“Halloween Still Life” is a project that each student can personalize by carving/drawing their own face/image on the pumpkin in the “Still Life.” We will be using a pencil (HB, F, B) to initially draw the pumpkin, candle, and table cloth. The project uses colored pencils, colored pencil blender, black and white charcoal, stumps, kneaded eraser, and graphite dust for the atmosphere.
Step 1- Assign areas where the pumpkin and candle will be placed on the table. Draw your pumpkin closer to the front and the candle behind. Lightly sketch in the folds of the tablecloth. On the top of the pumpkin, draw a small oval. Begin drawing the lines of the pumpkin stemming from the oval and curving down to the bottom and sides. Notice the bottom lines, on the front of the pumpkin, connect making an upside down, curved v shape.
Step 2- Replace the oval shape with a stem. Draw your pumpkin’s face or image making sure that it curves around the pumpkin creating the illusion of form. Next, turn your Shapes into Form making the face/image three-dimensional.
Step 3- Color the inside of the pumpkins face or image light yellow. Color the inside carving with a darker yellow. Outline the pumpkin with a dark orange or red and then shade in using strokes that curve, creating a sphere like form. You will use that direction when you color in the pumpkin. *Notice I added the lid or cut out area on the top of the pumpkin.
Step 4- Color pumpkin and stem. Outline carving and shade with a charcoal pencil.
Step 5- Draw the candle in 6 easy steps. 1. Draw a tall rectangle. 2. Add an oval to the top and bottom to create a cylinder. 3. Add oval and line for a wick 4. Add a point for the flame and a curve or upside down v for the base. Add drips on the outside and one on the front side of the candle. 5. Erase dotted lines and draw a curve on the inside, top of the candle.
Step 6- Shade using charcoal and blend carefully with a stump. Pop out highlights with a kneaded eraser and a white charcoal pencil.
Step 7- Add the shadows cast by the pumpkin and candle. Begin drawing and shading the folds in the tablecloth using charcoal using flowing curved lines. Use zig zags for the shadows between the folds. Soften the values using a stump and pop out highlights with a kneaded eraser. Softly go over the highlights with a white charcoal pencil.
Step 8- Create the eerie background using graphite dust. I sharpened a woodless graphite pencil over the drawing and shaded in using circular strokes with a tissue. Around the candle, I pulled the graphite outward to create the illumination of the candle. Hold up your peice to see if you need to make any adjustments on the pumpkin, candle, tablecloth, or background.