fall still life Archives - INESE'S ART STUDIO

September 8, 2024September 30, 2024

Vibrant red color in my still life paintings

Red color in large still life paintings, watercolor

Just like other primary colors, red color can have numerous variations of cool and warm shades. Red color is eye catching and energizing. I won’t try to list all symbolic meanings, but among well-known attributes, red color has a protective aura.

Unfortunately, no camera with all automated settings, can ever much the sensitivity of experienced artist’s application of any color. Therefore, the red color in a painting might be more yellow, as it very often is, more orange, or bluer. The color distortion has a wide range, and it is also difficult to correct because any change affects the entire image.

Creating the still life with red jug from 2012 drawing

Next layer, trying to identify where what will be

It took a lot of guessing what goes where since I didn’t have the actual reference in front of me.

Bright red color in still life with the red jug

The new still life with red jug, has many red tones. I tried to capture them on images, as well, and I must admit, not always successfully. I know, people say, it doesn’t really matter, but if you see the actual painting and image thereof, you would agree that it matters. I created the drawing on Arches cotton watercolor paper in 2012. When I started feeling better, I decided to finalize all paintings on good paper since it has become extra expensive. Painting on such paper, is a pleasure.

Full size painting, still life watercolor

The new painting is large: 24 x 18″ or 61 x 46 cm.

I noticed quite early that direction of light is very important for me. Whether you look at my drawings, pastel or acrylic paintings, or watercolor art, light always comes from the left. It’s just how I see everything. Once you have established your personal perception of light direction, you will notice how easy it is to apply shadows and use the composition effectively.

Fall still life watercolor painting for sale

Vegetable still life, watercolor painting

All still life paintings in this post have red color in them, some more, some less. Some have very warm red, some – rather cool. The same applies to different parts of one and the same image. When people start painting, they rarely think of these things – direction of light, cool and warm colors, volume and contrast and so forth. The subject is not that important, but the before mentioned things are since they are the main principles of painting.

I’ve always loved drawing and painting still life. It is easy to set up using whatever you already have at home. Certainly, some items suit still life settings better than the others. Yet, there is a way to implement anything. It could be your personal items, fruits, vegetables, flowers, books, souvenirs, attractive dishes, plants, bottles, jars and jug, I mean, the choice is endless. I love painting still life because I don’t need any photos for reference.

Any of my still life paintings always start with the pencil sketch or drawing. I draw sometimes straight on watercolor paper, sometimes – on whatever paper I have, and then transfer the drawing onto watercolor paper. Most of still life paintings are done on Arches cotton paper. I don’t use bright white paper, but rough and cold press for sure. I like the texture of paper even though it can make painting process more difficult.

I hope you enjoyed the attractive red color!

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Group art classes

October 12, 2022October 21, 2024

Watercolor – fantastic medium for any painting style

Fall tree painting in watercolor, art classes

Watercolor: good choice for any style artist

Watercolor has been one of my most favorite painting medium options for more than 5 decades. I still have a few of my first paintings somewhere, deep in my numerous art folders. I was about 10 years old, I was drawing very well, just like I do now, but my watercolors were not sparkling. I come from a family which didn’t have any relationship with art. In the neighboring house, an artist was renting a room. Her watercolor paintings were way larger and way brighter. They had more volume and more contrast. I asked her to see her paints. She showed me the most fantastic box of watercolor paints. Back then, they were Leningrad watercolor paints which later transitioned to St. Petersburg, and then White night paints. The difference was astounding. Clarity and saturation of pigment charmed me on the spot.

Watercolor painting of rose hips, I used these colors

Why to invest in good art supplies

Ever since I tried St. Petersburg watercolor paints, I always tried to find them and use. When I relocated to Canada 18 years ago, I had only a tiny paint box with me, but I quickly realized I will need more paints. So, I shopped the brands available in North America. Expensive they were, the artist grade paints, but they didn’t come even close to my favorite brand. Now with all the Russian issues, I’m in trouble again, but I hope to get some replacement paints. The most understated feature when learning to paint with watercolor is the quality. That refers to quality of paints and quality of watercolor paper. With bad paints and using them on a bad paper, all we can get is unsatisfactory color and contrast, plus bad paper simply cannot take layers and corrections and it buckles and warps. It is limiting.

