A guide to painting still life in oil

Painting still life in oil
(Image credit: Rob Lunn)

This is our guide to painting still life in oil. Though still-life painting is now a popular form of art, it hasn't always enjoyed its current position in the art world. Actually, the genre was once referred to as rhyparography, which is defined as the painting of 'mean, unworthy or sordid subjects'. Portraiture and landscape, for example, were seen as a much higher form of artistry. Fortunately tastes changed and still-life painting now enjoys a rich and diverse history.

Materials for still life

- Canvas board, 8in x 10in
- Short-handled flat brushes
- Michael Harding Oil Paints
- Kitchen roll
- Old Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver (+ TLC)
- Bartoline Brush Cleaner

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Rob Lunn is a self-taught painter, and loves to paint in oils. His influences are Vincent van Gogh, Caravaggio and Ilya Repin. He has taught art workshops since 2012 and gets a real buzz from teaching people to draw and paint. He has contributed to Paint & Draw magazine and bookazines, and has also provided traditional art tutorials for Creative Bloq.

With contributions from