Red Bell Peppers Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Red Bell Peppers

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Red Pepper” today, I made a quick little doodle of a couple of bell peppers. I’m a huge fan of eating this type of pepper, but I actually love really spicy peppers as well. In truth, there’s not a pepper I can think of that I don’t enjoy. The other awesome thing about adding these to a dish is that is adds a lot of fun color to the mix. I still remember Philippe arriving from Paris and remarking on some of the plates of American food that he saw. He complained that there wasn’t enough color on the plates, and this is often rather true. I was recently trying to talk him into ordering takeout from one of the fried chicken places I loved when I was a kid. Though he looked at me sideways as ever at first, he told me to pull up the site so he could see the menu. This, I knew, would be my downfall, but I dutifully did as he asked. There was an audible gasp as he scrolled through plates of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, and coleslaw.

I then feebly pointed out that there was a bit of color in the coleslaw and he squinted to try to find it. Then he asked me, “what’s it swimming in?” I told him I had no idea, but nobody in my family ever really liked the stuff. “But what did you eat for a vegetable?” I just shrugged and returned, “Potatoes?” He shook his head as one might when not having the energy in that moment to explain something to a child. Needless to say, I didn’t get my wish. At least, not on that occasion, but as always I have infinite hope that I’ll get to experience it again one day. In truth, it’s been years since I’ve had fried chicken. It wasn’t something we ever really made at home when I was a kid. And though it’s likely not the healthiest menu item around, it’s still really delicious. Thankfully, Philippe knows how to cook any vegetable on the planet and make it takes amazing, so dinner is always a wonderful treat.

Yet, during this time of social distancing, I’ve gotten extra nostalgic when it comes to food. It’s not just the things I had in my childhood anymore, but even restaurants that I used to visit often. There’s a Thai food restaurant I adore and I’m sad that I can’t visit anymore. Other restaurants I enjoyed have closed indefinitely, and won’t be returning at all. Yet, someday in the far future, new things will certainly return in their place. Our local farmer’s market will be reopening soon, but we will probably wait a bit longer before returning. In the meantime, Philippe will just have to put up with my childish whims when it comes to food. Thankfully, he made broccoli mac and cheese last night without waiting for me to beg for it. Though, it’s really all become a bit of a game to see what odd thing I’ll request next. In truth, I’m actually quite content with my lovely colorful plates, while enjoying the beauty of red bell peppers.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Red, Vermilion,  Leaf Green and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink  in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Red Bell Peppers Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Red Bell Peppers”

  2. I have to laugh in a way, because we did have fried food quite often when I was a child, and I remember the pot of lard that sat next to the stove. After cooking the grease would be returned to the pot for the next time. Makes me shudder to think of it now, but that’s the way it used to be done. I wonder if there was some hidden health benefit but it makes me shudder all the same.

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  3. I just got one today in the groceries. The thing I didn’t get was oranges. I mainly wanted them to feed to the orioles, but I would have eaten a couple myself. We had salmon and asparagus tonight for dinner along with some Oreos for dessert. They were calling my name when I put in the grocery order, so I got them. Otherwise it’s mostly healthy stuff because that’s what happens when I shop from home and am not tempted by all the eye candy in the store. I bought the stuff for red beans and rice, which is undeniably ugly, but it tastes so good.

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  4. These are beautiful Charlie! We are fortunate here as many of the local restaurants have figured out takeout so we try to do that once or twice a week to help support the local businesses. Tonight was Thai so I did eat some sweet red peppers.

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  12. Beautiful, even for peppers. I love seeing them all lined up in the store. All the colors are so pretty. You know you are an artist when you notice all the colors in the vegetable section. Haha!

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  14. Love red bell peppers, the red color zinging loudly. All that gorgeous shine! So vibrant! And I agree with Philippe about the color on a dinner plate – variety is appealing. If something is going to be all white, I’d rather it be vanilla ice cream.

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