Still Life

What is Still life?

A bowl of fruit, a banquet table
festooned with game, a pile of
books: though they may seem
simple, everyday objects are still
worthy of an artist’s brush or
photographer’s lens.
They can evoke a mood,
demonstrate an artist’s skill, and
remind you of life’s hidden and
temporary beauty. A work of art
that depicts collections of
objects is called “still life.
The term “still life” describes a work
of art that shows inanimate objects
from the natural or man-made
world, such as fruit, flowers, dead
game, and/or vessels like baskets or
bowls. Looked at another way: still
life depict things that are “still”
which basically doesn’t move.”
With origins in the medieval
ages and ancient antiquity,
still-life painting emerged, it
was not until
the Renaissance that still life
emerged as an
independent genre, rather
than existing primarily as a
subsidiary element in a
composition.
It began withNetherlandish painting of the 16th and 17th
centuries, and the English term still life derives from the
Dutch word “Stilleven”. Early still-life paintings. particularly
before 1700, often contained religious and allegorical
symbolism relating to the objects depicted.
Here is some of the type of still life for this
discussion.
Flower
Pieces
These artworks focus on bouquets or
vases of full bloom. These pieces'
vibrant and colorful nature brings a
sense of freshness and vitality to any
space. Artists often use different
types of flowers with unique shapes
and colors to create a visually
appealing composition. The flowers
can be arranged in various ways, from
a simple bouquet in a vase to a
sprawling arrangement that fills the
entire canvas.
Banquet or
Breakfast Pieces
These artworks depict arrangements
of food and household items. The
subject matter can range from a
simple breakfast setting to a lavish
banquet spread. These pieces can add
a touch of sophistication and elegance
to your dining area or kitchen. The
artist's skill in rendering the textures
and colors of different food items, as
well as the shine of glassware or the
texture of table linens, can make these
paintings incredibly realistic and
enticing.
Symbolic
Paintings
This category uses different objects to
convey deeper meanings or narratives. A
typical example is vanitas paintings, which
focus on the fleetingness of life. These
pieces can provoke thought and
conversation, making them ideal for
spaces where you entertain guests. The
objects in these paintings are carefully
chosen and arranged to convey a specific
message or theme. The interpretation of
these symbols can vary, adding a layer of
complexity and intrigue to these artworks.
How to make a still life art step by step
1. Starting a still life In any still life, you should start to draw
the objects as if they are transparent
drawing wire frame forms with visible lines of
construction. This technique helps you
to be fully aware of the shape of each
individual form and its position in
relation to the other forms.

- It is important to sketch the objects

lightly as this makes it easier to change
any mistakes and erase any lines of
construction.

- This see-through drawing

technique uses vertical and horizontal
lines of construction to help you to draw
convincing ellipses and to balance the
symmetry of cylindrical forms.
2. Creating an When composing a still life, try to
introduce the qualities that make an
interesting composition interesting arrangement.

- You need to be aware of the

abstract structure of your
arrangement: its balances and
contrasts of line, shape, tone, color,
pattern, texture and form.

- A transparent wire frame

approach to sketching the still life
helps you to organize the
composition of the group. It makes
it easier to see the shape, position
and proportions of each object in
relation to its neighbors.
3. Erasing the lines
Once you are happy with the
of construction shape, proportion and
composition of the still life,
you can erase its lines of
construction. This will leave
you with an accurate outline
of each form and the
confidence that all the
objects are positioned
correctly.
- You are now ready to
work on the details of each
object.
4. Adding the Now lightly sketch in the
details in line shapes of any shadows or
reflections onto each
object.
- The more care you
take over the accuracy of
these marks, the easier
you will find the next
stage of the drawing -
the shading of tones.
5. Shading (Stage 1)
The tone of our still life is
built up in four stages
outlined in Steps 5 - 8.
- In this step, some
basic tones are lightly
applied to each object to
help build up its 3-D form.
 The second stage in building up the
tone focuses on the spaces between
6. Shading (Stage 2) and around the objects.

- The drawing of the light and shade

between the objects must be treated
with as much importance as the
drawing of the objects themselves.

- The shadows cast beneath and

around the objects add as much to the
definition of their shapes as does the
shading of their surfaces.
- Notice how the counter-
change of tones between the objects
and their surrounding spaces takes over
from the use of line to define their
forms.
 In the third stage of building up the
tone, you focus back on the objects.
7. Shading (Stage 3)
- This time you deepen their tone,
increasing the contrast between the
areas of dark and light. This will
enhance the form of the objects and
increase their impact.

The biggest problem at this stage is

maintaining a balance of tones
across the whole still life so that no
object appears too dark or too light.
You are searching for a unity of tone
and form.
 Finally, you focus again on the spaces
between the objects, deepening their
8. Shading (Stage 4) tones and increasing their contrast.

- You need to be careful in balancing

the tonal values of the objects and the
spaces between them to ensure that
you create a unified image.

- The Finished Still Life: The

completed still life should work on two
levels: as a realistic representation of
the group of objects and as a dynamic
composition of visual elements,
harmonizing and contrasting the use of
line, shape and tone.
That’s all for today folks!!!

Any questions?
Activity
Draw a still life based
on the object on the
table.