How to Create an Interesting Still Life

Whether you are just learning to draw or paint or have many years of experience under your belt, a still life is an excellent way to practice your rendering skills. Unlike working on location or from a live model, you can control the weather, keep the lighting consistent, and your subject is unlikely to fidget, want to chat, or need a potty break. But do be aware that for an interesting picture, you must have an interesting still life; you can’t just throw things on a table and call it good. Here are some suggestions to make your still life setup creative, interesting and well-balanced.

Variation. This is the main watchword for still lives; variety is the spice of life, and a still life needs spice, too! Give the viewer some different things to look at by varying the sizes, shapes, textures and colors of your setup. Imagine how a brilliant, velvety red rose would look against a fuzzy white shawl, with a shiny black glazed pitcher in the background! Make sure you use contrast to your advantage—don’t make everything light, or dark, or soft, or shiny. Mix it up and your picture will be much more lively!

Elevation. Also when setting up your still life subject, try to vary the elevations, as well—either use taller things to contrast with shorter, or use props to create different levels. For example, you could place boxes of different sizes under a drape and arrange items on the differing levels created, or you could stack smaller things on books of varying sizes.

Focal Point. While you do want a variety of objects in your picture, you should give the viewer something to home in on so that your picture draws attention in the first place. You will want to have one main subject to act as the star of the show, and once the viewer is drawn by this, the supporting players will be there to add variety and interest. The best results are usually obtained by selecting one really fascinating piece, such as a gorgeous cut-glass vase or a brightly-colored kite, then choosing a few other items that provide contrast in color, size and texture. In this picture by French painter Anne Vallayer-Coster, the ham is clearly the star of the show, but there are a lot of supporting players that add a variety of textures, colors and shapes to create interest. 

Themes. Most people think of a vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit when they think of a still life subject (or both, as seen in the picture at top, by Flemish artist Clara Peeters). These are fine, but you should also try to come up with more creative setups. Pick a theme for your still life, and then try to come up with all the things that could fit the theme. You might choose music as a theme, and you could feature a beautiful old violin as your main subject and then add in the bow, some sheet music, a metronome, a pair of opera glasses and some white gloves. You could pick food as the theme, but instead of the typical bowl of fruit, you could use vegetables instead, or even candy displayed in different dishes and scattered across a cloth. As a student, I drew a still life of the “heavy metal” theme, composed of spiked and studded leather cuffs and belts from my own rockin’ wardrobe!

Personalization. Did you know that you can actually make a portrait out of a still life setup? Instead of making a direct likeness of your sitter, use meaningful objects from their life, such as mementos, awards, and any items that reflect their personal interests or hobbies. If your client is a baseball enthusiast, for example, you could make a still life from their own collection: maybe an autographed ball or glove, a pennant from a favorite team, a pair of tickets and a game schedule, even a box of Wheaties with their hero on the front. Or instead of a theme, use many different items to represent all of their interests, like posters of favorite movies, favorite books, musical instruments, travel souvenirs and so forth. Use your imagination and get creative! This is a great way to make a special, personalized picture for someone who is shy or uncomfortable with the idea of having their portrait made.

Now that you know that still lives can be so much more than just a bunch of flowers or a bowl of fruit, go find yourself some cool African sculpture, antique beer steins or carved wooden toys and set up something that will really make an interesting picture. After all, if it ain’t creative, it ain’t art!

See my breakdown of a Vincent vanGogh's still life, here:  http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2014/11/van-goghs-stillleben-mit-gelbem.html

Make sure your still life has a strong focal point! These tips will help: http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/05/painting-composition-101-creating.html

At top:  Still life painting by Flemish painter Clara Peeters, from Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clara_Peeters_-_basket_of_fruit_with_a_tazza_holding_grapes_a_bouquet_of_flowers_and_a_flagon_WA1940.2.61.jpg

Still life with ham by French painter Anne Vallayer-Coster, from Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Still_Life_with_a_Ham.jpg

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Learning to Draw: First Step? Have the Right Attitude

In my experience as an artist, I have frequently mused at the reactions of people to my drawing ability. Many people treat me with almost a kind of reverence, like I'm a precious creature with secret, magical powers. And my students occasionally express shock and, well, awe after I have illustrated a concept with a quick yet accurate drawing, seemingly effortlessly. I certainly don't mean to intimidate them; I hope that instead they will learn that since it's easy for me, it will be easy for them, too, if they keep at it.

