Elena Rossi
Setting up a still life for painting can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It is important to consider the composition, which refers to the pictorial structure, including the arrangement of colours and values in an image, as well as the movement of the viewer's eye. Lighting is also a crucial factor, as it can reveal form or emphasise flat shapes in the composition. Artists should also be mindful of the space around the objects, as too little space can cause the image to feel cramped and awkward. When it comes to supplies, it is recommended to use artist-quality oil paint and a variety of brushes to create different textures and strokes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lighting | Directional light reveals form strongly, while ambient indirect light emphasises flat shapes |
| Composition | Simple or complex arrangement of objects, with careful consideration of sizes, heights, shapes, widths, depth, and tilts |
| Colour | Analogous or complementary colour schemes can be used to direct the viewer's eye |
| Brushwork | Start with loose gestural brushmarks, building up detail as you work through the painting |
| Materials | Oil or acrylic paints, with a variety of brushes for different textures and strokes |
| Perspective | The painter's position relative to the setup affects illusions of depth and form |
| Space | Avoid cropping through the centre of an object or along its edges to prevent awkwardness |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a colour scheme
One way to choose a colour scheme is to use a colour wheel. This will help you identify colours that complement each other and create a harmonious composition. For example, in a fruit still life, you might choose to pair red and green colours together, as seen in the classic combination of red apples and green grapes. You can also use the colour wheel to create an analogous colour scheme, where all the colours are from one section of the wheel. This can create a sense of unity and cohesion in your painting.
Another factor to consider when choosing a colour scheme is the lighting of your still life setup. The direction and temperature of your light source will affect the colours in your composition, so it's important to experiment with different lighting setups before deciding on your colour scheme. For example, a directional light source can reveal form and create strong shadows, while ambient indirect light can emphasise flat shapes and softer colours.
It's also important to think about the character and colours of the objects you are using in your still life. Consider the underlying shape structures, textures, proportions, and colours of your objects, and how you can use colour to create a sense of balance and harmony in your composition. For example, you might choose to use a single object as the focal point of your painting, using complementary colours to draw the viewer's eye to this object.
Finally, don't be afraid to experiment with different colour schemes and lighting setups. Still life painting is a creative process, and there are no hard and fast rules. By trying out different combinations of colours and lighting, you can discover unique and unexpected compositions that reflect your personal artistic style.
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Lighting and shadows
When setting up your lighting, consider whether you want to use directional or ambient light. A strong directional light can reveal form, while ambient, indirect light can emphasise flat shapes in the composition. The placement of your light source can also affect illusions of depth and form. For example, a traditional Renaissance perspective involves positioning the light source far enough away from the subject to capture it in its entirety in one glance. This also refers to the height or position of a table and its objects being of median height relative to the viewer’s gaze. Too high or too low can damage the orderly sense of depth. The closer and higher the light source is to the subject, the more depth is potentially lost.
You can also manipulate the lighting to control the viewer's gaze. Using light and colour, you can direct the viewer's eye to a specific focal point in the composition. For example, in a still life featuring a red apple, you could place a green apple next to it to draw attention to it, as green is the complementary colour of red.
Additionally, consider creating a lightbox to control the lighting in your setup. This can be done by using a sturdy box, such as a grocery box, and a light source with a diffuser. You can experiment with the light temperature by adjusting the warm and cool knobs to achieve the desired effect.
When painting, start with light colours and gradually darken areas that you want to have more impact and focal points. Save your lightest values and highlights until last to maximise depth in your painting. Take breaks and let each layer dry before glazing and layering on more paint.
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Object arrangement
When setting up objects for a still life, it is important to consider the arrangement, lighting, and colour palette. The arrangement of objects can be simple, with a single object, or complex, with multiple objects. The placement of objects relative to each other and the canvas impacts the balance of the composition. To achieve harmony, consider the sizes, heights, shapes, widths, depth, and tilts of the objects.
