Still Life Drawing

Description

Practice real-world observation and composition by drawing a small arrangement of objects. Still life brings together every fundamental skill — proportion, construction, shading, and composition — in a single focused session.

Steps

1. Arrange 2–3 simple objects: cups, fruit, books, shoes — anything with clear form
2. Set up a single light source to one side so the shadows are clear and directional
3. Spend 2 minutes just looking — identify the biggest shapes, the light direction, the composition
4. Lightly sketch the overall composition: how large is each object, where is it on the page?
5. Build each object using basic shape construction before adding any detail
6. Add shading: establish the shadow masses first as flat tones, then blend and refine
7. Add cast shadows on the surface — they anchor the objects to the ground

Tips

• Start simple: one or two objects is enough for your first sessions
• Focus on proportions first — get the sizes right before shading
• Squint frequently to simplify what you see into value masses
• Composition tip: don't centre every object; offset them slightly for a more interesting arrangement