It is easy, after you've been practicing for years! But practice, not some magic lightning bolt of talent, is what will polish your skills and make drawing second nature to you. In my case, my mom was an artist, so I had a natural environment of support and development growing up. Furthermore, I attended an excellent art school at which I received top-notch instruction.

So, look at it this way: Suppose my fluent Russian impresses you. But if my mom spoke fluent Russian, it would be no surprise to hear that I grew up speaking Russian, and if I also managed to attend Russian school to perfect my Russian, I doubt you'd think my fluency was an amazing, God-given talent. You might be impressed by my achievement, but you wouldn't be discombobulated by it, and most importantly, you wouldn't think you couldn't possibly do the same thing yourself, if you wanted to.

And yet, I run into this attitude so frequently from my beginning students. I even get it myself, from time to time: I see a piece of artwork that is so creative and well-executed that I think, "I could never do that!" And yet, I could do it; it's just a matter of investing the time and energy in acquiring the necessary skill, so I correct myself and never say never. Because I think in a positive way, when I see really cool artwork by other people, I don't compare my own unfavorably--indeed, I feel very inspired to do more of my own!

The process of creating artwork can be kind of frustrating, even for very experienced people, but it is greatly rewarding. Very often when I am working in a medium that has to be layered to be properly developed, like paint or pastel, I will find myself at an intermediate stage wherein my sketch has been obscured, but the picture isn't developed enough to look like anything yet, least of all the subject, and I will have a small attack of conniptions, thinking, "Good grief, what a mess! This isn't working at all-what was I thinking?"

Then, after I remind myself that I go through that "awkward phase" with almost every picture and they always seem to turn out fine, I calm down and see things through. The final product almost always satisfies me completely, and it always amazes me to think I got a finished piece of artwork out of a piece of paper or canvas and a handful of art supplies. I might be tired or drained afterward, but it's a good kind of tired, like you feel after a killer workout, knowing you've accomplished something. Even if the picture comes out unsuccessfully, you have still gotten the practice, the experience, and learned which approaches don't work, which is actually an important step in the learning process.

So, instead of being intimidated when you are learning how to create art, why not be excited? A whole new world is opening up to you, and there are so many things you can learn and do in that world! After all, you fell on your bum a lot when you were learning to walk and thought nothing of it. Why not take the inevitable drawing errors in stride as well, knowing you'll get better?

And see, that's the coolest part of all, and it's what should make you delighted to keep practicing: You will only get better. It's like riding a bicycle; you can't "unlearn" it. You can improve your skills with every single drawing you do. Isn't that neat? I think so. And once you acquire your skills, you don't lose them; you just continue to build on the foundation. So don't be intimidated, be excited, and get out there and do some art!

For more art instruction:
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-have-been-professional-portrait.html
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/03/figure-drawing-101-wacky-secrets-of.html
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/05/figure-drawing-101-so-you-wanna-be.html
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/05/painting-composition-101-creating.html

Image is my original work. Copyright law prohibits any reproduction of this work without my written permission. 

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Painting Composition 101: Creating a Strong Focal Point

Every representational painting (that is to say, a painting that represents something specific, rather than a purely abstract painting) has a subject or several subjects. Some paintings have a simple composition with one easily defined subject, such as Leonardo da Vinci's portrait of the Mona Lisa, but many other paintings have several characters or objects, and, in general, just a lot of stuff going on. There may be a great deal to look at in a busy picture, but to capture the eye of the viewer, a painting must have a well-defined focal point. Once the eye is arrested by this focal point, the viewer will stay to take in the rest of your artwork.

