The visual study of the still life setting is one of the oldest and most trusted methods of observational drawing there is and the benefits of practicing it are invaluable to gaining a deep knowledge of how to translate what you are actually seeing, onto paper.
Not only is it hugely beneficial to your art training, but it can also be extremely therapeutic as it allows the mind to slow down and focus on the task in a measured and meditative manner.
Still life drawing is something I often include in my art course programs for all of the reasons above as it is every bit as important as life drawing in gaining confidence in one's ability to observe and translate.
Here are a few examples of my still life observational drawings with a picture of a typical set up in my studio (above).
This one is predominantly chalk and charcoal on toned cartridge paper, comprising three objects sitting on a cloth. I positioned the objects just below the skylight window in my studio, to create some strong and dramatic areas of light and shade. However, my drawing became more about the linear qualities of the objects, particularly as the natural light changed.
This drawing is in graphite on paper, of an arrangement of glass and metal objects. The challenge here was to accurately translate the shapes made by the reflections on and within the objects employing the chiaroscuro technique of rendering extreme values of light and dark.
For this, I used graphite powder as well as pencils and hard and soft erasers to lift away areas of tone, periodically re-instating the linear aspects as I began to tighten and refine the drawing, bringing it to a satisfactory state of completion.
