Still life is a fine art genre depicting a group of inanimate objects. A painting or photograph may contain flowers, fruits, dishes and other objects arranged so that a harmonious composition is obtained. Traditional still life is painted in a realistic style from nature (looking at the original).
Instructions
Step 1
Still life as a genre did not immediately stand out; for a long time, paintings depicting flowers and household items were used as a framing addition to other canvases, as well as decoration on the doors of furniture. The first independent paintings appeared around the 17th century. Then images of objects began to be used as allegories, and each object had an additional symbolic meaning. Later still life became popular among artists, but it was considered an inferior genre.
Step 2
There are several types of still life, one of the earliest and most widespread is a floral still life, the next in popularity is a still life of a served table. The symbolic still life continues to exist. Another view that has appeared relatively recently is an abstract still life, in this style, objects are not depicted realistically, the shapes are schematic, and the colors are devoid of smooth transitions.
Step 3
Still life is one of the most popular genres for those who are just starting to paint. On simple compositions composed of several objects, they learn to build objects correctly, convey perspective and apply chiaroscuro. Still life is no less popular among photographers. Modern advertising requires a lot of colorful and eye-catching photographs of food, home furnishings and other items.
Step 4
If you are fond of drawing, you probably have already done a lot of drawings and paintings in this genre. In order to draw a still life, you do not need to spend time and effort looking for interesting objects to draw, you can always make a good composition of objects that are always at hand. Use drapery as a background, a small piece of fabric will do. Arrange the objects so that you get multiple shots, remember that large objects should be in the background and not obscure those that are smaller. Add an additional side source of color, this will add volume to the objects. Exercising regularly with these sets will allow you to hone your drawing skills.
