Still life and graphite shading

Still life

Still life: Brown bag and egg

sectional still life

1 Feb 2016
The Graphite Pencil- A little about the pencil:

-Modern pencils do not contain lead as the "lead" of the pencil is actually a mix of finely ground graphite and clay powders. Before the two substances are mixed, they are separately cleaned of foreign matter and dried in a manner that creates large square cakes.

Although today most pencils using the HB system are designated by a number such as 2B, 4B or 2H to indicate the degree of hardness. For example, a 4B would be softer than a 2B and a 3H harder than an H. Graphite Scale Comparisons.

-HB Graphite Scale. The second graphite grading scale is known as the HB scale. Most pencil manufacturers outside of the U.S. use this scale, using the letter “H” to indicate a hard pencil. Likewise, a pencil maker might use the letter “B” to designate the blackness of the pencil's mark, indicating a softer lead.



The Lesson:

1.  First practice shading by completing a Graduated Value Scale and Gradated Value Scale.
     It can be a worksheet or students can made their own.  It takes time, Slowly.

Value Scale & 3D shapes

     See examples:

Value scale worksheet
 

2.Next set up basic 3D shapes  as a simple still life.  Have students draw the shapes, add value, shadows, and darkness using shading.

Still life with bottles

3. Once this task has been accomplished.  Set up a still life arrangement using lamps, bottles, plants, cloth, fruit, or any old thing.

















4. Have students sketch 3 different compositional arrangements on newsprint. Students should use contour and perspective drawing techniques.

Sketch 1

Sketch 3



Transferring drawing on light table 

5.  Students should pick their best drawing and transfer it to high quality paper.















 

TIP:  Students can use phone to take a picture of the composition and change it to black and white to help reference for values.
6. Students can then completely shade, matching the values as close as possible.


 Some difficult for me are:  That I am very heavy handed. I tend to make things to dark and press to hard.  I have to wear gloves with the fingers cut out because my hands sweat a lot and I leave a lot of finger prints.  If I am in a hurry I  do no blend as well as  I can. Students might have difficulties with hard lines and proportions.  They will have trouble with blending and will me to slow down. The black and white photo will be a lot of help with all of the above problems.