Still Here - Still Life: Step-by-Step

Yes, I am still here - alive and kicking.  I recall reading once that many blogs fail in the first six months.  I also remember thinking 'that won't be me'.  And look what happened...  However I am determined to redeem myself, and post consistently from now on.  So I plan to update this blog once a week, if not more.  This means I need to be more productive with my time and create more artwork to reflect upon.  As the year draws to a close I will be looking back at the highlights and planning for the new year ahead.  One aim is to draw and paint more from life and so to kick start my blog I offer a step-by-step for a seasonal still life.  This was a demonstration piece for a pastel class in the Autumn.

Materials:  White Art Spectrum paper.
                  Watercolour paints and big brush.
                  Pastel pencils.
                  Pastel sticks.
                  Viewfinder.     
                  Selection of seasonal vegetables.












Tape paper to board along all 4 sides.

1.  Set up simple still life.  Use viewfinder to decide composition?

• Consider size, shape, colour, light source, shadows, negative space.
• Ways to connect elements - overlap, use of cast shadows.

Watercolour underpainting

2.  Look at colours in arrangement - use 2 or 3 for non-specific background.

• Mix colours as separate large puddles (not too weak).
• Test/review colours.

3.  Create variegated background (use big brush).  Dry.




Draw with pastel pencil

4.  Draw composition with pastel pencil.  Check with viewfinder?




Blocking in

 

5. Use pastel sticks / pencils and start working bigger areas.

• Half close eyes to get 'gist'.
• Softly block in shadow areas first, including cast shadows.
• Indicate lightest areas.
• Darken background behind light areas to set them off.
• Ensure some of underpainting shows.

Develop work

6.  Continue to develop work with pastel sticks / pencils looking at more subtle passages.

7.  Assess, make adjustments as necessary.



 

Seasonal Bounty, watercolour and pastel