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LESSON PLANS SUMMER TERM 2022 (1st half) Lesson 1. Tonal Still-life drawing.



In this lesson I'm asking my students to look closely at a simple still-life and find that a simple still-life is filled with more to 'see' than is expected!


We'll be looking at in-between shapes to help us find the still-life itself. We'll be looking closely at relative tonal values and translating line to tone.


Summer term, 1st half 2022. Lesson 1 – simple still-life.

Tonal drawing, soft pencils and sketch books.


· Set three simple objects in front of you so that there are spaces between them that you can’t see.

· Draw an outline of the whole – the three objects as one single shape, and then, using the side of your pencil, give tone to the area around the line creating a white silhouette of your objects. Be careful to see the different levels of the bases of your objects.

· Using line, divide your silhouette into its three separate objects. Look at the lines you’ve drawn and ask yourself which side of those lines has the darker tones? Put tone on the darker side and bring it close up to the lines so as to absorb the lines.

· Now set your three objects up in a row with their bases all at the same level. Using viewfinder hands OR a cardboard or paper viewfinder, crop your image so that you see only the spaces between your objects. As much as possible crop the tops and bottoms off your objects.

· Draw a box the same proportions as your viewfinder.

· Now draw the in-between shapes. Make your brain recognise the shapes between

your objects rather than the objects themselves.

· Finally, set your objects in an interesting arrangement. Using line and tone, make a lovely drawing. Use all the things we’ve looked at today to help you understand what you’re seeing.


Next lesson: A mixed media drawing/painting of your subject thinking carefully about the things we’ve looked at today. Bring a mix of media – pencils, pens, watercolours (&white paint), colour pencils, pastels (oil and soft)…just a few ideas of equipment you might bring for a very negotiated piece of work.

About this site...
 
I am an art teacher living and working in Dorset.  I have taught for the Adult Education Service and the University of Bath, plus some supply teaching in my local schools but now I run all my classes and courses privately. This site is intended as an addition to my teaching, primarily for any student who in the week misses a class and wants to catch up.
 
The lessons are also available for any one anywhere who would like some ideas on what to teach, what to learn or is just interested in seeing what we do.
 
I'm afraid I won't be able to answer emails asking for comments on anyone's work (other than for currently enrolled students).
 
I teach three weekly art classes in halls in and around Blandford in Dorset and every six weeks or so I run a Sunday workshop in a village hall on the outskirts of Blandford. I also run a vibrant five-day summer school.. Other than that I spend every available moment in my studio or drawing and painting elsewhere.
 
I studied for four years at The Slade School of Fine Art where I was awarded The Slade Prize on graduation. I went on to travel and study further finally doing a P.G.C.E at Exeter University with Ted Wragg as my mentor. It was a wonderful year of education which set me in good stead for my years of teaching since then.

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