Good Morning Artists/Steemians,
In painting, still life was my first love, and it will probably always be my bread-and-butter. I love it for many reasons: the logistics are simple, there are no time limits (except when using things that wilt/rot, and last but not least), total control and freedom. The possibilities for interpretation are endless. The setup is just a starting point. What matters is how the objects are painted.
Before creating this painting, I took a trip to the thrift store and got some new junk to paint. A decent haul for $30. (I don't recommend spending a lot of money on potential props. You may end up using it only once or not at all! Allow yourself that freedom. They are just tools to serve your composition.):
Here is the physical still life setup. By the end of this post, you'll notice the intentional deviations in light and color intensity to create focus where I want it. Painting is total freedom!:
Next stage. The blue ground is intentional. My plan is to let it show through in spots:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
Next stage:
A view of my palette:
And the finished painting "Heart of Red" (24x18 oil on panel, 2013):
And a timelapse animation of the stages:
Thanks for reading! -David