The Full Still Life - Start to Finish

In eight sessions, I'll take you through the construction of a still life painting of a breath-takingly beautiful subject from beginning to end:


  • Choosing and setting up the objects
  • Controlling the light and adding drama
  • Composition
  • Matching the local colours with Munsell, and..
  • using Munsell to derive light and shadow colours for each object
  • Making a careful value study (Munsell again...)
  • Colour studies of the important areas (Munsell...)
  • Painting the piece to a finish over multiple sessions


There will an emphasis on using Munsell to create natural and beautiful colour, so a Munsell book - at least the Student Munsell set or the Centore Munsell book - is strongly recommended.

What You'll Learn

  • SET UP, LIGHTING and COMPOSITION

    From choosing the objects to arranging and lighting them to create an interesting pattern of light and shadow

  • RECOGNISE AND MIX ACCURATE COLOUR

    Learn how to use Munsell to guide and inform your colour choices

  • VALUES and EDGES

    Use the Munsell scale to absolutely nail your values, and use delicate edge handling to create depth, form and focus

  • UNDERSTAND LIGHT and SHADOW

    Easy to understand explanations of how light affects colour in the lights and the shadows - and how to mix those colours

The Subject

Course curriculum

  • 1
    Welcome to the course!
    • Welcome to the Workshop!
    • How to use this course
    • Materials List
    • Main Reference photo
  • 2
    Chapter #1: Choosing the Objects and Setting Up the Subject
    • Session One
  • 3
    Chapter #2 Value Balance
    • Mixing a simplified value scale
    • Edge handling exercise
    • Digital Munsell Value Scale for Download
    • Session Two
  • 4
    Chapter #3: Munselling the Colours
    • Synopsis
    • The Full Still Life: Additional Mixes for the Colour Block In
    • The Full Still Life: Screenshot of the Palette for the Block in
    • Full Still Life Session Three: Mixing the Colours for the Block In with Munsell
  • 5
    Chapter #4: Colour Studies
    • Synopsis
    • Full Still Life Session Four: The Colour Block In
    • The Full Still Life Session Five: The Form of the Rose
    • Full Still Life Session Six: Painting The Cloth
  • 6
    Chapter #5: The final painting
    • Synopsis
    • Full Still Life Session Seven: Block in for the Final Painting
    • Full Still Life Session Eight: Second Session on the Final Painting

Register for the Workshop

If you'd like to spend eight weeks with me painting this gorgeous subject from start to finish, sign up below

Buy $190.00

Got a Question?

How long do I have Access to the workshop? Forever! Once you've bought a course or workshop with me, you have lifetime access to the materials so you can learn at your own pace

What medium will be using? Oils on Ampersand gesobord panels (or a surface of your choice) with a medium of linseed oil and a solvent

What happens when I sign up? Do I get access to everything? Yes! As soon as you've bought the course, you have immediate access to all the videos, reference photos and exercises included as part of the workshop

Is this a Munsell course? Yes. All my workshops include Munsell to some degree, so it will be a good idea for you to have a copy of the Munsell Student Colour set (6th edition or later). You can do the workshop with only the Munsell value scale though ($10 from Ebay) since I include mixing videos. The Paul Centore Munsell book is good too. There's a full breakdown of advice on this in the materials list

What about lighting? If you can work in natural light that will be best. But I also give advice on artificial lights if you can't

Can I get feedback on my work? You will also get access to my online private community and can post there. I do try to give feedback on posted work when I can, but can't reply to every post and it's not included as part of the workshop