Charcoal and Chalk Still Life Drawing

Grade Nine

Materials:

Coloured Construction Paper
Charcoal
Chalk
Still life or picture of a still life (Below is the one we used)

Charcoal and Chalk is a great way to represent value as it can be smudged to produce great light effects.  My students had fun doing this assignment and admitted when finished that it wasn't as hard as they thought it would be.

Have students draw the image or still life in pencil on coloured paper.  I found that an image works better as they took several classes to complete this assignment and having to set up a still life each time proves difficult.  Have them study the highlights and shadows
on the objects.  

I found that concentrating on the objects and then the background prevented students from becoming overwhelmed.  I allowed them to trace round objects so that they were more pleased with their circles.  They first drew the objects, used the materials until finished and then started drawing the background and filled it in with the materials.  I found that in order to create focus, the background could be more subdued and blended than the objects of the still life.

Colour in the areas where highlights exist with the chalk. Do the same for the shadows with charcoal.  Blend, with finger, in a circular motion where they meet.  

Stress the importance of including the shadows cast by the objects as well as the shadows within the objects.  This gives the illusion of three dimensional objects.

Spray fix can be used after class in a well ventilated area as these drawings will be quite messy.  

Examples of student work: