What makes a still life painting feel alive and vibrant rather than flat and ordinary?

Most artists think the answer is in the subject, finding something beautiful or interesting to paint. But the real secret is in the light.

Here's a simple idea that will change the way you see your still life setups forever:

The color of your light source sets the color mood of your entire painting.

Warm light bathes your subject in golden, glowing tones. Cool light shifts everything toward blue and violet. And when you understand that, you stop reacting to what's in front of you and start designing the color experience you want.

Alain Picard, **Pink Donut in Cool Light**, 6x8” Pastel on UART500

Alain Picard, **Pink Donut in Warm Light**, 6x8” Pastel on UART500

Look at these two paintings of the same pink donut. Exact same subject and composition. The only difference is the light source. A warm light produces a rich, glowing, orange-red painting. A cool light transforms the same donut into a soft, blue-violet one. The subject didn't change. The light did. I couldn't resist putting my own bold spin on them.

Wayne Thiebaud, **Eclairs**, 1963 oil on canvas

The great American painter Wayne Thiebaud understood this so well. His cakes and pies practically shimmer on the canvas because he designed bold color contrast right into his light. He wasn't just painting desserts. He was designing with light.

Here's a quick exercise to try:

You don't need fancy lighting equipment for this. Whatever you have at home will do. Grab any simple object from your kitchen, an apple, a cupcake, a pepper. Paint it once under a warm lamp (yellow cast to the light). Then swap to a cooler light (bluer cast) or move it to a north-facing window and paint it again. In both cases, be sure your subject casts shadows. Notice how the entire palette shifts. That's the color of light at work.

Alain Picard, **Cupcake with Sprinkles**, 7x10” Pastel on UART500

This colorful exercise is just a taste of what's coming your way. On March 25 and 27, 2026, I'll be hosting a free workshop called Bold & Loose: Painting Still Life with Pastel. Registration opens on March 11!

I think you're going to love it.