LESSON PLANS SUMMER TERM 2023 (2nd half): Lesson 5 Simple still-life.

In this lesson I'm asking my students to set up a very neutral, simple still-life. I would like them to see both the shape of their whole still life and the shape surrounding their whole still life. For that reason there are two tasks to this session.

Summer Term 2nd half 2023 – lesson 5: Simple still-life in watercolour.

· You have two main tasks today, firstly:

· Set up two or three simple objects in front of you with no gaps.

· Using a mixed neutral colour (blue and brown) paint the shape around your subject, revealing the whole still-life as a white silhouette. As the paint dries, re-negotiate any edges that you feel need it with a darker layer (still working on the surrounding shape).

· When the re-negotiations are dry, look at the edges between the objects. Ask yourself which is the darker side of any hard edge you see. Whichever the darker side is, gets the layer of paint.

· Task two: Using the same set up as you used for task one (no gaps).

· Paint the whole shape of your objects, at this stage not worrying about the edges that separate them and, as before, using a nice mixed neutral colour.

· As the first layer of paint dries, once again look at the edges that separate each object from another. Which is the darker side? That’s the side that takes the layer of paint, carefully creating the hard edge that you want.

· Use clean water on a clean brush to soften any hard edges that you don’t want.

Next lesson, last before the summer hols: You have options. You can either use some of the ideas you’ve accrued today and make a Giorgio Morandi style painting in the medium of your choice (oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolours etc.) OR bring a black pen and sketch book for a ‘fun thing’.