Acrylic watermelon slice painting with Jacklyn Foster

1. Paint the background

-     Dip your largest brush into Light Aquamarine

-     Cover the entire canvas with smooth, even strokes

-     Don't worry about making it too perfect-some visible brushstrokes add exciting texture!

-     Let the background dry completely before moving on to the next step

2. Sketch the watermelon

-     Using a small brush, outline a triangular watermelon slice in the centre of your canvas with Brilliant Red

-     Hold your brush lightly at the end for a looser feel

-     Aim for a slight curve at the bottom to give the slice its natural shape

3. Fill in the red flesh

-     Load your brush with Brilliant Red and fill in the inside of the watermelon slice

-     Let this layer dry slightly before adding more details

-     Take a small amount of Peach and gently blend it into the left side of the slice as a highlight

-     Use light, feathery strokes so it blends naturally with the red

4. Paint the rind

-     Using a fiat brush, fill in the rind with Hookers Green

-     Let the green dry before moving on to adding details

-     With a clean brush, take a small amount of Cream and gently brush it over parts of the rind for highlights

-     Use the same colour to paint a few vertical stripes along the rind to mimic a real watermelon's texture

-     Keep your linework uneven for a more organic look

5. Outline and add the seeds

-     Using a fine brush and Black, outline the edges of the watermelon slice and rind

-     Dot on teardrop-shaped seeds throughout the red section

-     Vary the size and placement to keep it looking natural

-     Let the seeds dry before adding highlights

-     Take a tiny amount of Titanium White paint and add small dots on each seed to give them dimension

6. Create a shadow

-     Mix a tiny bit of Cream with Hookers Green to create a mid-tone green

-     Apply this to the right side of the slice's rind for a shadow effect

-     Add a small triangle of the colour to the bottom right corner of the slice

-     Touch up the black outline once the shadow is dry if needed

7. Finish with texture in the background

-     Lightly dry brush some Titanium White over the aquamarine background for extra depth

-     To add a fun final touch, flick a little watered-down Titanium White onto your canvas to create a subtle splatter effect