Demonstration Still Life Painting
I thought it might be interesting to include a demonstration page in my web,
so here it is, a beginner's guide to still life painting. I have chosen a very
simple subject, you can see it in this 
photograph.
Small groups can be set up very quickly, all you need are three or four objects.
Next time you are in the supermarket have a look in the fruit and
vegetable section and see what you can find. Set up an arrangement on a
table, in fact try two or three different arrangements until you find one you
really like. You may also have some objects in the house that you
would like to include.
Make a simple viewfinder by cutting a rectangle out of a blank postcard and look through it to arrange the composition. Then the fun begins.
I have started 
by
drawing in the group in charcoal, as you can see I have had to make some drawing
adjustments as I went along. the beauty of charcoal is that it can very easily
be rubbed out using a rag or even a finger tip.
Once the drawing looks all right it's time to move onto the next stage
blocking in with thin paint.
I have used oil paints in this demonstration, but you can use any medium for still life work. All I'm trying to do at this stage is to put in simple colours and shapes. I try not to get too involved in detail and am prepared to change the composition a bit if necessary in order to improve the picture. The paint is laid on quite thinly using artist's turpentine to thin it. Although I have thickened up the aubergine area and blended the colours using a fan brush. The background has been left thin, and the flowers haven't been touched yet.
Having blocked in it's time to move on and make sure the board or canvas is
covered and all elements in the group painted. As the painting develops the
paint can be applied thicker, without turpentine. This will allow some textural
variation in the paint 
surface.
As you can see in the illustration The painting is getting on to the finished
state. However the flowers and leaves need more definition and there is and
awkward empty space at the bottom left of the composition. Even at this stage or
the painting one should be prepared to add in, or sometimes take out, elements
that will improve the final effect. In the final painting , below, I have
introduced some fallen petals into this empty area. An ideal solution to the
problem. Notice too how the colours of the different objects have been
allowed to reflect onto their surroundings. The painting is now finished
Aubergine Still Life Oils 400*260mm
Aubergine Still Life Oils 40*26mm