Author(s): Ian Sidaway

Art Instructional

Drawing still life is one artistic discipline where every element can be controlled by the artist - composition, lighting, shape, colour and tone. This makes it a perfect subject for beginners. This guide provides information on the tools and materials needed and the basic techniques - including line and line quality, rendering tone and depicting colour as tone, using erasing as a creative process and mixing media. There is also advice on organizing the subject and lighting, composition and perspective. The ten practical demonstrations cover a range of subjects, for example, fruit, flowers, stones and shells, garden tools and fabric. These are drawn in a variety of media including pencil, graphite pencil, charcoal, chalk and pen and ink. Each step-by-step demonstration is clearly illustrated with colour photographs accompanied by instructive text.