Drawing from Autumn Still-lives

Drawing from Observation

Autumn Still Life

Autumn Still Life by Sinthia Cousineau

What is a Still Life?

A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural or man-made.

What is Observational Drawing?

Observational drawing is drawing what you see. It can be a flower, a person, a still life, a landscape. But it's drawing what you see in front of you as realistically as possible.

Examples of Still Lives

Materials

Small Pumpkins
Leaves
Fabric of Different Colours
Tiny Pumpkins
Squash
Apples

Pencils
Erasers
Large Drawing Paper
Coloring Pencils
Optional: Smudge Sticks

Classroom Set-Up

Set-tip several tables with different still lives.

Note: Older children can set up their own still-lives or add elements to it. Try to have at least 3 tables with different still-lives so students can rotate between tables if they finish one drawing early.

Educational Objectives

Learn hand-eye coordination, creating shadow and perspective, and noticing fine details.
Identify still-life drawing
Learn about different types of still-life drawing