Golden Mean in a still life

Drawing by Ann Marie

Hi,

I have a question or two, regarding my artwork. I am working on this piece and I am thinking about the golden mean and how it works when setting up this still life.

I visualize the spiral starting in between the the window and door of the shoe and spiralling out and going up by the roof to the top of the plant and down to the lemon. I see the rabatment rectangle of the drawing as being the horizontal back edge of the table.

Also regarding perspectives, I should make the leaves in the back of the plant a little lighter than the leaves in the front to show distance, right?

I’m reviewing Drawing Academy videos on the golden proportion and focusing on how to include the Golden mean in my drawings and paintings.

Thanks for your response in advance.

Ann Marie

Dear Ann Marie,

Thank you for sharing your wonderful still-life drawing. I like your artwork very much.

Regarding the Golden Mean proportion, you did a great job on the drawing composition, it is pleasing and balanced. There are many elements here that follows the golden ratio rule.

You are correct; using tonal rendering, you can create an illusion of aerial perspective in drawing. Although a still-life is a very shallow object to notice aerial perspective in life, nevertheless, you can pay more attention to objects that are closer to a viewer than those further away. That is why rendering front leaves of the plant with more contrast and definition makes total sense.

Thank you once again for your beautiful artwork.

I wish you all creative success you deserve.

Kind regards,
Vladimir

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Reply from Ann Marie

Thank you Vladimir,

This is very helpful for me to understand and see rabatment and the spiral in my own work.

The three courses, Drawing Academy, Old Masters Academy and Anatomy Master Class are, in my opinion, are the best art classes you can buy both on the internet and in person. The information in these courses is invaluable. Whenever I get stuck in my own work, I review some of the videos from theses courses and I usually find my answer. And the lifetime membership that comes with the one time purchase of these courses (which is unheard of nowadays on the internet) is priceless.

Thank you for all you do for aspiring artist and the art community.

Thanks

Ann Marie

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