Apple Still Life
5th graders first watch a slide show presentation and listen to a lecture on the great artists Paul Cezanne and Henri Matisse. Both Cezanne and Matisse are famous for their still life paintings of everyday objects….including apples! These apple paintings are among some of their most popular works and prints of them can be found hanging in kitchens, dining rooms, and restaurants alike all over the world.
After completing this assignment, students have an understanding of what a still life painting is. They also know how to apply a very important technique in art - painting shadows around objects so that they appear more three-dimensional. There is more to a shadow than what meets the eye. There is the shadow that naturally falls on the object itself simply because is it not facing the light source directly and then there is the cast shadow, which falls onto the surface on which the object is sitting. Students learned about both of these shadows and used two different consistencies of black paint to apply each of these to their apples.
Minnesota State Visual Arts Standards:
After completing this assignment, students have an understanding of what a still life painting is. They also know how to apply a very important technique in art - painting shadows around objects so that they appear more three-dimensional. There is more to a shadow than what meets the eye. There is the shadow that naturally falls on the object itself simply because is it not facing the light source directly and then there is the cast shadow, which falls onto the surface on which the object is sitting. Students learned about both of these shadows and used two different consistencies of black paint to apply each of these to their apples.
Minnesota State Visual Arts Standards:
- 1. Describe the characteristics of the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space. (4.1.1.5.1)
- 2. Describe how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation, presentation or response to visual artworks. (4.1.1.5.2)
- 3. Identify characteristics of Western and non-Western styles, movements and genres in art. (4.1.1.5.3)
- 1. Describe the tools, materials and techniques used in a variety of two- and three-dimensional media such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics or sculpture. (4.1.2.5.1)
- 1. Create original two- and-three-dimensional artworks to express specific artistic ideas. (4.2.1.5.1)
- 1. Justify personal interpretations and reactions to works of visual art. (4.4.1.5.1)