Cabinet Art Project

Today we'll will work in imitation of chromolithography by developing a value study in black or brown first and then adding color. I will demonstrate painting techniques by copying one of the mushroom studies below. Much can be learned from copying master drawings and I encourage you to copy as many as possible to improve drawing and shading techniques.

In class, please experiment with the painting techniques demonstrated.  This will serve as practice for your homework assignment.

Your assignment is to choose a fruit or vegetable from your kitchen. In addition to drawing and painting the item, you will also identify the species of fruit or vegetable and research its origins. 

Here are some tips for those that have limited experience drawing from observation.

• First, it is easiest to understand the form of your object when you can see the contrast in values (light and dark). Pay attention to the direction of light on your object. Ideally, you'll be able to find a spot in your workspace with natural light. Of course, the available light will change through the course of the day unless your have northern light, so you may decide to work on your drawing at the same time each day in order to use consistent lighting (as Monet did). Here's a 30 second video on seeking natural light in your workspace. You may need to turn off some of the lights and close some shades to control the lighting.

• If natural light is not available, try using a small desklamp. For a very, very short video on lighting your object, click here

• The focus of this course is to help you develop style and technique. If you're new to drawing, you may find this short drawing demonstration helpful.

root vegetables, artist unknown