the focal point

I drew nothing but fruits and vegetables during the first couple of years. This was partly because plenty of subject matter could always be found in my refrigerator. Another reason they are suitable subjects for a beginner is because you're supposed to determine the focal point of the subject and begin drawing the outline from there. For most fruits and vegetables, this is the stem, an easily identifiable part of the subject. Oh, just in case you haven't figured it out, this is a Japanese eggplant. I was rather pleased with the color. The more wobbly the outline the better. More on that later.