2D Mixed Media Still Life
What is Mixed Media?
Mixed media involves the artistic process of using two or more mediums of art... for example, acrylic paint, chalk pastel, construction paper, and newspaper in one work of art is mixed media.
What is 2D?
2D, or Two-Dimensional, involves artwork that is intentionally visible and viewable from one or two sides - a front and a back - rather than multiple sides or angles. Examples of two-dimensional artwork are drawings, paintings, clay slabs, paper collages, mosaics, stained glass, and even weavings off the loom.
What is a Still Life?
Definition: a Still Life is a drawing that consists of inanimate objects that are set up and arranged on a table or other surface for the purpose of observational drawing
Assignment: Choose at least 5 inanimate objects from your home or in the classroom, set them on a table, arrange them in to an appropriate composition, and draw to the best of your ability.
Keep in mind.... These following "rules" are more like guidelines and suggestions; however, NOT REQUIRED! Pay attention to them to help you if you are stuck, but you are NOT forced to use them.
Rule of Odds: an odd numbered group of objects is inherently more pleasing and natural-looking than an even numbered grouping. Our brain is predisposed to looking at a group of objects and pairing them up; however, if there's an odd number of objects, our eyes will continue to look around the piece of artwork, trying to scan for that missing "piece", therefore, creating more eye movement and observation in the work of art. In other words, it makes the viewer look at your art longer!
Rule of Thirds: placing the main focal point off-centered avoids the "bullseye" effect and therefore making it more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. To do this, create a horizon line going through half of your paper, and then place the center focal object to either side, above, or below, the exact center of the paper. When the focal point is centered, it deviates from the rest of the artwork, stopping us from gaining a deeper appreciation for the art as a whole.
Color Schemes: Choosing objects that have an interesting color scheme allows for a variety and contrast in the outcome (for example, complementary colors, analogous colors with a contrasting element, etc.). When you look at a black and white drawing and it's mostly medium gray tones with no extreme light or dark, it gets very boring... but, if you choose values and/or colors that pop, play off each other effectively, then you create a vibrant and bold work of art that people will want to look at.
Textures: a multitude of textures gives the drawing a more harmonious and realistic look without making it feel stagnant and similar (for example, one object can be fuzzy, one can be smooth, one can be rough, etc.). A drawing full of glass bottles CAN be interesting; however, for this assignment I want you to gain practice with a variety of textures, as well.
Sizes: including objects of varying sizes avoids the feeling of lackluster uniformity and gives your drawing the boost it needs to be interesting to the viewer. That drawing of glass bottles mentioned above appears pretty dull if they're all the same size.
Overlapping: objects that are overlapping give depth and dimension to the drawing, making it appear as if a group of objects are sitting posed on the table. If they are lined up side by side, the values (highlights and shadows) are minimized, the space is ineffectively being used, and the drawing is stagnant where the viewer's eyes cease to roam around the paper.
Neatness, effective use of your paper, and overall quality of the objects rendered and recognizable counts in your grade
***Please keep in mind, however, that your artistic license and mindset is always at your disposal... that means, if you decide in your artwork that 5 colorful same-size glass bottles side by side are interesting because of a certain reason, then that is fine.... whatever your choices are, there must be an INTENT and PURPOSE behind them: not just because you "feel like it" or you "don't know what else to do".
How will you set up and organize your still life composition?
Consider everything above: the rule of odds, rule of thirds, color scheme choices, textures, overlapping, layers, sizes and shapes, etc... how do you take all of that information and apply it to literal objects placed upon your table?
You start by looking around you. Look around your area and see what you can find, whether it's something you literally use or perhaps just draw from and use as inspiration for the next object you retrieve. Are there any objects that catch your eye? Maybe a glass bottle or a mug? What about a colorful stress ball? How about your shoe on your foot? All of these objects can be used as a still life prop and all of them are different than the other!
When you have your objects ready to go, place them on the table in front of you. Do you want the larger ones in the back? Are they laying down? Is there a small object that needs to be in front or even on top of another one? Is something tall that needs to be propped up at an angle creating a dynamic line in between the other objects? What if one of the objects is a small scarf and can be wrapped around another larger object? Do you need a rubber band to keep things together? There are so many possibilities on how to arrange your composition, but the best advice is to just keep moving them around through trial and error and see what works for you!
How will you choose which mediums to use and where?
This one can go either way... maybe the entire still life is segmented with a fractured composition in which after you create your still life drawing you make fractured lines through the entire thing and use different mediums in each segment, like a slice of pizza. Or, you can have each individual object, the table, and the background be a completely different medium as a whole piece - for example the apple is with colored pencil, the mug is graphite pencil, the pair of scissors is acrylic paint, the table is watercolor, and the background wall is a torn paper collage. The choices are up to you!
TURN IT IN
Sketches and plans for how you're going to begin, including a list of objects and the reasoning for choosing those objects to go in your still life.
Consider the Rules of Composition (Rule of Odds [odd numbered objects], Rule of Thirds [uneven focal point, no bullseye], Overlapping) as well as the incorporation of a table/horizon line.