A "still life setup hack" is to use a lazy Susan or revolving tray to place objects on and view them from different angles. This allows you to examine the setup from 360 degrees before deciding on the final composition.
The lighting in a still life is crucial. Directional light can reveal form, while ambient indirect light can emphasise flat shapes. The position of the painter relative to the setup also affects the illusions of depth and form. A traditional Renaissance perspective involves positioning the viewer's eye far enough to see the whole setup at once. The height of the objects should be at a median height relative to the viewer's gaze to maintain a sense of depth and aerial perspective.
When considering colour, you can choose an analogous colour scheme, with colours from one section of the colour wheel, or a complementary colour scheme, with colours from opposite sides of the wheel.
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Brushwork techniques
When painting reflective surfaces like glass or metal, you need to consider the play of light and shadow. Start by laying in the dark tones first using techniques like colour blocking or cross-hatching to add dark shadows. Then, add highlights with white paint or the natural white of the paper to create the lightest tones. For mid-tones, add grey where the reflected shadows are. Understanding the light source and its direction will help you accurately capture the light, dark, and mid-tones in your painting.
The thickness of your brushstrokes can also impact the overall effect. For still life paintings, using thicker brushwork for lights and highlights can create a sense of elegance and harmony. This technique, known as "impasto," adds texture and dimension to your work.
Additionally, the angle and perspective you choose will influence the mood and composition of your painting. A bird's-eye view will give your objects a two-dimensional effect, while a high viewpoint will make them appear larger and more dominant. Playing with different angles and perspectives can help you find the most appealing composition.
Finally, adding movement and energy to your still life can be challenging due to the static nature of the objects. However, you can create a sense of movement by including fabric with drapes or incorporating smoke from candles, as the Dutch masters did. Placing objects slightly off-centre can also add a sense of energy and change the balance and harmony of your composition.
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Compositional structure
When setting up a still life composition, it is important to consider the placement of objects relative to each other and to the canvas. This impacts the balance within the composition. A single object, such as a vase of flowers, is simpler to arrange than a complex grouping of multiple objects. To create harmony in the composition, carefully consider the sizes, heights, shapes, widths, depth, and tilts of the objects.
The point of view and perspective are also crucial. The height and position of the objects relative to the viewer's gaze can affect the sense of depth and perspective. For example, the traditional Renaissance perspective involves positioning the viewer's eye far enough away from the subject to see it as a whole in one glance. Deviating too high or too low from this median height can disrupt the sense of depth.
Additionally, the arrangement of objects in the foreground, mid-ground, and background can create depth in the composition. This can be achieved through object stacking, where objects are placed in front of or on top of each other.
Lighting plays a significant role in still life compositions. Directional light can strongly reveal form, while ambient indirect light can emphasise flat shapes. The use of light and colour can be strategically employed to guide the viewer's eye and create focal points within the composition.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some tips to set up a still life for painting:
- Choose everyday objects that you can find around your home.
- Decide on the composition of your painting. This could be a simple arrangement with a single object or a complex grouping of many objects.
- Understand the character of the objects in terms of their forms, underlying shape structures, textures, proportions and colours.
- Pay attention to lighting. A directional light might reveal form strongly, while ambient indirect light might emphasise flat shapes in the composition.
- Use a lazy Susan or revolving tray to place your objects on and rotate the setup to examine it from different angles before deciding on the best composition.
Here are some tips for choosing the right colours for a still life painting:
- Understand whether you want to create an analogous painting (where all of the colours are from one section of the colour wheel) or a complementary painting (where you choose one colour from one side of the colour wheel and another colour from the other side).
- Use colours to direct the viewer's eye to the focal point of the painting.
Here are some tips for brushwork techniques in a still life painting:
- Start with loose gestural brushmarks and then build up details as you work through the painting.
- Save your lightest values and highlights until last to maximise depth in your painting.
- Use flat and filbert brushes for creating bold, loose brush strokes for large shapes and textures.
