The still life portraits and paintings defined earlier artistic periods and provided us with an invaluable glimpse into historical life, as well as the psychology of its people at the time. However, advancement in technology led to the widespread adaptation of cameras, and as photography grew, people began to give up canvas instead of film. This has led to a perceived lack of modern inspiration for today’s painters, who strive to capture their world through brushstrokes rather than a lens.
However, the medium is not the source of inspiration, life itself is, and there is a lot of that in every painting. Each captured image tells a story, be it a photograph or a painting. And to tell the story, painters have the advantage of creation and interpretation.
When it comes to modern still lifes, you have to wonder what message you are trying to convey. The secret to a successful work lies not in what you are painting, but in the underlying subtext that viewers will take away from you.
Technique and theme go hand in hand
While it’s important to select the right approach for your modern still life, the actual subject of your project is just as important. Without a clear idea in mind, even the best painting will fail to elicit the kind of emotion an artist seeks.
The best practice is to select the topic first and then decide the technique that you think will best capture its essence.
The ultimate goal is to strike a balance between style, technique, and theme that allows you to convey a message through your brushstrokes and color palette that immediately impacts your audience and leaves a lasting impression.
Consider history
Ask yourself why you chose your topic. Upon first consideration, you may have simply chosen it because of its natural beauty. However, the key is to delve beyond your initial impression and unearth the secret of your subject’s attractiveness.
If you find it beautiful, seek to identify the reasons. Once you understand why you are drawn to a subject, you will be in a much better position to know how to fully capture it.
Light and humor
All artists know that light has one of the greatest impacts (if not the greatest) on the final impression of a painting. When you choose lighting, you are deciding the type of message you want to present to your audience.
Don’t feel limited to just bright and dark; the light is versatile and can be used in countless fashions. A dark painting with a bold, bright focus on a single point can convey hope, while heavy shadows and reflections in an otherwise bright scene can hint at masked darkness and hidden meanings.
Ultimately, his modern still life is not just a moment frozen in time, but a story captured through color. You should try to create a piece that is as eye-catching as it is thought-provoking, and this all begins by unfolding the message that the subject is sending you.