To determine your focal point, decide what or who should be the star of the show. Pictures of the Assumption, for example, generally put the spotlight on Mary, but you might consider putting the focus on a watching child, to show that the event is being seen from her perspective.

Once you have selected your focal point, you can go about emphasizing it with one or more of the following techniques:

Framing Device. Set off your subject by placing it within a picture element that serves as a natural frame: a doorway or archway, a window, an arching tree branch or spray of flowers, a bonnet or helmet around a face. You can even use an actual frame, such as a mirror's reflection or someone standing in front of a framed picture.

Movement. In Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper, perspective is used to guide the eye toward the focal point. The lines of the walls and ceiling diminish toward the vanishing point, which happens to be face of Jesus Christ. In addition to the basic movement, Leonardo also has some of the disciples literally pointing at or reaching toward Jesus, which naturally leads the eye back again and again. Leonardo also uses a framing device, in that Jesus is seated in front of a window in the center of the painting.

Color. An effective way to attract attention to your focal point is the use of color. If your painting is full of blues and greens, as is a typical landscape, a red barn or bright yellow sunflower will provide an eye-catching burst of contrasting color (although be aware that a red barn is an extremely cliché subject). The color doesn't have to be bright, though, just different: In Vincent van Gogh's painting, Les Irises, a lone white iris stands out from its colorful bluish-purple peers and the reddish-orange ground because it is so singular.

Contrast. Along the same lines, contrast can be employed to pick out your main subject, as well. Putting something light in a dark area or something dark in a light area will draw the eye like a target. Most creatures, including people, are instinctively drawn to eyes (and Nature exploits this fact by equipping some animals with an "eye spot" pattern that can help them escape or intimidate predators), because there is such contrast in an eye (even fingernails and teeth are not as naturally white as an eyeball, nor is anything on the body as black as a pupil). In The Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David's picture of three Roman brothers swearing upon their swords, which their father holds. The swords are shown shining brightly against a dark background. They are further framed by an archway, and if that weren't enough to establish them as the focal point, movement is also used, as both the father and his sons stretch their arms out toward the swords as the oath is sworn.

 Definition. The relative amount of definition, or detail, can be used to home in on a focal point, much like one's eye focuses naturally on a subject of interest and lets the other stuff blur out a bit. In Portrait of a Madwoman, Géricault renders the face of his subject with incredible sensitivity to detail, showing the rough, age-spotted skin of her face, her red-rimmed eyes and querulous expression perfectly. Her white cap (a framing device) is shown in slightly lesser detail, and the farther one travels from her face, the less focus there is: Her brown mantle is barely indicated in loose brushstrokes, and the background is featureless black.

Size. Just as with a contrast in color or level of detail, a dramatic difference in size can draw the eye to a focal point. A watermelon among oranges would certainly stand out, but a focal point doesn't have to be the picture's largest item, just the most singularly different in size. An orange among watermelons would command attention just as effectively.

Finally, there is Placement. There is always a "sweet spot" on a typical rectangular page or canvas to which the gaze normally gravitates. On both "landscape" (horizontal) and "portrait" (vertical) orientations, that spot is about one third down the center of the page. The hilts of the swords and the father's raised hand are in the "sweet spot" in The Oath of the Horatii, above. The portraits of the Mona Lisa and the madwoman, above, have the faces located there. Armed with the knowledge that people will naturally tend to look in that area first, you can plan your composition to put the focal point there. But do not feel locked in to that particular spot; with the use of contrast, framing, movement, or the other techniques I've discussed here, you can direct the eye to your preferred location, and very often an "off-center" focal point makes for a more dynamic composition.

Whatever methods you choose to enhance your painting, always be open to experimentation, and keep making art!

Want more art instruction? Check out the following articles:

 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/05/figure-drawing-101-so-you-wanna-be.html
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/03/figure-drawing-101-wacky-secrets-of.html
 http://allsortsartbyali.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-have-been-professional-portrait.html

 All images are in the public domain and can be found on Wikimedia Commons

For regular shenanigans, please follow my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/allsortsofart