Art History

Master the Macabre: Paint a Dark Inspired Still Life

Master the Macabre:  Paint a Dark Inspired Still Life

Make art in the tradition of the Dutch Masters with this memento mori inspired still life!   In our blog post, "Death as a Muse:  Examples of How Artists Have Confronted Mortality in History," we detail the presence of symbols of death dating back hundreds of years to the present. 

https://timeforartlive.com/blogs/news/death-as-a

Our still life incorporates the skull representing mortality, dried flowers and a ring exemplify the vanitas, and the crystal ball symbolizing the future and its uncertainty.  This still life is done in the style of traditional glazing, which is done most famously by the Dutch Master Vermeer.  In our two part tutorial, we show the underpainting done monochromatically in light and shadow and the glazing technique switching warm and cool colors.

To download the outline for our dark inspired still life, click here:

 

 

View our two video tutorials here:

Reading next

Death as a Muse:  Examples of How Artists Have Confronted Mortality in History
From Silver Screen to Art Gallery:  Paint the Werewolf of London

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