Sharpen your still life painting skills

There's nothing I love better than being outdoors painting the world around me, but it was definitely a struggle for me when I first started using gouache. Working with an unfamiliar paint medium, new painting techniques, the complexity of the scene and the ever-changing light can be intimidating. And that's why setting up a small-scale, basic still life in the comfort of your home can be a good way to work on the art fundamentals and build up your confidence before heading out

You'll know better than anyone the variety of props with different shapes and colours that are in your home, and for some artists like myself they provide a constant source of inspiration. Working on these still life exercises under a consistent light source means you can take your time to work on your observational skills, noticing the relationships between shapes, light and colours, which is crucial for painting outdoors. 

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Peter is originally from Taiwan, but now lives in Los Angeles where he works at Sony Pictures Animation. Previously he was at Pandemic Studios as a concept artist, and at DreamWorks Animation where he was a visual developer.