Still life painting is so diverse. It can narrate a story of objects or take you closer into an objects world.

Every since I stared painting with pastels so long ago I have enjoyed painting candy apples. I took a large amount of reference photos years ago that I still use today for when I have the itch to paint another.

This painting is 4×4″ painting on a 5×5″ square of Arches Oil Paper which comes in large sheets or blocks of 9×12″ or 12×16″. Arches is made from 100-percent cotton and features a sizing that absorbs solvents but allows the pigments to sit on top of the paper. Thin washes get absorbed right in that can be easily painted on immediately after. For small works I find it works very well.

Candy Apples are no different than any other object with a shiny and reflective surface. It is full of various shapes, each one a different colour or temperature. I encourage anyone starting off painting to try to paint a still life with glass or something reflective like a candy apple. You may think it is too complicated but once you push yourself to see just the shapes of the reflections and not get to tied into copying exactly what you see, it will change the way you paint.

I narrate over the video trying to outline the stages I go through as well as to give you insight into how I approach various areas. I live by the motto, “Close enough is good enough.”

When you see this finished painting you immediately think of a candy covered apple, no questions asked. If I showed you the reference photo you could nit-pick all day long going over all the details I missed. The motto doesn’t give me permission to be sloppy, it allows me to create a painting.

If you take the time to watch the video, thank you. Leave a comment below letting me know what you would like me to paint next. Psst, keep it simple. :)

Additionally, you may want to watch more of my videos over on my YouTube Channel.