how to set up a still life

[miketungate]

Mark, you are truly a blessing to the art world. I haven't painted in 10+ years and stumbled across your channel and you have inspired me to get back into it! There are a lot of people selling courses and such online, but you have chosen to give your knowledge as a gift to other artists. Absolutely amazing!! I just wanted to voice how awesome this is of you. Thank you!!!

[aymanzone]

This video is so useful because it humbles things and makes setup less intimidating for the normal folks. Thank you for showing your challenges

[dorinases]

I love the humility of asking for advice thank you for this example !

[SuperRickflick]

Everyone who's working through this process can gain from your struggle. Thanks for putting this out.

[damienkearns]

The opportunity to see and more importantly listen to an artist go through their process is priceless. These video's from Mark are addictive. Each one is a learning experience like no other. I have the most amazing books but the learning curve through these videos is 10 fold than that of a book. So engaging. Thank you.

[cssml]

I have been watching your videos today... five or six of them so far -all in one seating. My first reaction: why didn't I find you before! THANK YOU for this amazingly generous effort to share your knowledge with your audience. Personally, I am even more inspired to go back to painting after a few years of frustration.

[margiepetersen]

I loved that you were thinking out loud while making many different arrangements. You invited the viewer to make our own comments on what arrangement looked best. I have been walking through my house looking for objects to set up for a still life, but I'm having trouble finding something that works. Thank you your videos. Very inspiring!!

[c.augustin]

I just stumbled upon this video because I was looking for advice/inspiration on still life *photography* – and found something much better. This is the first time that I've seen someone showing the process of how to come up with a still life (others mostly show a finished setup and how to light it). This was much more instructive than anything I've seen so far, and I have to look into this "shadow box"!

[siokliew]

Yes Mark, you are very generous and kind for letting us assess this course for free. You are doing more for the art world than anyone can imagine.

[picsbyrob]

This video was so helpful and inspirational to me. I am a photographer, not a painter. I often find creating still life compositions a challenge. I will be trying some of your techniques. Thanks so much.

[jessicawang]

I really like how you showed us the process, too. And your train of thought. Makes me understand a lot more what makes a good still life and how it's not just throwing a buncha stuff together (like what we saw in the beginning). Thanks!

[jmmacb]

I never thought I would consider painting a still life but, if you can master the still life you can paint anything. And what lessons to be learned in composition!
I am definitely going to follow your plans for a shadow box so that I always have something to paint at any time of the day or night. I realized that if I always am working on something (even a long drawing) I can make use of even only 30 mins/day.

I counted all the "objects" I have collected over _55 years_ and I have hundreds of things (besides lemons) to paint! Suddenly my "feather collection" makes sense! Hehe!
Cheers, from Toronto ☮
P.S.- I ordered your colour checker, proportional divider and your canvas stain and they came promptly and are all of very high quality. And definitely worth every cent. (I am 63 so someone is going to inherit them!)

[Bartyron]

That table full of items in the beginning is a beautiful setting in itself.

[emy]

Really interesting to see this process, I feel that I understand more what still life is about now.

[dorenabellepetty]

This was the most helpful video on setting up a still life that I have seen!!! Thank you!

[reseksaadeh]

Your are not an arties you are a master, its pleasure watching your work sir. thank you

[tshobe]

I'm so glad you chose to publish this video as it was actually like during the process!  I think I got more out of it by seeing how it took all of the 'struggles' you went through to get what you wanted and didn't just 'cut to the chase' by showing the end result.  I think it helps us when we feel like it's ok for us to feel what we go through sometimes during the process and that it's not always instantly right the first time...even for a master like Mark Carder.   Thank you!

[Occamsrazor]

Fascinating process. I became absorbed to the point of trying to tell you where to place objects! :) I thought the jar with blue was wrong wherever it went - I didn't see what it related to. I loved the green book. I thought there were too many objects placed square on and would have been better angled, especially the silver box. Lots and lots of opinion and 'what I would have done", which just goes to show how individual we all are and how personal an image becomes. Love your work and videos and it has inspired me to paint and attempt to use your method. Thank you.

[deelawrence]

What a great demonstration. So encouraging to watch you mull and muddle your way to a composition. Thanks for sharing so much of your looking and thinking. 

[Jacadz]

So very helpful. Love your patience and how you really show the value of that quality all through your videos.