Setting up a still life properly can make the difference between your painting working out or being a disaster.
You know the feeling when you’re half way through a painting and it isn’t working out? Maybe it’s not the values, drawing or the colour – very likely it’s just that the set up was put together too quickly without a lot of thought.
Good still life paintings rely on the pattern of lights and darks, and you can create that before you even squeeze out any paint.
If it looks beautiful before you start painting, you have a much better chance of getting a beautiful painting when you’re finished.
In this video, I’m taking you step by step through how I set up and light a still life set up. There’s no guarantee the painting will work out, but spending some time at the beginning on this will at least give you a better chance!
The Keys to Colour - Free 6 step email course
Learn how to:
- mix any colour accurately
- see the value of colours
- lighten or darken a colour without messing it up
- paint with subtle, natural colour
Paul. I’ve been following you for years and LOVE your gracious spirit in sharing your techniques. You are a gem in the painters world.
I can paint fairly well and have learnd valuable concepts from you. One item I always get stumped on is painting Ice Cubes. I like painting glasses filled with liquid and cubes. I have the hardest time seeing the values I’m seeing. Have you had experience in painting ice cubes and any advice? A video would be great…listining to your thought process as you paint. That’s your gift.
Again thank you for sharing your learning process with the rest of us. Kindest Regards. Terry
Do you know, I’ve never painted an ice cube, it sounds like a real challenge! I’m not sure of it’s my usualy kind of subject so I can’t guarantee it will happen I’m afraid, but I’ll bear it in mind.
Please write an article on how to draw from imagination/memory.
Hi Paul,
Just revisiting some of your posts. I’m only just now realizing how important the setup is. The arrangement and especially the lighting makes so much difference. Seems obvious in hindsight but you’ve made me conscious I should spend more time on this. I especially have trouble with lighting. There either seems to be too much or too little.
Seriously I think it’s as important as the drawing painting skills. It helps build them too – clarifying the light and shadow especially makes it so mucvh easier to break things down and make progress.
Hi Paul
I am so enjoying your videos and I am now setting up my own studio space .
I am having trouble with my lighting could you please let me know what brand your light stand is with the diffuser I would like to get one the same. And the light level Kw
Cheers Tina
Australia
Hi Tina, I use Neewer 660 LED lights:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Pieces-Bi-color-Video-Light/dp/B073PV3RXD
The diffusers are here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Collapsible-Softbox-Diffuser-Panel/dp/B092CVP2T2/ref=sr_1_3
Hello Paul,
Thank you for sharing this!
I’m wondering how you configure your light with the warm/cool knobs? Same amount of each?
Are there any tricks to getting the light to be the right temperature?
I have them on all cool. It’s about 5oook then, which is a good temperature I think.