Serving Art Educators
and Students Since 1994
Shadowy Figure Still Life Drawing
Submitted by: Stormey Kasser
Title of Lesson: A Shadowy Figure
Grade level: Third Grade
Goals / Objectives:
Students will learn and apply the basic fundamentals of still life drawing as they create an original composition based on found items in the classroom. They will incorporate language arts concepts such as listening, inferring and summarizing as they listen first to a model story and then complete an original story based on their projects.
The goal is for the student to acquire basic knowledge, skills and experience with still life drawing as they incorporate language arts skills in the creation of original products.
The student will produce an original still life drawing based on items found in the classroom.
The student will incorporate observational and visual knowledge of items in producing his project.
The student will incorporate language arts skills of listening, inferring and summarizing as a basis to producing an original story based on his project.
The student will associate concrete ideas with appropriate vocabulary.
Materials Needed:
Each child will need:
#6B Drawing Pencils
1 sheet of 11x14 (28 x 35.5 cm) Sketchbooks
or Drawing Paper
Access to found items in classroom. (Or items they bring in)
or 
Download the Word Version of this Lesson 
Lesson Description:
Art Elements and Art Principles of Art Design: line, value, space, balance, emphasis
Vocabulary Terms:
Line – a dot that moves out into space
Value – how dark or light a hue is
Space – positive space is the actual object, while negative space is the space surrounding it
Balance – symmetry (symmetrical, asymmetrical or radial)
Emphasis – what draws your attention in the piece
Inference – to suggest something without really saying it
Imaginative – creative and original
Summarize – tell the main points
Procedure:
Set up: Place supply baskets with enough materials for each group or table in designated supply area.
Read aloud of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
by Laura Joffe Numeroff, allowing student participation.
Whole class discussion of concept of still life, describing process and procedures as well as incorporating vocabulary words (Written on board in advance).
Preview project and instructions with class. Show examples, model process for visual learners, leaving technique examples on the board.
Helpers pass out table supply baskets.
Students will first choose 3-5 items different in shape, value and size, including one soft item, from the found items basket provided.
Student will place items in a pleasing manner to them, each item slightly overlapping the other.
Student will draw a light line representing the tabletop on the bottom 1/3 of his paper.
Student will then draw an outline of the soft object.
Student will then draw a light outline of remaining objects.
Student will then carefully observe items and fill in, where shadows appear, with varying lines to create value and contrast.
Students may erase for highlights or leave white.
Students will sit project on classroom Easels
and step back (approximately 8 ft. [2.4 m]) to observe their work and assess the need for further work.
On completing composition, student will then recall the story introduced at the beginning of class and create an original story based on his still life drawing, incorporating language arts techniques of inference, sequencing and summarization in his work.
Display student art work in conjunction with original story.
Photograph student art work, scan stories, and construct a class story book "If you give a student a __________" to be shared in school library alongside books by Laura Joffe Numeroff. (Such as If You Give a Cat a Cupcake,
If You Give a Pig a Pancake,
and If You Give a Dog a Donut
.
Assessment(s): Grading Rubric:
National Visual Arts Standards Covered:
Visual Arts Standards 1,2,3, & 5
TEKS:
Art 3.1A, 3.1B, 3.2A, 3.2B, 3.2C
Language Arts 3.8A, 3.18A, 3.29A
