As we move into the fall months of the year, more and more of us will choose to paint in the studio rather than outside. Although the autumn is a glorious time of the year to paint outside with the turning leaves, the golden grasses and the misty days…you will want to look ahead to when the weather does not allow painting outdoors. Now is the time to take plenty of pictures for reference material for painting through the winter months. You can still paint outside in the cold…but that takes some extra planning and I will save that for another post.
For me, part of living a Beautiful Life is to surround yourself with things you love. Not necessarily expensive things, but objects that have some meaning. A beautiful bar of scented soap not only smells beautiful, but looks beautiful as well. So one way to solve the ever-present question “what shall I paint?” is to set up a beautiful still life in the studio. This is a time-honored pastime and the Flemish are probably most famous for it.
- Still-Life-with-Grapes by Adraian von Utrecht
In the Baroque 1600s, florals were the favorite subjects of this movement, but soon fruit, books, jewels, clocks, and religious artifacts and other inanimate objects were added. Symbolism played a large part in what objects were chosen to be painted. A cultivated audience knew the meanings of the complicated symbols, and painters often used these objects to send a moral message or warning or just to tell a story of wealth, vanity, or the fleeting nature of life itself. Notice the luxury in decay, the insects, and the feeling of stillness. All hallmarks of this movement.
Today, we generally paint what we believe is beautiful without the symbolism. Never-the-less, we should choose things that mean 
something to us. I often paint flowers and fruit or vegetables that I grow in my own gardens. I combine them with my favorite vases, tablecloths, or throws I love. I use watering cans, candlesticks passed down from my family, the cake plate my daughter gave me. Besides being beautiful…these objects are rich with meaning to me. Because of this, sometimes I can see things in them that are not actually there…or I might paint them more beautiful than they actually are because I love having them in my house.
Lighting is also important. If you want dramatic lighting, you can choose to set up near a window for natural light, or create your own dramatic lighting with the use of lamps and spotlights. Spotlights are especially good for glass or shiny objects as they will “twinkle” in bright light. Spotlights can also cast unwanted shadows, so be careful about placement. You will want to use full spectrum or “daylight” lamps for that purpose. Many art stores sell these lamps for a very reasonable price.
Modern still life paintings are painted in a variety of styles. You can paint them realistically, or abstractly, whichever you prefer. Most of us paint somewhere in between. If you are a beginner, choose just a few things to compose your still life in the beginning…a bowl with a few pieces of fruit, a vase of simple flowers, or a combination. As you get more comfortable with arranging things, you can add more items.
Here are some examples I set up this morning. Try your hand at it and see what you can come up with!
