Meditation: Five Yams

The longer and more closely I looked at them, the more animate the yams seemed to me -- almost like beached whales or a group of seals or porpoises sunning themselves.... Dear little yams!

Meditation: Butternut Squash

Today's subject

The shape of the squash is uncomplicated, but not so its dessicated leaf and tightly spiralled tendrils. Doing a pure contour drawing (not looking at the drawing but only at the subject while doing the drawing), I had lines going all over the place.

Pure contour

Detail of pure contour

Subject detail

Drawing detail

Doing an accurate botanical rendition of this leaf would take sharper eyes than mine. I must be content with somewhat impressionistic drawing.

Drawing detail #2

Drawing detail #3

Before blending

The left-hand contour has less awkwardness than the right, which I tried to correct after making the first heavy line, but overall the squash looks like the squash. I'll just add that butternut squash makes a delicious curried soup.

After blending