A Guide for Artists: The Art of the Still Life

Still Life Definition

A still life can be defined as "A work of art depicting inanimate objects". The inanimate objects can be whatever you choose: flowers, botanicals, food, wine, decorative objects, musical instruments, etc.

Choosing The Objects To Include In Your Still Life Art:

As an artist, any work of art that you create will express your own vision and style. A still life is a versatile vehicle for expressing this vision. A still life can convey much more meaning than is obvious at first glance. It all depends on the objects you choose to represent, and the manner in which you choose to represent them.

If your goal is to create a pretty picture, your choice of objects might include flowers in a vase, ripe fruit, sumptuous textiles, etc. Think of what objects you consider "beautiful", (even if they are not ordinarily regarded as beautiful), and how you might best present them as "beautiful" in a still life. Remember that even ugly items can be presented in a beautiful or imaginative way.

If your goal is to create a gift for a friend, you might want to incorporate objects of significance to your friend. You could create a themed still life with memorobilia from his favorite sports team, or a composition including his favorite foods and wines, or a still life featuring the musical instrument that he plays. Think of some of your closest family members or friends, and what kinds of things you might incorporate into a still life just for each of them.

If your goal is to convey a message through your still life, you can choose objects that reflect the message. This can be challenging but rewarding; it is especially rewarding if your end result becomes a thought-provoking work of art. Some examples of messages that could be conveyed through still life: "Reduce Reuse Recycle". "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". "I love you." "Party on, dude!" Think of a message that is personally significant to you, and brainstorm some objects that you could use to convey this message through a still life.