Dynamic Still Life for Artists A Modern Guide to Essential Concepts and Techniques

by Sedwick, Sarah

• ISBN13: 9780760377000
• ISBN10: 0760377006
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-11-15
• Publisher: Rockport Publishers

Summary

In Dynamic Still Life for Artists, noted artist and instructor Sarah Sedwick presents detailed, step-by-step instruction and insights on the many creative possibilities that drawing and painting still lifes can offer.

• Develop observational skills by setting up and assessing various arrangements, groupings, and formats.
• Evaluate an arrangement’s abstract shapes by creating black-and-white value studies.
• Learn the process of alla prima painting, from underpainting to color mixing to applying color.

Featuring inspiring examples by other distinguished artists working in a variety of mediums, DynamicStill Life for Artists will encourage all artists, from aspiring to accomplished, to explore this timeless genre through new arrangements, styles, and visual studies, empowering them to develop and expand their creative and technical skills.

The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.

Author Biography

Sarah Sedwick began painting in oils at age ten. In 2001, she earned a BFA from Maryland Institute, College of Art, with a focus on illustration and painting, and a minor degree in art history. Her work focuses mainly on still life and portraiture, painting from direct observation. Sarah has been writing a studio blog since 2008, posting new paintings as they’re made and chronicling her art journey. Teaching is an integral part of her creative work. She teaches still life and portrait painting workshops around the country and internationally, as well as through an online art mentorship program. Sarah is represented by Tvedten Fine Art in Harbor Springs, Michigan. She makes her home in Eugene, Oregon. To learn more about Sarah and her work, visit her website sarahsedwick.com, on YouTube at Sarah Sedwick, and on Instagram and Facebook @sedwickstudio.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Dynamic Still Life for Artists
Why Still Life?
My Art Journey
Your Art Journey
1 PAINTING SPACES AND STUDIOS
Different Artists, Different Spaces
Studio Setup for Still Life: The Basics
Materials and Tools: The Must-Have and the Good-to-Have
Paint Choices and Palette Layout
Studio Lighting
2 WHAT TO PAINT? SETTING UP A STILL LIFE THAT “CLICKS”
Diving into Still Life
Still Life Setup: The Three Vs
Lighting Your Still Life
Subject Matter: Thinking Outside the Box
Borrowing Inspiration
Exercise: Experimenting with Still Life Setup and Lighting
3 PLANNING YOUR DYNAMIC STILL LIFE: COMPOSITION AND VALUE STUDIES
Preparation Pays Off
Composition: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Using a Viewfinder Contrast: The Key to Creating a Focal Point
Thumbnail Sketches
Exercise: One Still Life, Three Formats: Creating Thumbnail Sketches
Format First, Then Size and Scale
Value Studies: A Solid Foundation
A Hierarchy of Values: Highlights and Dark Accents
Exercise: Creating a Value Study in Black and White Oils
4 PAINTING YOUR DYNAMIC STILL LIFE: ALLA PRIMA IN THREE STEPS
Step 1: Underpainting
Step 2: Color Mixing
Step 3: Applying Color
Paint Outside the Box: Alternative Materials
Battling Overwhelm: Breaking the Process into “Bites”
No “Bad” Painting Days
Exercise: The Three-Step Still Life
5 YOUR ART JOURNEY CONTINUES
Momentum: The Most Important Thing
Jump-Starting Momentum
Comparison Is the Thief of Joy
Finding Friends and Mentors
6 CONCLUSION: YOUR UNIQUE ARTISTIC FINGERPRINT
Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index