Elementary

Artwork by Shruthi.

The Essential Question
What are some of the challenges of drawing an object on a large scale?

Objective
Students will draw an object on a large scale and focus on capturing value.

Materials
sketchbooks, pencils, tortillons, various objects

Procedures
1. Show students images of still-life arrangements that illustrate enlargement. Discuss how the artists show value in their works by focusing on shadow and light.
2. Students choose an object and create thumbnail sketches of compositional layouts. Students consider how light and value affect their object and incorporate it in their drawings through stippling, hatching, or cross-hatching.
3. Students take suggestions from peers as needed before converting their design onto their final paper.
4. Students set up their object in the manner they see fit and draw out their design. Students are encouraged to make the item go off the page and to play around with positioning the object and sizing to help with their composition. Remind students to focus on how light and shadow respond to their object as they draw.

Assessment
Students write a reflection on their process, explaining their drawing and the challenges they may have faced drawing an object on a larger scale.

Leigh Drake is an art teacher at Old Donation School in Virginia Beach, Virginia.