For this still life painting, I was exploring the idea of painting bunches and multiples, trying to find a formula that speeds things along. Cherry tomatoes make an excellent choice for a subject because they are so alike without much variation in shape and colour. Once you figure out the “colour recipes” for painting one successfully in light and shadow, it’s easy to tackle the rest of the bunch. But in a dramatic setup like mine, some demand more attention than others, like leading characters in a play.