfing around the net and reading old e-mails from friends who send links to sites with funny videos. I could never watch them before, so now I've caught up.

I read The Painted Garden, a great art / gardening journal sent by L, and am truly enjoying the inspiration. Thank you so much!

We found a great peach ice cream recipe -- very easy to make, fast, and light in texture since a custard isn't used in the making. Not the recipe for you if your favorite ice cream is a heavy Ben and Jerry's flavor ... it will be more to your liking if you tend to think ice cream is just a bit too rich.

2 1/2 pounds peached sliced
3/4 - 1 cup of sugar (to taste)
1 pint half-and-half cream

Puree the above in batches in a blender or food processor (I like the food processor -- it leaves better "chunks"). Pour the peach mix into a gallon ice-cream freezer container, and add:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 - 3 cups whole milk (as needed to fill to the fill line)

Freeze according the ice cream freezer instructions.
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16 comments:

Laureline said...

Linda, what a lovely tomato! You're really showing the good stuff about watercolor in this and the peach and other entries! Glad you like the book ;D. And thank you SO much for the ice cream recipe. I'll try it this weekend, after my trip to the farmers' market!

Anonymous said...

A luscious tomato and an ice cream recipe to boot. What could be more delectable? I really like the way you've kept the white on the side of the tomato for that sun-drenched look. Beautiful.

Carolyn A. Pappas said...

I too have a tendency to overwork my watercolors, but this doesn't look bad at all. In fact, I really like it.

Laurent Peters said...

I wanted to draw a tomato for this challenge too, but when I see how you succeeded, I could change my mind; I don't think mine could be nicer than this one.

vfm4 said...

that's really lovely, the transparancy and depth and form are superb!

Lindsay said...

Really lovely sketch

Anonymous said...

This looks superb! Love the color of the tomato.

Cin said...

don't think it looks "muddy or overworked" at all, on the contrary, beautiful variety of colors, the tomato looks yummy!

Linda said...

Thank you all so much! It is especially good to have so much encouragement and support during this learning phase with watercolors. It keeps me going!

Jim Bumgarner said...

Another quality "Quotidian" entry into the annals of the EDMG! Lovely tomato, Linda, and I will print the recipe and surprise my wife with what looks to be a wonderful bit of summer refreshment. I love the way your watercolors present themselves. Nice job!!

Shelly McC said...

Wow! Love this painting!

Anonymous said...

gorgeous painting. Love the colors. Great work.

Chuck Rose said...

I think this is probably the best piece I have seen you do. It looks very finished to me. I'd love to have it on my wall.

Nicely done!

Maybe YOU should paint my cabinet doors. :-)

Terri said...

I love the way you've captured the light on this tomato. Job well done!

Julie Durocher said...

I so love this painting of the tomato...the colors are awesome.

Lindsay said...

Linda! thanks for your kind comments! Yours was my inspiration..... I feel like I got the leaves too muddy. Your's looks so much fresher...but I 'm working on another..Practice practice.