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Still Life Drawing Ideas

Deal one set-up from things already in the house, with where to put the light and the skill it practises.

Still Life Drawing Ideas

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  1. A stack of three folded jumpersLamp from the front left. Practises soft boxes: straight folded edges in front, rounded corners at the sides.

Next step Draw garments with their parts and fabric named

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One object 12

  • A bread roll torn open Lamp low on the left. Practises texture: a smooth crust and a rough crumb under the same light.
  • A desk lamp switched on and drawn by its own light No other light. Practises foreshortening in the arm and the hard-edged pool of glare on the table.
  • A hardback book standing upright, half open Lamp from the front left. Practises boxes in perspective: the covers are two planes leaning away from you.
  • A house key lying flat on white paper Lamp almost level with the table so the shadow runs long. Practises cast shadows and a clean outline.
  • A roll of masking tape lying flat Lamp from one side. Practises an ellipse inside an ellipse: both rings share a centre and a tilt.
  • A single mug with the handle turned a quarter towards you Lamp high on the left. Practises ellipses: rim and base are the same curve, the base a little rounder.
  • A small bunch of grapes still on the stalk Lamp high on the right. Practises overlap: each grape is a sphere with a highlight, and most are half hidden.
  • A spider plant drawn by the gaps between its leaves Backlit on a windowsill. Practises negative space: draw the shapes between the leaves, not the leaves.
  • A whole pineapple standing upright Window light from the left. Practises pattern over form: the diamonds shrink and tilt as they turn away.
  • A wooden clothes peg clipped to a postcard Stand the card up, lamp from the left. Practises small box forms and a shadow that climbs the card.
  • An onion with its skin peeling away Window light from the side. Practises contour: the skin's stripes curve round the form and show how round it is.
  • One lemon on a white plate Lamp close on one side. Practises light and shade: the soft edge where the lemon turns away, then its cast shadow.

Cups, bowls and bottles 12

  • A colander tipped on its side Lamp from the right. Practises ellipses on a tilted axis, and rows of holes that close up as they turn away.
  • A dinner plate with a cup set off-centre on it Lamp high at the front. Practises an ellipse inside an ellipse, and the cup's shadow falling across the plate.
  • A jam jar stuffed with pencils and brushes Lamp from the left. Practises the jar's two ellipses, then straight lines leaning out at different angles.
  • A round table laid for two, seen from standing height Overhead room light. Practises many ellipses on one plane: plates, cups and glasses, all lying level.
  • A saucepan with its lid propped against it, handle towards you Lamp high on the right. Practises two ellipses at different tilts and a foreshortened handle.
  • A scatter of coins on a dark table Lamp low from the right. Practises flat ellipses: every coin is a circle seen at an angle.
  • A stack of three bowls seen from just above Lamp from the left. Practises ellipses: three rims with one tilt, each a little rounder the lower it sits.
  • A teapot, a cup and a saucer in a loose triangle Window light from the left. Practises matching ellipses across three objects, and a spout that points at you.
  • A tin can with the lid bent up Lamp from the left. Practises cylinders: a top ellipse, ribbed sides, and a lid that is a tilted ellipse too.
  • The same cup drawn at three eye heights Any steady light. At eye level the rim is a straight line; it opens as you look further down on it.
  • Three plain bottles of different heights, standing close Soft front light. Morandi painted bottles, bowls and jars over and over. Practises spacing and shoulders.
  • Two mugs, one upright and one on its side Lamp from the left. Practises the ellipse turned two ways: one lying flat, one standing on end.

Glass and reflections 12

  • A fork, knife and spoon laid side by side Lamp directly above. Practises specular highlights: bright spots that show an object's shape and where the light is.
  • A glass bottle half full of water, leaning on a book Lamp from the left. Practises the water line: it stays level however far the bottle leans.
  • A lightbulb lying on a sheet of white paper Window light from one side. Practises glass on white: only the edges, the metal cap and a faint shadow show.
  • A pair of glasses resting on a stack of books Lamp from the left. Practises thin ellipses for the lenses, and the way the book edge shifts seen through them.
  • A pear with a small mirror propped behind it Lamp from the front left. Practises one object drawn twice, front and back, with the mirror image a touch paler.
  • A pencil leaning in a tumbler of water Window light from the side. The pencil looks bent at the water surface: that is refraction. Practises clear glass.
  • A satsuma standing on a switched-off tablet screen Lamp from the side. The dark screen is a black mirror. Practises reflections: the image sits straight below.
  • A steel toaster reflecting the worktop in front of it Daylight, no lamp. Practises reflections: the flat side is a mirror, so draw what stands in front, reversed.
  • A stemmed glass lying on its side Lamp high on the left. Practises clear glass and foreshortening together: the bowl is an ellipse facing you.
  • An empty glass tumbler in front of a dark book Lamp from the side. Practises clear glass in four shapes: rim, base, one highlight and one dark edge.
  • An empty jam jar in front of a striped card Lamp from the side. Practises clear glass: the stripes bend and jump inside the jar. Draw what you see.
  • Ice cubes in a tumbler, drawn before they melt Side light from a window. Practises speed and clear on clear: edges, trapped bubbles and the bright bottom rim.

