Still Life Drawing Requirements and Tips
There should be 5-7 objects in the still life, and all objects must appear in your completed drawing:
- One piece of cloth - This can be draped over the table and perhaps over a rectilinear form like a box or stack of books. It may also be taped or tacked to the wall behind, to serve as a backdrop.
- Two or three various 3-D geometric objects: something conical, cubical, cylindrical, pyramidal or spherical (e.g. roll of paper towels, basketball or baseball, books or boxes, funnel or hourglass, door wedge, etc.)
- Two or three organic forms or objects found in nature (e.g. driftwood, figurine, flower, fruit/vegetable, plant, rock, skull, tree branch.)
It can be helpful if there is some variety to sizes of these forms, as opposed to having objects that are all the same scale. Objects should be arranged in a way that their spatial configuration is clear. Place forms in front of other forms so overlapping is apparent, rather than lining the forms up next to each other.
Direct a single light source on the still life from above or to the right or left of the still life (not in front of, behind, or below the still life). The single light source should allow you to see both light and shadow sides of these forms, as well as cast shadow shapes from these forms.
You must use the following supplies to draw the still life:
- #2 pencil
- One sheet of 8.5" x 11" unlined paper
When drawing the still life, pay attention to composition, scale, overlapping, volume and how light changes across the forms. Think about how line, mark-making and tone can help relate to these things.
