Still-life

A Practical How-to
Things you will need to know!
● Light Source!
● Horizon
● Atmosphere
● Drama
● Objects!
Light Sources!
Contrasts add drama and depth.

Before you begin. Check your light source, make sure that you have one! (will be more
difficult with pencil but we’ll manage!
Horizon
We draw a still life from our own horizon line. So before we begin, we have to find the
angle that we want. Is it from above? More below? Straight on? Or even just from a more
interesting angle of the objects. The audience is seeing straight out of our eyes so what is
the best angle we can give them.

(not that we draw still-lives from odd angles. This is a trick to help you use a mental view-
finder to decide what it is you’re looking at.)
This one is from more up close From further up!
Atmosphere
● Lighting. Higher light might mean happy, lower light might mean sad, but not
necessarily!
● Think about warm (red oranges and yellows) and cool colors (blue, purple, dark
green). These can also change the atmosphere from something bright and lively to
calm and contemplative.
● Backgrounds dark or light?
● High-key paintings are light, evoking a more cheerful emotional response.
● Low-key more somber
On the left the artist is
using cool tones and
simple objects to create a
peaceful feeling with high-
key light. Evoking a sort
of “innocent” emotional
response/

This artist is
using a bright
light and
warm colors
to create a
calm. It’s all This artist is low-key lighting and darker
in the mixture colors to create a more somber response
of the light
and objects
you choose.
Drama!
● What is your “star”? The rest of the objects should be supporting actors.
● A strong focal point starts a conversation.
● It can be a single object, a dramatic reflection, or the interplay between objects (like
the candle one you’ll see on the left in the next slide!)
● You thought you’d escaped composition, eh?
● Remember your focal points, kids. Use strong lines to draw the eyes to your focal
point.
This artist is using triangular This artist is using strong lines to direct us towards the skull
composition to draw out his focal point with cellphone and cords. (as if we needed help finding it
Objects
Tell a story.

But take your time. Move things around. Explore your own painting.

Remember, lighter objects can help create lighter feelings, darker, more somber. New?
Old? What story do you want to tell?
Questions to ask yourself?
● Would a n element of a warm (red, yellow, orange) or cool (blue, purple, dark green)
color help balance the composition?
● Does the pattern of light and dark help keep the audience's eyes moving?
● Are the subtle areas of the painting to balance the more “active” features? Like,
fillers, in a sense.
● Is anything fighting for the focal point?
● No? Then continue my young apprentice.
Other things to help!
● Maybe start by objects that intersect the border.
● Check line angles with your pencil. It will help get perspective correct. Squint and hold up your
pencil to find the right angle in your model, then transfer the angle of the pencil to your paper
before trying to draw it.
● Work around the edge of each shape and move inwards. Shapes first. Then details
● Close one eye to help flatten perspective.
● Erase right away when something is wrong rather than try and correct it later!
● Include a full range of light and dark,
● Take breaks and enjoy yourself. Take it slow. Don’t get frustrated!