Fabric, paper and leather 12

  • A cap lying with its brim towards you Lamp high on the left. Practises a dome meeting a curved brim, with the seams as contour lines.
  • A denim jacket hung on a door hook Window light from one side. Practises hanging folds: they all fall from the one point at the hook.
  • A folded umbrella leaning in a corner Hall light from above. Practises long narrow folds that wind round a stick and tighten at the tip.
  • A hoodie dropped in a heap on the floor Lamp low from one side. Practises folds: find the three biggest ridges first and ignore the small creases.
  • A pair of leather gloves, one laid over the other Side light from a window. Practises creases that follow joints: they bunch at the knuckles and the wrist.
  • A pair of school shoes side by side on a doormat Hall light from above. Practises pairs: two matching forms at slightly different angles, creased at the toes.
  • A scarf coiled in a loose spiral on a table Lamp from the right. Practises soft rolled folds with no sharp edges. Shade them like bent tubes.
  • A school bag sagging open on the floor Lamp from one side. Practises heavy fabric: big soft folds, stiff straps, and zips that follow the form.
  • A sheet of paper crumpled, then half opened out Lamp close on the left. Practises planes: every facet is one flat tone, light, middle or dark.
  • A shirt on a hanger, buttoned to the top Window light from the left. Practises flat fabric with small pulls: folds fan out from each button and the collar.
  • A stack of three folded jumpers Lamp from the front left. Practises soft boxes: straight folded edges in front, rounded corners at the sides.
  • An envelope torn open with the letter half out Lamp from the left. Practises thin flat planes: each sheet has an edge, so give it a fine shadow line.

Colour set-ups to paint 12

  • A bowl of clementines under one desk lamp in a dark room Lamp high on the left, no other light. Practises chiaroscuro, Italian for light-dark: bright fruit, lost edges.
  • A breakfast table in low morning sun: cup, toast, jam jar, knife Low sun from the side. Practises long cool shadows against warm light, and four different surfaces.
  • A glass of water with a lemon slice, against a blue card Backlit by a window. Practises clear glass in paint: the blue shows through and the lemon glows.
  • A lemon, a lime and a green apple in a row Soft daylight from a window. Practises analogous colour: yellow, yellow-green and green are wheel neighbours.
  • A single tomato on a green saucer Lamp from the left. Practises red against green, a complementary pair. Mix the two for the shadow colour.
  • A white cup, jug and bowl on white paper Lamp from the left. Practises coloured greys: warm lights, cool shadows, and pure white only for the last highlights.
  • A white jug painted in one blue plus white Lamp from the side. A tint is a colour mixed with white. Practises value: five steps of blue and nothing else.
  • An orange cut in half with both halves showing Lamp high on the right. Practises wet shine: each segment is a wedge of one colour with small white highlights.
  • Coloured glass bottles on a sunny windowsill Sun from behind. Practises coloured light: each bottle throws a patch of its own colour on the sill.
  • Half a red cabbage, cut side towards you Lamp from the front. Practises pattern in paint: purple and white ribbons, darkest at the core. Big shape first.
  • Three oranges on a blue plate Window light from the left. Practises complements: blue and orange are a complementary pair and sharpen each other.
  • Yellow flowers in a jug against a yellow wall Side light. Van Gogh painted an Arles sunflower vase on a yellow background. Practises close colours.

How it works

These still life drawing ideas are set-ups, not just objects. Sixty arrangements use things already in the house, in five groups: one object; cups, bowls and bottles; glass and reflections; fabric, paper and leather; and colour set-ups to paint. Each hint says where to put the light and which skill it practises. The filters combine: Glass and reflections plus Hard holds four.

Read the full guide

One light, and know where it is

The English term still life comes from the Dutch stilleven, and the light is what makes one worth drawing. Use a single lamp or one window and switch the rest off, so every object has a light side, a dark side and one cast shadow. Most hints put the lamp to one side. Three set-ups are lit from behind, which hides detail and sharpens the outline.

Five groups, three levels and a 20-minute start

The 22 easy set-ups are sized for a sitting of about 20 minutes, such as One lemon on a white plate. Cups, bowls and bottles is ellipse practice, because a circle seen at an angle looks like an ellipse. For still life painting ideas, tap Colour set-ups to paint: 12 arrangements built on one colour idea, such as Three oranges on a blue plate.

  • Set up on a sheet of plain paper with a second sheet propped behind. It clears the clutter and shows the cast shadow.
  • Cézanne tilted the table in The Basket of Apples on purpose. If yours tilts by accident, check that every ellipse lies level.
  • For a ladder of three sittings, choose Easy for the first set-up, Medium for the second and Hard for the third.

Questions and answers

Which set-up should a beginner start with?

A house key lying flat on white paper, where a low lamp gives one long shadow, or A roll of masking tape lying flat, which is two ellipses and nothing else. Both sit under One object. Add a second object once one feels easy.

Where should I put the light for a still life?

To one side and a little above, close enough that the shadows have clear edges. Side light gives each object a light half and a dark half, which makes it look solid. Every hint names a placement, from a lamp almost level with the table to a window behind the set-up.

Can I paint these instead of drawing them?

Yes. The 12 colour set-ups are planned for paint: each leans on one idea, such as a complementary pair or a single blue mixed with white. The other 48 work in paint too, since light and shape come first in any medium.

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