Author: jolandacrettazchandler

I love to see these pictures. All so different, all so full of expression. Yesterday was the last day of the “Creating sill life” workshop with these amazing drawings among others by children aged 7 and 8. I can’t wait to set up the next workshop and am thinking watercolour and…the Thames & its rowing boats?

 

For many the first day of Easter holiday meant Creating Still Life! After warming up with some art history, getting familiar with the story of two Greek painters, Zeuxis and Parrhasius, who competed for the best still life (and both were as good as the other but in different ways), children were most intrigued by the presence in a Dutch painting of a skull as allegory of the Vanities of Human Life. Children tried out Morandi’s careful cross hatching technique and how it can render light and shadow on objects. The main part of the workshop saw children drawing their own still life. Some of the works ended up surprisingly realistic, while others were definitely closer to a modern and free interpretation of perspective. They certainly all had a lot of fun including when trying to draw transparent glass!

My aim with this workshop is to develop children’s appreciation of how a work of still life takes shape, and what it can express.

We will explore the different ways in which objects reflect light depending on their shape and what they are made of, how the use of colour can express the latter, and other tricks of the trade used to bring a still life…to life! We will look at the works of Morandi, Cézanne and Zurbarán for inspiration, and we will compose a still life together.

The workshop will be for children aged 5 to 12. Your child will have plenty of time to draw, and each exercise will be adapted to your child’s age and level.

Classes are for a maximum of five children only, so if you would like to book a place, do let me know as soon as possible.

When: Saturday 28th March or Sunday 19th April
Time: 1.30 – 3.00 pm or 3.15 pm – 4.45 pm
Where: Putney