Watercolor still life, rowan berries, fall still life painting

Captures of fall using watercolor washes and fine detail

Importance of good watercolor paper

Good watercolor paper is very expensive in Canada. The 300 lb cotton cold pressed paper comes to almost $30 or more (with taxes) per 1 sheet. Sheet is approximately 29 to 30 inches x 22 to 23 inches depending on brand. The use of bad paper and weak paints might be the main reason many potential watercolor users give up. Well, I am using sometimes non-cotton papers, too, but no other paper compares to the real thing when you need to apply a wash, gradual wash and fine detail. I prefer using the large size and full-sheet paper since there’s no way to paint something meaningful on tiny size paper.

Autumn leaves and sunflower, both are 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Fall colors for beginner artists

Fall season is a great time to consider painting in colors because it is very simple to apply warm and cold opposites and create something great. It is easy to use more abstracted style or add definite detail when necessary. Inspiration is everywhere assuming you get a chance to be in an area which has trees and other landscape elements. Even a few leaves can create a good composition and then you can just add fence, brick wall or washes for background. It is definitely more rewarding to use real things as models for painting. Not everybody knows how to use photo, and your style will emerge sooner when you are not affected by pre-set colors and composition. You have more freedom.

Watercolor painting of golden birch path

Relaxing experience with watercolor paints

I usually do not participate in challenges because days are filled with numerous tasks as it is. I cannot be sure I will have enough time to paint something of decent quality every day. For me, it makes sense working when the time is right and I don’t feel rushed. People who have similar conditions to mine, frequently experience depression. It comes and goes, and can be of different severity grades. I noticed, however, a few days ago when I finished up the Fall tree on lake shore, I felt simply excellent. For me personally, painting with watercolor is an extremely relaxing and calming experience. Creating the bright color transitions makes me feeling way better than usually. I could say, using bright colors cures and soothes upset mood.

Birch path is large, 30 x 22.5 in or 76 x 57 cm

Dark colors without actual black in watercolor

I never use black color in watercolor painting, and I do not like dark watercolor paintings also. The reason is simple: black color indicates areas absent of light. If you are in a totally dark and black space no light waves are coming through. Generally speaking, I don’t like dark spaces, dark clothes and dark living environment. From the practical painting perspective, black color can make other colors muddy in watercolor painting. For extra strong values, we can use raw umber (very dark tone of brown), Payne’s grey (almost black blue), sepia (practically black with brown undertone) and mixes of dark blue, dark violet with other colors of your palette. The safest combinations in my experience are with Payne’s grey.

Art classes for adults in Ajax, Ontario

While there are many art classes, it’s so that lots of them are the paint-night type where there is no actual learning. Good painting takes time and skill. You might want to paint more abstract art, but you still need to know how your paint pigments interact and what your brush, sponge, other tools and materials, as well as paints can do on that particular paper you’re using. Every type of paper acts differently. With globalization, art classes have become part of online domain. However, I’ve never met a student who was able to paint whatever they had intended after watching online instruction videos. In reality, you need to obtain some habits which facilitate painting. My art classes are different. And I provide students with skills which root in my many-decades-long experience.

Fall watercolor painting, bright autumn colors watercolor

Lake tree watercolor is 24 x 18 in or 61 x 45 cm

Adult artists in and around Ajax, Ontario! You might find your passion this fall season engaging in creation of colorful watercolor art. Calming, soothing and very uplifting! Especially when the days get shorter. Thanks and have a good fall season!

5 stages you can count on

Fall still life

Group art classes

Private art lessons

July 21, 2020October 17, 2024

Still life with personal touch

Blue, green and orange still life by Inese Poga

This post has many pictures, make sure to check them out. I decided to devote a special article to my still life paintings since it has been an important genre for me for many decades.. In languages which I speak fluently (native Latvian, German, English and Russian), still life is called as follows:

Still life: English

Stilleben: German

Hатюрморт: Russian

Klusā daba: Latvian

Nature morte: French

Naturaleza muerta: Spanish

Natura morta: Italian

Wikipedia gives a brief historic overview of still life as a genre, and I don’t think I need to repeat it.

