On canvas. My daughter has to submit a painting (for an art school). She mostly draws so we are unsure of the basics for painting. My questions will snowball from the first but...I'm not artistically inclined so not sure how to help her out as I have no idea. She did one painting and it looks very good for a beginner but she didn't catch the "leave a 5 cm border" and has to create another one. The first, I found, didn't look right, maybe busy? Included were mortar and pestle, a jar and a dream catcher. Hey, her choice but it was off. Not sure if there should be a "theme". Thanks.

Do a search on "best still life subjects" -- see if she finds something that interests her.

I think the objects should definitely have some type of connection, even if it's a minor one, not just totally random things. To me the mortar and pestle and jar work together maybe add to that a fruit or or something that could be used in the two. I don't see the dreamcatcher in the mix. A dreamcatcher is a great item but with other item. But that's just my opinion and I am not an artist lol.

I might do a wine bottle, a bowl of grapes, and a wedge of cheese on a rustic cutting board. Or maybe a bowl of mixed color eggs in browns, a pitcher of milk, and a crusty loaf of homemade bread. Fruits and vegetables are great subjects.

I liked one I saw that was a variety of cool suitcases, a lovely straw hat and a bon voyage sign I might add a big sea shell to mine.

Perfect. Thanks. I feel bad telling her that "It looks weird." (only words that came out before I could think of anything else) but she has to not make it not so random. She looked up a couple things online and settled on a candle in a jug, two books, and a teapot. Great ideas ravencajun - we were so blank when we were thinking up something. We are a family of procrastinators and while I love the last minute rush when I do it... I don't like watching my kids do it. Her project is due in two weeks (along with three other pieces). My fault for teaching bad habits.

I have painted many still life paintings. My favorite are a lovely summer hat with gloves (like a summer wedding), fancy tea pot with lace table cloth and flowers. I love antique teapots. pitchers, interesting china shapes, with flowers and lacy cloths. I did one of impressive Calla Lilies on there own, not that I have seen it in years. My very first still life was a pear; by itself, with the light and shadow playing on the colors. An interesting exercise.

My favorite still life (that I did) was of a small smooth white vintage pitcher loosely filled with yellow daffodils and a simple bowl of oranges, sitting on a wooden tabletop in front of a blue drape. (Blue and orange has always been one of my favorite color combinations.)

I lit it to emulate the bright morning sun.

For getting into art school, I would do something different. Just imagine how many amateur paintings of bowls of fruit they have to look at! Better to do something that has some meaning. An old master still life bowl of fruit is interesting because of the artist's use of light and shadow, texture, line, color, etc., to not just represent groceries, but to evoke a feeling, a mood, a thought. That is the essence of art. Your cell phone can do a better job of depicting lifelike groceries. It's what you feel about the subject, the passion you put into the art, that's important. if your daughter isn't inspired by fruit, and fruit isn't in the instructions, I'd skip it. Follow the instructions to prove that she's capable of following instructions, but otherwise, let her choose a subject that she has a passion for.

Is she into recycling? She can make a still life of bottles, wrappers and containers. Instead of choosing them randomly, they should also have a meaning, like what she was putting out for the trash truck, or bits that she found as litter on her way home from school, or things put in the regular trash at a fast food place that could be recycled (especially if she finds out that they don't separate their garbage after it's removed from the dining room).

Is she into dogs? Maybe her still life is composed of all of the paraphernalia that belongs to the dog -- everything but the dog. Maybe a dog bed for a focal point, waiting for the dog to return.

Does she have a drawing table? Maybe arrange it attractively and make her drawing supplies the subject.

Once she has a subject, lighting is important. When she starts, she should take some pictures of what it looks like at that instant, and also make a palette guide with colors that will be used in the painting. For instance, if there's a red pencil (or pear), note the color in neutral light, the color where the sun hits it, and the color where it's occluded by shadow. There are plenty of in between shades, as well, but really seeing the differences that light and dark make to the same color is key to painting. As much as possible, she should try to paint at the same time every day so that there's some consistency in the color. Think Monet.

As to the rest, passion is everything. Before starting work, taking a few moments to get into the feeling and the meaning of what's being created is very useful. It helps to create a trigger. A song to represent the project, for instance, that she can play every time she starts working on it. That makes it easier to jump back into it and pick up the feelings. Smells work really well for this kind of thing (better than sound even) but art supplies all smell, so sound works better in this instance.

Best of luck to her.

I may have to abandon this thread, lol, I think it's making my anxious. I don't have an artistic bone in my body - creative ones in other areas but not but not for visual arts. pllog, funny you say that, because from this afternoon, she decided on catching a dark mood and started it when the sun went down and wow, it is coming along very well. I will post a picture when she done.....if I can remember how. Haha, it's been awhile. She also changed it to pencil.

As I get older I appreciate more and can see more definition, lighting, shadow, etc in paintings whereas years ago, I would just look at a picture and choose if I liked it or not, nothing else. Yeah, I was real deep in my youth...

I have painted for years and I'm still not skilled enough to paint draping, so my best to her. I doubt the subject is as important as the technique and detail. I'd get a more specific idea of what they are looking for.

Haha, Cookie....since you're anxious and without "a creative bone in [your] body", you may want to stand back, way back, and let your daughter find her muse.

Can't wait to see it; which art school?

The rules for paintings are the same as for drawings: Form, flow, and balance, but with the addition of color.

A group if anything that is related. Consider size..texture..and color.

I thought it was an art class homework assignment, not part of her portfolio. I agree with rhizo -- let her do her own thing!

I paint (oils) and most often get my inspiration/ideas from photos I've taken when traveling, searching the web or looking at art books. Most artists start with a drawing or pic before going to the canvas. It helps to have a reference for perspective, color and form. When I do a still life I set up the actual fabric, fruit, flowers, bowl, etc... What ever objects you do, make sure the groupings are in threes. For some reason anything more or less looks off. Items should all relate somehow.

Most importantly, let her do her own thing. If she doesn't feel she has enough confidence just yet or needs a little guidance, find a local artist that offers classes after school. Art galleries are a good resource to find local artists.

I just googled some images. Google Still Life Images

You see a lot of fruit and food and flowers. I saw some other ideas that were themed, but original that I liked. One was some balloon dogs playing poker as I guess a parody to the "Dogs playing Poker" art. Another is a stack of books with an owl sitting on top. It reminds me of Hogwarts. I'd pick a favorite theme, character, or book like that and just use some pieces that would relate to a place, event or person. Hogwarts for me would be books, an owl, a wand, a written spell, and maybe a necklace with Deathly Hallows symbol.

A character could be Eve, but what you see are her apple with a bite taken out, some fig leaves and maybe a bible.

I just googled FUNNY STILL LIFE

These might lead her to something more creative if that is her style.