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Reasons to Love Still Life Painting

Still Life with peacock pie
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Introduction

If you love art, whether it’s painting, photography, sculpture or anything else, you’re bound to love still life. Even if you don’t love art, chances are you like some pieces and would enjoy learning more about still life paintings than just appreciating them on your own or others’ walls. Here are 10 reasons why you should become a fan of still life painting right now and start seeing the world in your own unique way.

Still life with an Etruscan Vase Painting by Sergey Dronov

Still Life Paintings by Artist

Basket full of mandarins by Ercole Ercoli Original Painting
Watercolor Art

"Figs Basket" Original Painting

Still lifes make people stop and think

We don’t see many of them on display in our homes and museums. However, there are still life artists out there who continue to produce pieces which help us appreciate beauty in all its forms. The following list gives you 10 reasons why you should take some time out of your day to appreciate these brilliant works of art. They will inspire you and give you a whole new perspective on things around you!

Basket full of Lemons by Ercole Ercoli Original Painting

Still life painting is all about composition

The way things are laid out on a canvas adds depth and interest, creates visual tension and balance, or illuminates or disguises form. The arrangement of objects on a canvas is one of many methods for creating visual tension. When you’re setting up your composition, you should always try and put more than one focal point in your picture. Without multiple points of focus, it’s harder for viewers to feel engaged with your work.

Learn the rules before you break them

When painting a still life, you can learn a lot from traditional approaches. As with most artistic pursuits, it’s easier to break rules if you know what they are first. Study master paintings of everyday objects by artists like Robert Henri and John Singer Sargent before experimenting with your own style. Then try breaking one rule at a time; for example, place fruit in an unorthodox location or use an unexpected color scheme.

Still Life with peacock pie
Pieter Claesz

Still Life Paintings by Artist

Your still life paintings don’t have to be perfect

For most artists, it’s easy to get caught up in our own self-criticism, especially when we’re just starting out. Learning how to start a new business from conception to execution. Before you begin painting, just know that there are no perfect still life paintings. A still life doesn’t have to be perfect—only personal! Don’t get discouraged if your first few pieces don’t turn out exactly as planned.

Basket full of Pears by Ercole Ercoli Original Painting

You can learn still life painting anywhere

Still life painting is a great starting point for aspiring artists, allowing you to practice shading and perspective in a form that’s relatively easy and inexpensive. You can learn how to paint still life while on vacation, while staying at home, or while traveling abroad. Wherever you go and whatever you like, you can find inspiration. Even if you decide that still life painting isn’t your cup of tea after all, you’ll have already learned valuable skills that will help in any other artistic endeavor.

Still lifes are a great way to focus on one thing – a technique, color, or subject matter. A still life is also a great way to practice with your materials and see progress from painting session to painting session.

Onions Deluxe by Ercole Ercoli Original Painting

Think outside the box

If you want to work outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself as an artist, it’s best to start small. Why not try a still life? Still lifes are some of the oldest forms of art in existence, used by painters such as Monet and van Gogh. While people often think of still lifes as outdated, they can actually be one of your most powerful tools for growth. Here are ten reasons why you should consider starting with still life

Still life paintings are exercises in patience, planning and technical skill. You’ll get better at painting objects (and backgrounds) if you focus on still life, because those same skills will help you when it comes time to paint landscapes or portraits. After mastering still life painting, you’ll move on to other subjects with confidence. That’s an added benefit: Like a musician who studies theory and exercises their ear, mastering still life painting will make you a better artist overall.

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