First Art Compositions "Still Life"

[Hound dog]

Nichole and I finished our first artwork for Drawing class today. They were still life's done in charcoal. Subjects were paperbags arranged in different ways and with different spotlights. Nichole and I were in different groups. Hers chose a simple arrangement for their bags. My group wasn't quite as bright. We have "artsy boy" in my group and he got a bit elaborate with ours. The main paperbag (grocery style) he tore open to make flaps and so the gift bag inside it could be seen......the flower is actually a cool gift bag made to look like a flower. It's sitting in the smaller gift bag. Artsy boy forgot we were beginning drawing. lol

Charcoal is not something I've worked with before. But by the time we get done working with it......I might just like it. At least I've stopped hating it. lol I prefer pastels which don't tend to "dissolve" every time you go to blend. ugh

So........here they are. I think they turned out pretty well for all our cursing and sweating.

Mine:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd204/Lisaisqueen/Artwork/StillLife2009.jpg

Nichole's:

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd204/Lisaisqueen/Artwork/NicholeStillLife2009.jpg

By Thursday we have to come up with our own still life arrangement. And so far.......I haven't got a clue. lol But I'd prefer something a bit less complicated this time around. So far all my compositions are turning out to be hard subjects. The instructor saw some of my sketches.....and yeah.....I happened to be playing with one of an otter.....and now suddenly it's going to be my first painting. Nichole is doing an awesome ladybug for Aubrey.

Leave it to me to start with the hard stuff. lol

Any ideas for a simple uncomplicated still life??

 

[flutterby]

I'm *really* good at drawing stick people. Other than that, drawing a box is as complicated as doing a self-portrait for me....so no help here.

The projects turned out very nice. You should both be very proud.

 

[mom_to_3]

No idea's for your still life, but you and Nicole have done a very nice job on your charcoal drawings! I could only wish. You both need to keep it up for sure.

 

[tiredmommy]

Wow! I'm impressed! Here's a few tongue-in-cheek ideas:

-a basket of unfolded laundry
-dishes in the sink
-pet food on the floor
-an unmade bed
-the vacuum standing alone in the corner

 

[ML]

I think they look terrific! I have zero artistic ability but think I would enjoy learning to work with watercolors for fun, you know when I have time in my next life

 

[Hound dog]

TM those are great ideas!! I should have been more specific........I have to be able to carry the items to school and set it up. Might be able to find a way for that basket full of unfolded laundry though.......that sounds interesting.

ML we have a classmate who swears she's never attempted anything artsy in her whole life..........Yet she is currently working on a watercolor landscape that is gorgeous. Looks like she's been doing it her whole life. She's having fun and is currently amazing herself. And I keep sneaking jealous peeks as I'm grumbling over my otter.

Our instructor is the artist James Werline. Anyone heard of him?? He's had a painting signed by the president and is getting ready to go on tour for a showing in china. Seems everyone knows about him around here.........and I feel silly cause I'd never heard of him before. lol He's got a mini gallery set up on campus and I have to admitt I love his work.

 

[tiredmommy]

I'm sorry I've never heard of your instructor.

How about these ideas then... a stack of your text books! Or your unpacked lunch! My cat- she lays still for hours.

 

[DammitJanet]

You know...this sounds fascinating! I love art but I have never been able to draw even a stick. I did do commercial art in high school because I got stuck in the class for an elective when nothing else was available but I was terrible at it and only got a good grade because we were graded on effort...lol.

I wonder if they have any classes on drawing at my local community college...hmmm...maybe the continuing ed classes. I would rather not pay hundreds of dollars to take just a fun class.

 

[crazymama30]

Wow. You guys are great. THose are amazing.

 

[Hound dog]

Janet

Maybe you could audit a class? Of course, you'd still have to pay for the supplies.......but our instructor was good at keeping it fairly cheap. We have several people who audit his classes in order to keep taking them once they've passed the levels offered by the college.

Thanks for the compliments. I of course can pick out more than a half dozen mistakes. lol But I'm my own worst critic. lol I think Nichole's is amazing. (they look better in person) She's got some awesome detail in those chilli peppers.

 

[Shari]

Those are amazing! Great work! I love the laundry idea. Maybe you can pick up one of those little baskets from the dollar store that look like a mini laundry basket and throw some wash rags in it...that's portable!

Otherwise, I'd suggest the lonely vacuum one! Love it.

Janet, that's a great idea! We have adult cont ed courses around here like this...I bet you'll find something!

 

[gcvmom]

Beautiful work, ladies! Hope you keep it up... you've both obviously got talent!

 

[donna723]

Wow! Lisa! I think you both did great!

I remember taking a very similar class in college. For the first thing we did, the instructor painted several objects white and set them against a white background ... a ball, a cone shape, a Coke bottle! HATED that *#&%^ Coke bottle! It was all shading. For our second project, he borrowed a human skeleton, set it against a white background, and we had to draw it! It took weeks! We had this class at night, 3 hours twice a week. And every time we came in, he had set the lighting just a little bit differently - of course the shadows were cast in all different places each time - drove us nuts!

 

[Star*]

OH MY GOSH - you are MULTI TALENTED and beautiful.......

I'm impressed as all get out Daisy- MAN - what talent.....

Nicole honey - you take after your Mom - very impressive first sketch! VERY!

FOR still life - How about old/new -

A record lays next to a CD -
An old style telephone with cord lays next to a cell phone

A picture of yourself in high school lays next to a picture of yourself now...

THen and now theme?

 

[KTMom91]

Lisa...wow. Both you and Nichole. Those are amazing. All I can draw are the front ends of pigs and the back ends of elephants.

I like the then and now idea. Miss KT did something similar with a photo. She took a picture of a Civil War era headstone and put it with a memorial at a high school here...they've lost about six graduates in Iraq/Afghanistan.

 

[timer lady]

Lisa, both drawings are wonderful. I've always hated working with charcoal but have used it for certain subject matter.

I'll PM you a link to an art forum's image library ~ free to use subject matter (I belong to this forum).

Have fun ~ there is so much to choose from I spend too much time there rather than painting.

 

[Hound dog]

Thank you Linda for the link. I have a feeling I have another forum I'll be addicted to. lol I'm just waiting for my "varification" email.

Hugs

 

[Wiped Out]

Wow Lisa!!! This is so impressive!!!

 

[susiestar]

Both pics are very impressive! I am rather envious - I cannot even draw a decent stick figure - My hangmen people run screaming off the page as soon as they have feet!

I hope you enjoy this class. And if the teacher gives you a bad grade you can just tell her I said she is blind and PHOOOOEEEY!

 

[rejectedmom]

Nice Job Lisa and Nichole! Don't sweat the still life, You could just use whatever you have in your purse or lunch bag. Unles of course you have to leave it up for a few classes. Just look around you and you will find all number of interesting things. It is how the objects relate to each other in size, shape, texture and value that makes it a sucessful still life. Our drawing instructor used to make us just do objects around the studio, I remember spending one entire semester drawing a printing press. You would be amazed at some of the beautiful compositions that we students did with that one object. -RM