Still Life Art Inspired by Items Around the House

This is a post from Belinda Del Pesco’s Art Blog Belinda Del Pesco.

Still Life Art Inspired by Items Around the House

Have you wandered around your own home to look for still life items to inspire new art? The world is your oyster…. you can arrange family hand-me-downs, assorted bowls, cups or cutlery, food, figurines and flowers, books and toys, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Need better contrast between a bland object and a festive, patterned backdrop? Read this post about using assorted patterned wrapping papers underneath your still life arrangements for a hit of extra panache.

Light Your Still Life

Experiment with lighting by arranging a still life on a sheet of foam core or cardboard so you can move it around like a tray.

Set your arrangement close to a sunny window or take it outside to spin and fiddle with the play of shadows.

Use a gooseneck lamp to try bright, overhead light in a mostly curtained room to exaggerate the length of shadows and bright reflections.

Take Photos of Your Still Life Arrangement

Use the camera on your cell phone to take assorted photos of your still life arrangement. Try a tilted angle from just above the items in your set up, or drop down low and use an ant’s view of the towering objects.

Spin the cardboard or foam core platform to collect a variety of angles. Make different items your center stage in the composition. Take tons of photos.

Celebrate Photo Thumbnails

After you’ve gathered lots and lots of photos with your phone, look at them as small format thumbnails in whichever program you use to on your computer or tablet.

A tiny version of a source photo removes enough details to encourage observing simple shapes.

The composition and arrangement of your items from around the house are more abstracted that way, so you can mark your favorites in small format before you expand them to look more closely.

Still Life Art Inspiration

If nothing in your house is floating your inspiration boat, head over to your local Goodwill or Thrift shop to peruse the shelves for figurines, colored glass vases, reflective silver platters, etc.

Or, go for a walk and collect shells, flowers, stones, leaf patterns, tree shadows and abstracted close ups of architectural elements with your cell phone camera.

Think of the photo capture as pre-motor planning for your next art project. Use that exercise to rev your art engines and begin turning sleepy gears awake to Make Something. You’ve got this. Have at it.

Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next post -

Belinda

P.S. Here is a compelling essay about the way creative flow benefits mental health. Art + Science = Inspiration

Art Quote

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got. ~Steven Pressfield

The post Still Life Art Inspired by Items Around the House appeared first on Belinda Del Pesco’s Art Blog Belinda Del Pesco.

Source: https://www.belindadelpesco.com/still-life-art-inspired-by-items-around-the-house.html/