Losing Control to Remove Expectations Part 2: Still Life Drawings using Sticks
In last week’s blog post I talked about purposefully losing control while drawing as a way to remove unrealistic expectations and free yourself up. I also discussed mark-making using cardboard and paint. This week I’ve got something new for you. To prepare, take your child on a nature walk and gather a small selection of sticks (about 5). They should be pretty thin and about 2-2.5 feet long. This can be a very relaxing way to start an art making session…and what kid doesn’t want to go on a walk to collect their own natural art supplies?
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Once you’re home with all of your sticks, find some masking tape and a graphite stick (think fat pencil with no wood around it) or large compressed charcoal. Tape the graphite or charcoal to the end of the stick. Voila! You have your new drawing tool. Now, it’s best to do these drawings on large newsprint. You may need to tape the paper to the ground so it doesn’t move as your draw. The key here is to stand up while drawing on the floor. Since you’re holding the drawing tool about 2 feet from the paper you’ll surely lose some control over your marks. Drawing from observation works best. The great thing about these drawings is that you can save them and see if your child wants to come back to them later and add on with “regular” drawing materials and techniques. Or you can let them be…in all of their weird, scribbly, beauty.
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I taught an Experimental Drawing unit to middle school and we started with this approach (student work pictured above). I asked groups of students to build still lives using objects I’d brought form home (vases, flowers, hats). I handed them their drawing tools and after the initial rowdiness, “You want us to do what? Why?! We won’t be able to draw well! This is crazy!”, students started working and the room fell silent with concentration. Students had the choice to either spend all of class on one drawing or to do many, quick drawings. The atmosphere in the room was magical. The results were breathtaking. At the end of class every single student was eager to share. Some took it more seriously than others, but everybody was having a good time. And I’d argue that having a good time is one of the most important things for young people when they make art. Because if they don’t associate making art with a good feeling they won’t want to do it again.
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This is a great exercise for your children but it’s also wonderful for adults who want let go and draw freely again. This Guide to Drawing (they use cookies) in The Guardian, a weekly British daily newspaper, offers a few different experimental methods using this technique and suggests completing a series of five 15-20 minute drawings. The article briefly describes what you will learn and what the results show as well.
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Sooooo…Start an art session on a nature walk! Set up a still life with your child using things from around the house (hats, plants, belts, water bottles, stuffed animals) and start drawing. I love this particular exercise because the student is involved from the beginning. Children get to forage for their own drawing tools and then create an interesting composition using objects of their choice. Here are a few tips on setting up a still life from Felt Magnet. Have Fun!!