How long did it take you to paint this?

I often hear, "How long did it take you to do that painting?" I will share a little of the process for this pair of vegetable paintings. 
First, one day I was inspired by two red buckets full of vegetables that I had picked from the garden. I loved the way the sun was hitting the vegetables and shining through the bucket so took a bunch of photos inside and outside of my front door. Then I selected my favorites, messed with the lighting on my computer and then cropped the photos into being square since I thought that shape fit the subject. Next I bought a couple of deep-wrapped canvas and did an orange underpainting - showing here - and then sketched on the subject trying to catch the pattern of light and dark. Then I get to paint! In oils, first dark and working lighter. I have the zucchini and cucumbers pretty well done and the shadows. Now for the tomatoes and red basket. 

Here is the nearly finished pair hanging in my studio.  To answer the question of time, paint and brush time was about 20 hours - or about 40 years of experience!