Still Life Drawing - Studio in a School

Overview

In this unit, students will learn how to use composition, scale, and value to create still life drawings.

Grade Level

6-12

Media

Drawing

Lessons In Unit

Lessons

Lesson 1: Exploring Composition

Lesson 2: Scaling Up Your Drawing

Lesson 3: Adding Value To Your Still Life

Lesson 4: Finishing Your Drawing

Materials and Tools

Pencil
Paper
Eraser (kneaded & vinyl or gum)
3 different objects, ideally of different sizes and forms
Value Scale

Objectives

Students will understand that:

Artists can adjust the way they arrange objects in a still-life to create different compositions.
Artists often plan their compositions using thumbnail sketches.
Through careful looking, an artist can accurately enlarge a composition from a thumbnail sketch to make full-sized drawing.
Adding a full range of value can make artwork look realistic.
A finished drawing has a background

Students will be able to:

Create a series of thumbnail sketches of different still-life compositions to select from for a final drawing.
Accurately enlarge a composition from thumbnail sketch to full-sized drawing.
Use a full range of value to create volume in their still life drawing.
Add a full range of value and a background to complete their drawings.
Adjust values throughout the drawing.

Resources

Wayne Theibaud, Candy Apples, 1961

Wayne Theibaud, Still-Life with Kleenex, 1969

Credits

Written By:
Matthew Mahler

Based on a Lessons By:
Katherine Huala, Jamie Powell, and Matthew Mahler

Lesson Development:
Julie Applebaum, Senior Director
Andrea Burgay, Director of Digital Learning