Curious about setting up

[Phyllis Rennie]

What sort of things do you consider when you are setting up a still life?

[billyg]

Composition, Light/shadow/values,Focal point.
Billyg

[Patrick]

When I set up a still life I not only look at the shapes of the elements of my subject, but also at how their shadows and colors interact with each other. this is where you are able to capture depth and atmosphere in a subject that is relitivly close to you. This is why I like to use transparent glass items so often. I also place my light source very close to the set up so these effects (and the colors) are pushed to there max.
<IMG SRC="http://dotsdaway.itgo.com/crystal_amber.jpg" border=0>

[Phyllis Rennie]

Originally posted by billyg:
Composition, Light/shadow/values,Focal point.
Billyg

Billy, You rascal!!! Why didn't you just say, "everything" ?

[Phyllis Rennie]

Nice painting, Patrick. I like the repeated shapes. And the idea that transparent glass adds depth is something that I'd never considered--but will. Thanks. Phyl

[Mario]

Cezanne is said to have spent infinite time setting up his still lifes...a perfectionist...having been a catalog photographer myself, the whole idea of continuing the setup ritual into oil painting, sickens me. Much more interesting is the practise, of a few enlightened painters, to simply walk around their home until they come upon a table top or a corner etc. that has some appeal...and then just set up their easel and paint it....low, one directional light makes for the best still life lighting and is not hard to produce if it's not there already. Give this a try and you may be suprised (as well as turned on).

[ldallen]

Hi Mario,

I agree with you to a point. I think natural settings for still life are much more interesting than "setups." As I look around my house I can see several ideas that can be worked. However, that is not always possible and you would run out of things to paint in short order. I do like using my earthy wares (pottery and woods) in my still life paintings (though of course I've only done one original still life recently)and I think it's a good idea to keep them fairly simple. I also agree about the lighting except that that would leave me very little time to work each day (and I am very slow). I have considered photographing still lifes in black and white and working from both the photo and the real.

[CarlyHardy]

A few other things I consider when setting up a still life....

Size of the objects...if all are the same size and shape..they give no levels of interest to step thru. Unless they are placed on pedestals for difference in height, etc.

Relationship of the objects...Do I want to tell a story? Using a book, reading glasses, lamp, small potted plant on table would say what?

Surface interest....reflective with nonreflective, transparent with solid, soft with hard....variety in the subjects offer more interest.

My perspective....sometimes just changing your perspective or viewpoint gives a lot more interest to the still life.

How the objects relate to each other in the setting....some should be connected or overlapping...some might need to stand alone.

Composition...use a viewfinder (a slide frame works well). Compose the still life and see how it will look with your choice of canvas. Tall and vertical - canvas should also be tall and vertical.
Wide and horizontal...a square composition...the canvas and composition should complement.

Fill up the canvas with your still life...too much background and the still life will become lost or floating.

carly

[Phyllis Rennie]

Originally posted by CHClements
A few other things I consider when setting up a still life....


Fill up the canvas with your still life...too much background and the still life will become lost or floating.

carly

Hey Carly!

Sometimes I wish I had that problem. LOL. I keep running out of space, do it smaller, then smaller again, and sometimes still again!