Still Life Secrets

From Being Kind to Your Brushes to Picking the Perfect Colour Palet Te, Artist James Gillick Answers Your Queries to Help You Get Great Results

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How important is a painting’s background to creating a successful still-life scene?

Backgrounds are important, but the decision artists need to make about them is simple. It is: do you want a context for your subject or don’t you? A background that contextualises your subject places it in a set location and time; a background that does not contextualise elevates the subject of a painting into a type of sacred object.

Are there brushes you would recommend?

Brushes should match your brushstroke and your medium. A longer-hair for a long stroke and a short-hair brush for a strong, stubby stroke. For sable brushes, I would opt for Rosemary & Co: you get quick, economical delivery of an excellent range of sables from a great catalogue. For hog hair, I use Pro Arte Series A long filberts.

What colour palette do you use?