Creating Surface Effects in Painting

Some of most difficult elements to paint realistically in a painting are often common items that we include in still life set-ups – items made of glass, metals, or fabrics. Even if these items are used as backdrops, such as draped fabric, a superficial portrayal of these items can distract the viewer’s eye from the main subject matter.

The key to realistic portrayal lies not only in the actual painting of the item – the brushstrokes – but also in the ability to see and capture the subtle shading, reflections, and highlights in these objects.

Exercise:

One of the most useful exercises of my first year of art college was in a drawing class. A lot of us were having trouble with shading – catching the darkest shadows and the highlights. Practicing on spheres, cylinders, or even eggs can be pretty boring, so adding real objects seemed like a step towards more exciting work. The still life had to include:

• a mirror
• a glass object
• fabric
• a metallic object

Set up a still life using a combination of these items and use the tips in these article, from several different artists, to solve these common surface problems. The objects can be as simple or as complex as you wish – the goal is to learn how to treat these surfaces. Draw or paint in any style you choose – the same principles apply whether you’re creating a realistic or abstract work. Make the viewer feel the surface.

Hint: Compose your still life set-up with care. Placing glass, especially something simple like a glass jar or lid on top of the mirror, could send you into a perspective-reflection nightmare.

Too often we’re eager to paint and forget that the underlying drawing will define the final success of a painting. Rushing this stage of your work often leaves mistakes in the initial composition – particularly in perspective, negative space, or lighting – which could have been more easily corrected at the drawing stage than while painting.

In a black and white drawing, the treatment of glass and metal are very similar. However, when you add color the treatment of gold, silver, or chrome becomes a lot more difficult. Graduations in light and dark help create the metallic illusion.

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