Leftovers: Drawing and Other Stuff

Self Portrait, Charcoal 2013. UNFINISHED
That's quite a big schnoz you have my dear.

PRESCRIPT:  This charcoal drawing that should have taken no more than a few hours to finish is taking me days. It's a  leftover drawing in a house of leftovers and unfinished projects.

 I have been occupied with Seder preparations. I have been occupied with establishing my physical therapy stretches and exercises as a daily habit, (not easy given the lazy attitude I've developed over the years).  I have been reading American history and following up all the leads I found interesting--like the Louisiana Purchase, which stretched all the way down from Canada to Mexico. I have been trying to shake off this viral malady that won't quit.  So, I'm sorry I haven't been visiting you all lately. I have been passing by, but have left very few comments. All the art I've seen though is your usual, inspiring best. Please forgive me.

SEDER LEFTOVERS:  An exercise in photography/A Future in Painting.

Our Passover (Pesach) Seder is over All that's left, after a week of cooking, are leftovers. A favorite is my four layer sponge cake, an incredibly easy to throw-together-recipe, (for your pleasure, written out below), handed down from Roth mom to Roth mom. Light on substance using all low cal cool whip and pudding, it's light in calories. It went like hot cakes. All that was left after the family went home,  I photographed for a future 'Pastry Painting.'

The photograph featured above is my choice for an 10 x 30" stretched canvas. I could have used--needed-- a couple of key lights and the over-cake spot light was too hot to make this a good photograph, but as a reference, it will do just fine being  able to make those lighting corrections with paint values.

I took a total of eight shots using a tripod with the Nikon Coolpix L120 set on its automatic settings. The next thing to do before the cake is totally devoured, was to play with the settings and correct the lighting situation IF a handsome photograph was desired. It was not.  Ellis and I shared this last piece. The only adjustment I made on the computer was to crop and automatically correct. The photos from this camera set to auto always need added exposure. Keeping notes on how your camera operates at different setting is worthwhile.

LEMON STRAWBERRY SPONGE CAKE

Buy a sponge cake from the Passover aisle in the supermarket--the one with the hole in the middle. Take it home and slice it horizontally into four layers. Keep the layers in order as they fall for they are going to be restacked as they were.  Make two small packages of Jello Instant Lemon Pudding or one large one (serves eight) according to directions on the box. Spoon enough on the upper side of the bottom layer of sponge cake, spread to to cover--healthy spoonfuls that will drip over the side with the weight of the other cake layers as they are added on. Top with the next layer of sponge cake, repeat with the pudding. Top that with the next layer of sponge cake and repeat the pudding. Add the top layer of the sponge cake and press the stack down a bit so that pudding does over-spill  Use some toothpicks to hold the layers together (leave  them showing  so you'll know where they are and be able to pull them out). Put the layered cake in the fridge to allow the pudding to set. On the day of the Seder--or party,, ice all over with Cool Whip. Slice a box of  washed strawberries  and fill the center hole of the cake to overflowing.  Serve when ready for a low cal, Parave dessert--or just a low cal dessert that tastes special. It's sort of a lemon strawberry short cake--only the short cake isn't short and is much better than those bisquity, hard kind where you put syrupy strawberries on to soften it up and top it with whipped cream.