����tv

Setting up an effective still life

Still life is a broad term in art that can include many subjects. Anything that doesn’t move on its own - any inanimate object - can be used in still life art. Artists have been inspired by still life throughout history and it is still a popular theme today.

Think about how to choose, set up and arrange objects for a still life. Here are some ideas to help:

• use an odd number of items
• include objects of different shapes, sizes and textures
• use objects that have things in common
• overlap objects
• consider a balance of pattern and colour
• think about what the viewer’s eye will look at first and how it will move around the picture

Scale, shape and composition

Scale means the size of the objects in a still life arrangement. Composition refers to how each of the objects are brought together and arranged.

A sense of scale can be created by choosing large objects and placing them next to smaller ones.