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| Lemons by James Tormey, oil on canvas. |
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Natural objects in sharp detail--that says it all according to artist James Tormey. For him, creating great still life paintings is a matter of painting natural objects in sharp detail. Tormey works on large-scale paintings of simple objects, and compositions can therefore be simplistic—lemons in a translucent dish; pears in a silver bowl; seashells on the ground—because the power and presence of the work resides in how they are presented.
The ‘how’ of Tormey’s works is inextricably linked to lighting the objects, as it is in the works of most still life artists. Reflected light and transmitted light are used to highlight surface details and texture, and turn forms in space. In Tormey’s work, objects tend to have intense highlights, and the direction of the light is usually quite obvious.
Another way Tormey distinguishes his works is by allowing his chosen still life objects to become larger than life—they loom on the horizon, overcrowd their niches, and all but block the landscape and city views often featured behind them on window ledges. This is intentional on Tormey’s part, and his still life pieces stand alone because the objects are oversized, yet realistically rendered in every other sense. This causes the viewer to question their own vantage point and the scale of the environment in which the still life objects are situated.
Creating memorable still life art is often a matter of making simple, everyday objects appear unique and unusual, and Tormay’s methods certainly achieve this goal. Mastering still life painting, however, means not only being able to create a dynamic concept with ordinary objects, but also mastering complex forms, lighting patterns, and using color to enhance the illusion of volume. Have you mastered a still life composition? Send me a link so I can see what you have worked on.
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Tormey makes small fruit appear as large as boulders.
Their monumental size draws the viewer's eye. |
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And if you are looking for ways to progress in your still life paintings, Mastering the Dramatic Still Life with C.W. Mundy is one of our top instructional DVDs, and provides so many insights about the craft. David Leffel’s book, An Artist Teaches, is also a key resource, as it delves into the unique challenges of still life painting, among other forms. And for the best information American Artist has to offer on the subject, we have our Highlights Still Life issue. With such complete instruction, your next painting of a mug or onion or loaf of bread could turn out to be your masterpiece. Good luck!
