This subject was painted from a Cycad which grew in my garden in Lemon Tree Passage.
it is fascinating as an "old-world" palm-like specimen.
It weighed about 1.5kg and for months I carried this seed pod around wrapped in an old soft towel to protect its seed pods.
Finally it dried out sufficiently to start dropping its pods, by which time I had used it sufficiently to complete the painting.
I admit to going cross-eyed from time to time trying to work out just where I was in the pattern of pods :)
I persisted and I am pleased to say that I am quite pleased to have finished the challenge and have it hanging on my wall.