Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Fine Art: By Belinda Del Pesco
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Still Life Painting in Watercolors

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


This is a post from Belinda Del Pesco’s Art Blog Belinda Del Pesco.

Painting a Still Life in Watercolors

If you enjoy the accessibility of painting still life in watercolors, but struggle with deciding what to paint, this is for you.

One of the reasons that still life as a watercolor painting subject is so powerful for artists is related to control. (Read this post –> about the definition of a Still Life Painting, and tips for adding interesting backgrounds to yours.)

Possibilities in blues and greens on my butcher palette after painting a watercolor still life of flowers on a tiled kitchen counter.

Be the Boss of Your Still Life in Watercolor

If you paint Plein Air, you know the difficulties of trying to paint (chase) shadows, sunlight and shifting-colors, moving with the sun under clouds.

If you paint portraits and figures, you’re familiar with the challenge to capture nuance and symmetry in the human form, and how unforgiving views can be if any part of your painted anatomy looks a little “off”.

The beauty of still life is that you – the artist – can arrange any item, in any color or texture, in any composition. You are the boss of your still life.

You can use natural light, or artificial light. Set it up on a box to control the light, or put it on the kitchen table. You get to move the arrangement to cast shadows or create reflections in in your favorite composition. (Read more about making your own floral still life painting arrangements in this post.)

And you can leave a still life painting set up to paint from life, or you can photograph the arrangement in a variety of compositions, and use those reference photos over and over again. (favorite approach)

Look for sketching and painting opportunities in the things you surround yourself with. Paint a watercolor still life of a side table, or paint a watercolor of your kitchen.

Consider a Series of Watercolor Still Life Paintings

Many artists select a theme and work in a series of similar subject still life paintings. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chris Stott paints beautiful books in various arrangements, often with additional sub-themes in the title of the books.

Karen Hollngsworth did a beautiful series of breezy, coastal windows with assorted chairs, beds or tables in the composition.

Carolyn Lord did a beautiful series of budding flower bulbs in glass vases in watercolor.

Christ Beck did a colorful, fun series of watercolor still life of vintage tin and enabled toys.

You can get a lot of mileage from a few flowers in a glass bottle. Move the arrangement to different windows and surfaces in your home and snap photos on a bright, sunny day.

No flowers to paint? Raid the fruit and veggies in your frog, and line them up on a sunny windowsill. Take photos from a variety of angles.

Do you collect things? Lay them in an interesting grid pattern against a white background, or place them in a bowl in the sun for a quick cell phone photo shoot.

Look through existing photos from recently, and long ago, and use a small viewfinder to pan around the images, looking for interesting still life arrangements.


A wide, flat brush on my butcher palette, ready to wet the pigments and bring the pigments to life.


Persimmon on the Sill 8.75 x 10.75 Watercolor on Paper

Wait for Time vs Making Time

One afternoon of walking around, taking photos of objects in the sun, or plants in the yard can result in years of paintings. I took photos of the San Luis Obispo mission in California a few decades ago for a commission painting. I’ve probably made at least 30 watercolors, linocuts, monotypes, sketches and collagraphs from that one afternoon of photo harvesting.

I hope you take your phone for a walk on a sunny day. If there are no paintable vignettes in your home, arrange a few on a cleared surface in a sun spot. A pile of lipstick, a jumble of keys, a clear bowl with an egg in it, a spool of thread and a button, a book and a pair of eye glasses… pick something that resonates with you. Take photos and sketch ideas for your next watercolor still life studies.

Be selfish with your art-making. No one will follow you around to make sure you get some painting time in this week. You are the only one who can insist on that, so be firm in your convictions to make more art, more often.

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you in the next post –

Belinda

P.S. The always generous James Gurney demonstrates painting a bright yellow forsythia bush from life. I love his approach of “subdividing the mass into smaller shapes”. Very effective, and demonstrated clearly in this clip.

Art Quote

I was one of those kids in my twenties who’s like ‘I am not going to be an artist in my twenties and grow up to be a businessman in my thirties! That is not the kind of person that I am! I’m going to stay an artist in my life. ‘ And then I found myself running a business.

Jack Conti, Founder of Patreon

At the very least, if nothing is moving you, skip the still life, and draw each other. (A portrait of me, by Ainsley.)

The post Still Life Painting in Watercolors appeared first on Belinda Del Pesco’s Art Blog Belinda Del Pesco.


Source: https://www.belindadelpesco.com/watercolor-persimmon-on-sill.html/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.