Written by Today, we have a carton of fresh eggs in answer to the prompt. While I fully realize you wouldn’t encounter them like this on a nature hike, I’m just missing painting bits of everyday ordinary life. If you did happen upon these on a nature walk, well then that would have to be one well-organized hen. This evening, while I was quickly doodling this one, Philippe was watching a show in French about baby animals. While my French is still too poor to understand much of it, I kept getting distracted by all the shots of cute puppies and kittens. The little puppies in particular made me really want one. They were white and looked like tiny squinting polar bears and I was immediately in love with them. It would be amazing to raise a little pup from birth. But our own dog, Phineas, has a strict “no pets” policy and prefers being an only child, so that will have to be a dream realized sometime in the future. Also, a puppy is a lot of work, and we probably don’t have the time for that right now, so it’s just going on the bucket list instead. For the moment, I’ll have to suffice with watching them vicariously on French programs I can’t fully understand yet.
As for fresh eggs, I still remember those being collected by my grandmother on her farm. They came in a variety of different shades and colors, but most were a light brown with a bit of pinkish hue. Philippe was suspicious of the ultra-white eggs that dominate the stores here and are also the ones I grew up with most. While some hens lay white eggs and others brown, there has been a bit of bleaching in America that makes some eggs just a bit too white. A tad concerning considering how porous eggs can be, so Philippe’s fears are likely justified. But white eggs are a must if you intend to color eggs for Easter, so the whiter the better became the norm. For that, I certainly get it as having a nice white palette is a wonderful thing indeed. But when it comes to eating, we just go with farm fresh brown to avoid any doubt. I still remember when my grandmother collected them and came back with a basket full of treasures. I honestly didn’t want to eat them because I thought they contained babies.
It was years later I realized that hens lay eggs no matter what, and don’t require a rooster. This was a bit more comforting to be sure. But, still today I will tend to prefer fruits and vegetables first and foremost. Yet eggs are nearly always require for fabulous desserts, so I’m back in for those. It’s a strange thing indeed to think that life could actually form from something so fragile. And amazing at the same time. There are so many mysteries in the world that scientists are still discovering each and every day. The earth is positively brimming with mystery, just waiting to be explored. I think this is a thrilling thought and it makes life far more interesting. It would a bore to think we’ve discovered everything there is. There’s a comfort in knowing that there’s more we simply don’t know yet. It seems to be a human quest to uncover and reveal all that we can, but sometimes, the thrill lies simply in the unknowing. I’m happy to learn new things each and every day. For me, it feels like being truly alive. And the miracles of nature are constantly revealing themselves, as we humans catch up a bit and continue to discover fresh eggs.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Opus (Vivid Pink), Terra Cotta, and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Click here! |
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Yeah, gone are the days when you occasionally got an egg from the store that had a partially formed chicken. While those were terrible to encounter, I’m positive the eggs were far better for us! And hey! You paint styrofoam and eggshell as pretty as you do glass and steel!
hehe… yeah, I think I’m happy about the lack of partially formed chicken! lol But so prefer the farm eggs best! And thanks, Sandra! 😃💕I’ve never painted an egg carton before! hehe
Lovely painting – you always get the shadows just right!
Aww thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕
Love the eggs! I get fresh ones from locals here when I can. What a difference in taste!
Thanks, Karen! 😃💕 Yeah, the farm fresh version is always the best!!
And then there are the mysteries of the entire universe and beyond. I’m constantly astonished about all aspects of life, from the inception of stars to tiny bits of sand.
We buy brown eggs too – I love the warm shades of brown in each – and your carton is loaded with possibility.
Yeah, the mysteries of the universe are wide and complex for sure. I can barely remember to do the laundry so most of them escape me. But yay to the brown eggs! And a carton loaded with possibility… love that! 😃💕
Thanks so much Charlie to provide me thise box. The story of eggs and art is supp er the shaed of egg is very nice.
Excellent .
Aww thanks so much, Snehlata! 😃💕 So happy you enjoyed it! This was fun to paint!
Great job on these, Charlie. You observe and recreate the details of every subject. I can tell that you have a bank of lights in the room where you were painting, as each egg has several highlights. Your shadows on the carton give it dimension and texture.
Actually, I had a bank of lights in my head as we didn’t have a full carton so I have to use a reference as well and sort of make up the light! And I always tend to push shadows beyond their normal look… hehe Glad you liked it! 😃💕
Well done as always great shadows and highlights….must be a cheater dozen,
only 10. hehe
Thanks, Pamela! 😃💕 hehe… totally a cheater… or an artist without time to paint all 12. 😊lol
While I didn’t get to visit a farm as a child I did spend quite a bit of time in the woods (camping and fishing). Getting to see all the mysterious things found in nature are the foundation of some of my favorite childhood memories.
Aww yay! Those are definitely some of the best memories. I would have felt cheated if I only got to explore the city growing up! 😃💕
I like the eggs and the carton..but I can’t help myself from counting and the dozen is short two…and I’m wondering if you ate two while you were painting.
Lol… thanks, Kaye! 😃💕 Yeah, I tend to make fierce edits with my limited time to paint! hehe