Design a Descriptive Still-Life

1) Show students the focus art work Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Bowl or another still life from crockerartmuseum.org. Ask students to describe what they see in the artwork.

2) Focused Viewing Questions: Encourage the students to use descriptive words. As descriptive words are used, begin a word bank on the whiteboard.
a. What is the first object you see?
b. Why does that object jump out at you?
c. What do you notice second?
d. Describe the different types of flowers and bugs. How many can you find?
e. What objects would you use to create a still life?
f. Would your still life be created from objects you like, or because you want to make a point about something?

3) Once students have described the objects in the artwork ask the students to precisely describe different colors, both in the artwork and in the classroom.

4) Tell students that the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. Ask students to find examples of primary colors in the painting. Next tell students that secondary colors are made from primary colors: blue and red make purple, red and yellow make orange, and blue and yellow make green. Ask students to find examples of secondary colors in the artwork. If the artwork is on a transparency, overlay a blank transparency and allow students to circle different colors on the transparency with an overhead pen. If the artwork is being shown on a whiteboard, allow students to use the whiteboard markers and circle examples.

5) Explain to students that still life is merely an arrangement of everyday objects chosen because they interest the artist or the artist is trying to make a point. Ask the students what they think the artist was trying to say with this still life.

6) Explain to students that they are going to work on creating their own secondary colors. Hand each student a piece of white construction paper and half of a large plastic gallon bag.  

7) Give each student one paint drop of each of the primary colors (blue, yellow, and red) close together on their white construction paper.

8) On the count of three allow the students to take the half plastic bag and lay it directly over the paint, squishing and blending the paint on the construction paper. Have the students remove the plastic after they have blended the paint enough to create secondary colors, but not enough to create a big blob of brown.

9) When the paper is dry, allow students to locate the secondary colors on their paper, circle them with a black marker and label the color.

10) On a table in the center of the room, set up a still life composed of 2-3 large, simple objects.   Hand out white construction paper and pencils so students may create their own still life.

11)  Using markers or colored pencils, have the students color their still life using only the secondary colors of purple, green, and orange.

Assessment:
Have students choose one of the objects in their still life to describe using 2-3 sentences. Encourage students to use the word bank of descriptive words from step 4. Circulate around the classroom offering help where needed and making sure students understand to begin each sentence with a capital letter and end with a period. Allow students time to share their still life and descriptive paragraph.  

Teach this lesson with:

David de Heem
Dutch, 1570-1632
Still Life with Fruit, 1622
Oil on panel
Crocker Art Museum, E. B. Crocker Collection
1872.335

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Willem Claesz Heda
Dutch, 1594-1680
Still Life, circa 1631
Oil on panel
Crocker Art Museum, E. B. Crocker Collection, conserved with funds provided by Anne and Malcolm McHenry
1872.45

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