Etymology and direct meaning

Translating literally, still life means dead nature in French, Italian and Spanish and Italian and Spanish have presumably borrowed it from French. The direct meaning of English still life is “life which is not moving and making no sound”; not moving and silent life – in German. Russian uses a loanword from French; hence French was spoken in all higher educated circles in Russia for quite a while until the Socialist revolution in 1918. Still life in Latvian means “silent nature” referring to rather making no sound than not moving. I find this very amazing. I do stick in my still life paintings with “nature that isn’t moving, but is visibly alive”.

Spring tulips and cup with color background

My still life

As a native Latvian, I have formed my understanding of still life based on classic Latvian art. I especially adored Latvian art which was created between 18^th and 19^th century and around the beginning of 20^th century. Latvians used to go to France and Italy to study art, therefore, the influence is undeniable. The part I never liked and to which I developed internal opposition was the use of mainly cold raw umber and rather muddy earth and dirty blue color in still life art between the WWII and 60-s of the previous century. However, they worked well in combination with grey color since grey has many thousands of shades. When I was younger, I couldn’t stand such color combinations.

The beginning of my personal style

I initially was somewhat really naturalistic. I could sit for hours in the garden or in my room and draw leaves, plants and flowers between age 10 and 16. I drew also people and faces of my sister and other relatives, but for still life, I didn’t have to ask anybody to sit and stay there for a few hours. Back in 60s and 70s of 20^th century while Latvia was still in the Soviet Union, I could mostly use what I got from our garden. Vegetables and fruit lasted longer than flowers, so, I developed a special love to them. I used just pencil and watercolor on a bad quality paper. I didn’t have lots of art supplies, often not even eraser. That taught me drawing so that I wouldn’t need eraser. I didn’t have obviously camera and printer, and nobody knew anything about the internet yet.

The subject of still life

Still life with fruit and flowers, watercolor

I have most often certain requirements when setting up a still life. I use something man-made, such as bowl, cup, jar or mug, box, books or similar items. I implement some flower or leaves, or the entire plant whenever I have it, and that establishes the living part of my still life. I also love adding either fruit or vegetables since they are always available. I sometimes cleaned out the fridge, and my husband used to joke that we didn’t eat for the entire month while I painted my still life. Big is definitely more impactful, and I go with full sheet watercolor paper (22 x 30 inches or 56 x 76 cm) when I have a good quality paper. The same about acrylic painting of still life. The small size is about 16 x 20 inches or 41 x 51 cm with just a very few exceptions that are even smaller. Painting big size art is much easier for me and I always prefer that assuming I have enough time and appropriate art supplies.

A very attractive genre

Over years, I have painted numerous still life paintings. Many have been sold as prints. I cannot include all still life paintings, but just a few in one post. These paintings are recently finalized, but started even 10 years ago. The “Spring tulips and cup” painting was done like that. Pictures I was taking years ago, do not look that good any longer, but I cannot get better ones from framed art which is under glass. For these paintings, I had only my sketch or drawing for reference.

I could finish this painting because I had created a value drawing in the same size what painting is: 20 x 24 inches or 51 x 61 cm, therefore, I had reference

Watercolor painting, still life — Still life with blue, 25.5 x 20 in or 64 x 51 cm

It is usually difficult to get true pictures of paintings and how the viewer sees my paintings, depends on their device. I certainly tried. I have 4 monitors at 2 computers, and every image looks very different on each one of them. These paintings are available as art prints also. Thanks for reading!

More about my still life art, click on image for article:

Watercolor still life of fruit and vegetables

Please, shop for art prints of all kinds and other art products:

Art collections by Inese Poga

September 24, 2019October 17, 2024

Getting ready for a cozy fall and Thanksgiving

Fall still life with pumpkin and fruit, realistic still life painting

Giving thanks: Canadian Thanksgiving

I have Thanksgiving on my mind this year. It’s not that we always celebrate it, but I believe there are many things to be thankful for this year, especially, overcoming all the difficulties and sadness in February and March. Canadian Thanksgiving is much earlier than the American, therefore, I hope my gift sales page will be set up and published soon. I can currently invite everybody to check out my Fine Art America products: there are so many: from garments and outfits to notebooks, mugs and totes, not to mention many kinds of prints, both framed and unframed on different surfaces and in many sizes. Link is at the bottom of page.

