Pat Fiorello: Elegant Still Life - Fresh and Fearless Painting

Discover how to arrange and paint your still lifes with dramatic flair using Pat Fiorello’s proven 4-stage “Transparent Color Underpainting” method that removes the worry about getting every detail perfect! 

The truth is, many artists struggle with their still life paintings because they focus intensely on getting every detail exactly right. 

This can often result in work that feels stiff or constrained — like actors frozen on stage rather than flowing through a natural performance.

Even though Pat is using oils in this demo, acrylic painters can apply this method too (instead of medium in stage one, just thin your paints with water).

Inside Elegant Still Life: Fresh and Fearless Painting, Pat Fiorello shares how a simple process can transform your approach to still life painting.

Instead of getting lost in tiny details, you’ll learn to see the bigger picture:

●      Where to place your “star” elements…

●      How to create supporting roles with your background elements…

●      And how to direct the viewer’s eye through your composition.

Come and join Pat Fiorello as she demonstrates her systematic 4-stage approach to painting great still life art.

Throughout each stage, you’ll learn valuable techniques like:

●      How to create eye movement through your composition…

●      Ways to suggest depth and atmosphere in your still life…

●      Methods for keeping colors clean and vibrant…

●      Techniques for balancing detail with looseness…

●      Approaches for creating more dynamic designs using contrast and temperature…

●      …and so much more!

But perhaps most importantly, you’ll learn how to think less like a photographer and more like an artistic director!

Instead of trying to copy every detail, you’ll discover how to orchestrate your elements to create paintings that capture the essence of your subject while maintaining the joy and energy of fresh, confident brushwork.

Whether you’ve struggled with muddy colors, stiff-looking still lifes, or just want to paint with more confidence and freedom, Pat’s systematic approach offers a clear path forward!

Meet Your Instructor, Pat Fiorello!

Pat Fiorello is an award-winning artist, instructor, and author of the book Bella Italia, Italy Through the Eyes of an Artist.

In 2002, after graduating from Harvard Business School and a 20-year career in marketing,including serving as Vice President of Marketing at the Coca-Cola Company, Pat chose tofollow her passion for painting and dedicate herself to creating art full-time.

Over the past 30 years, Pat has developed extensive experience in both painting and teaching. 

Her work has been featured in over 20 one-woman shows and included in more than 100 juried exhibitions, including Oil Painters of America, National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society, and the American Impressionist Society.

She has conducted 18 international painting workshops in various locations, among them France, Italy, Spain, and New Zealand, including private workshops at Monet’s Gardens in Giverny.

Her recent accomplishments include:

●      Best Oil Painting in the 13th Annual PleinAir Salon Competition

●      Awarded Best Floral and Floral Honorable Mention in recent PleinAir Salon competitions

●      Grand Prize winner of plein air competition in Giverny, France, which led to an exhibition of her artwork in Giverny

●      Finalist in International Artist Magazine’s 2021 Florals & Gardens challenge

●      Signature member and past President of the Georgia Watercolor Society

To enhance her understanding of her subject matter, Pat has completed formal floral-arranging courses that inform her approach to painting flowers and still life compositions.

Throughout this course, Pat will share her “Transparent Color Underpainting” method — a systematic approach she’s developed to help artists create looser, more expressive still life paintings in a Romantic Impressionistic style.

"To me the point of a painting is creating beauty over perfection. If you start to get too uptight about getting something perfect, that changes your energy. Our energy, whether relaxed, excited, or uptight and doubting, shows up on the canvas.” — Pat Fiorello

●      The counterintuitive first stage of Pat’s process that sets the stage for vibrant, glowing color that lasts throughout your painting…

●      Why trying to paint “clean color” often leads to muddy results — and Pat’s surprising solution that maintains luminosity from start to finish…

●      A unique approach to painting white flowers that makes them look dimensional and alive instead of flat and chalky (you’ll be amazed at how simple this is once you see it)...

●      The “perimeter shape” secret that helps you capture the essence of any object without getting lost in endless detail…

●      Why softening some edges can actually make other areas appear sharper and more detailed…

●      Pat’s “sculpting with the brush” technique that creates natural-looking objects without painting every detail…

●      The simple secret behind mixing silvery eucalyptus green without getting a chalky, artificial look… 

●      A common background painting mistake that can make your subject look “pasted on” — and the easy fix that creates natural depth… 

●      Why painting faster can actually lead to more elegant results — and specific techniques to help you maintain control while working quickly…

●      The real reason most still life paintings lack drama (hint: it happens before you even pick up a brush) — and Pat’s systematic approach to creating dynamic compositions…

●      A counterintuitive way to use non-colors that instantly adds sophistication to your paintings… 

●      The “quiet neutral” technique that makes your vibrant colors appear even more luminous…

●      How to know exactly when to stop developing an area — Pat’s two simple questions eliminate the guesswork…

●      A clever way to use your brush to “cut into” shapes that creates crisp edges without tight, controlled strokes…

●      Why the typical approach to adding leaves often weakens the composition — and Pat’s strategic method for enhancing flow instead…

●      How to create reflections on objects that look natural instead of awkward and forced…

●      The “value family” approach that helps you maintain clear light and shadow relationships throughout your painting…

●      A surprising way to use your background to strengthen your focal point without adding detail…

●      PLUS: The often-overlooked final step that can make or break your painting (most artists never even think about this)...

●      …and so many more lessons that could help you become a much stronger artist!

Chapter Breakdown

Introduction

Painting Intention & Design

The Process

Materials & Tools

Stage 1: Block in Transparent Color

Stage 2: Build Form

Stage 3: Develop Design

Stage 4: Refine & Sign

Extra Bonuses:

●      BONUS DEMO Included — How to Paint White Flowers

●      High Speed View™ for your painting convenience

●      Exhibit of Pat Fiorello’s works for your creative inspiration

●      Sit down with Pat Fiorello for insights and motivation

PDF CHARTS INCLUDED:

●      Transparent Color Underpainting Method Summary Sheet

●      Opaque Vs. Transparent Color Summary Sheet