“Eat Pray Love” – EAT Painting

Daily Inspiration
Line up your energy before taking action. Imagine, envision, dream, see the best possible outcome in your mind first. Use all your senses to feel how you want to feel. Then, when you’re ready to take action, you’ll come from a place of inspiration, not motivation.

This September I’m starting a paint meme –

 A Passion for Paint.

Any paint projects are welcome – furniture, walls, spray painting, crackle – you name it! So, please check back!


This is my first painting in the series, “Eat Pray Love,” based upon the book/movie. I thought it’d be fun to have 3 paintings, similar, yet different – just like the book/movie.

Have you seen the movie yet? I’m dying to see it, but I’m not a real movie-goer, so I just may wait ‘til it comes out on DVD.


This is the line art I did to start with. Just a simple plate, fork, tomato & a sprig of basil.


First, I basecoated the canvas with Yellow Ochre & then a wash of Raw Sienna. Those colors seem to have Italy, India & Bali feelings to me. All 3 paintings in the series have the same background. Then I transferred the pattern with graphite paper.

I actually took these picture from the video I shot. No, it’s not ready yet. I’ll post it when it is. I have to put on my ‘big girl’ pants and learn how to edit video, I guess.


I ‘underpainted’ the plate with Mudstone – kind of a taupe color. I use Mudstone for any shading with White.


Then I applied Light Ivory. It’s not as bright as white, but not as yellow as Ivory.



I reapplied Mudstone to the inner rim.


It’s hard to tell from these pictures, but the White made the plate look more dimensional.


For some reason, I didn’t shoot the steps to paint the fork. This painting/videoing/talking thing is going to take a little practice!

Anyway, I basecoated it with Charcoal Gray, then added a lighter grey, then highlighted with White. It’s just like coloring, only with a paintbrush.

I used Tomato Spice for the tomato. It’s a wonderful red by Ceramcoat, but any red will do.


After I painted the leaves, I added highlights to both the leaves & the tomato with Yellow Ochre.


Next I just topcoated the leaves with the original green, the tomato with Tomato Spice and added a White to the tomato for a little pop.

It was really simple & fun. I think it’s an easy PIY (paint it yourself) project, if you want to give it a try. I’ll have this available as a video kit, as soon as I get the editing thing down.

Here’s my question – do you like it with just the plate, fork & tomato?



Or do you like ‘eat’ across it? I added ‘eat’ in Photoshop. Much easier than painting it, although it really doesn’t have the same effect.

So which do you like better?

‘Pray’ is next, and then ‘Love’!

I’m linking up to these parties today. Lots of great projects!





Colleen