Inese’s Art Studio creates

Inese’s Art Studio is booming with ideas, plans for projects and hands-on activities. I am working on a few new artworks, as well as finalizing some that were started 3 to 5 years ago. Having one-person run art school, creating my own art and crafts, sometimes sewing things, gardening and performing all daily chores takes a lot of time and work. I simply want to have lots and lots of gifts and smaller size art, as well as cards and Thank-you sheets to offer this year. The good thing is: art never goes bad, so, it can be used and re-used after a while again.

Fall still life with pumpkin and fruit, 20 x 24 in

What’s not to love about fall?

As much as I enjoy spring and summer, I also love the color parade and all shades of gold showing up in nature and tree foliage when the fall arrives. It is a feast for eyes, and it is a great inspiration for anybody who picks up a brush. I finished the fall still life which we started in my art classes 5 years ago. I think it came out great with warm colors and very attractive fall fruit. I struggled with photos, just as always. Some had glare on them, some came out too dark, some were to light and some had wrong colors. I chose the best, yet, I must say, the actual painting is still better. Its size is 24 x 18 inches or 61 x 46 cm.

Sunset boat, acrylic painting on canvas, 20 x 24 in

Moonlit path, acrylic, 20 x 20 in

Under fall sky, acrylic painting by Inese Poga, sunset boats

Under fall sky, 20 x 16 in

Red poppies, bright red, acrylic 24 x 20 in acrylic on canvas

Painting fall is always rewarding and pleasure

We have done it numerous times and every year during art lessons. Even absolute beginners can get nice art done if using sponge and fan brush because it loosens one up and allows going easy about blending and color matching. Any warm colors will do, and if you pair them with cool grey or soft grey-blue, the result speaks for itself. I am sharing a few paintings which I haven’t sold yet, although, fall landscapes usually sell fast. I suppose it is because they make any wall and room cozy and warm. Fall is the time we want our comfort foods, candle lights and warm blankets on the sofa.

Enjoy and let me know if you’d be interested in purchasing some art.

Link to art lessons and workshops: Group art classes

Shop for art prints on Fine Art America:

Art collections by Inese Poga

September 15, 2019October 17, 2024

Fruity, simple, attractive

Still life with fruit, watercolor still life painting

Fruity, simple and attractive is still life with apples. Between years 2013 and 2018, I used to spend either August or September in Latvia. They have numerous fruit trees. Apples were in all tones and colors: red, white, green, purple and scarlet. Their round perfect shape was always attractive to me, so, I rarely could resist sketching or painting some apples whether with leaves or other elements.

This particular painting comes from my bright color period. I think it was 2008 when I painted this still life. It is quite large, 15 x 22 inches or 38 x 56 cm. I used to enjoy extra bright colors and St. Petersburg watercolors definitely facilitate that.

This apple still life was painted in Latvia looking at a tree and balancing paper in my lap. The weather wasn’t really cooperating, but I managed to finalize this painting upon my return to Canada.

Similarly, this still life with apples and pears was painted at my daughter’s computer desk. The space was too small to lay out paints and paper in a manner that I could paint without worrying that something falls to the floor. However, I love how it came out. I got some leaves in the garden, and they had a few green pears. I love my color combination in this one.

These are clear white apples which grow in my sister’s garden. They are ripe in August or even sooner, but must be consumed swiftly. They are extremely juicy and sweet, but go bad fast. I haven’t actually seen this sort of apples in Canada. I think this still life came out quite nice, too. I had to add final touches upon my return to Canada.

I have many sketches of apples, some unfinished watercolors and also acrylic still life painting with fruit and apples. It is not possible to remember all paintings which feature apples.

My personal point is that anything makes a good painting. Simple things can be painted and drawn as great as very complex subjects. I do always advise starting with such subjects that are around you and are easily found and replaced. That is a wonderful exercise in composition and color. It is also pleasure for eyes. Such paintings look great on any wall.

My art on Fine Art America:

Art collections by Inese Poga

Original watercolor paintings for sale

Category: fall still life

Vibrant red color in my still life paintings

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Watercolor – fantastic medium for any painting style

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Still life with personal touch

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Getting ready for a cozy fall and Thanksgiving

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Fruity, simple, attractive

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