This is a surprisingly thought-provoking project. The steps are straightforward, but it’s such a different way of creating that I’m sure many new brain connections were forged as C(9) and I worked!
The project comes from our favourite art book of the moment, 52 Art Labs For Kids.
What You Need
- drawing paper
- charcoal
- white or shiny objects (e.g. kitchenware or bottles)
- kneadable eraser
- newspaper and a damp cloth to catch charcoal dust and wipe mucky hands
- (optional) fixer spray
What You Do
Step 1: Arrange your still life
Take a few moments to observe the lightest and darkest parts of the arrangement.
Step 2: Cover your paper with charcoal
Hold your charcoal on its side and rub it all over the paper, leaving a white border around the edges.
Step 3: Outline the objects
“Draw” a faint outline of the objects with your eraser.
Step 4: Draw the details
Continue with the eraser, filling in details of the lightest highlighted shapes.
Step 5: Deepen darker areas
Use charcoal to deepen darker areas and add shadows.
We were really pleased with how our compositions turned out.
The back of my mind, meanwhile, is contemplating how drawing with an eraser might be a useful metaphor for life. I’ll let you know when I’ve figured that one out!
For more creative ideas, visit Hobbies and Handicrafts at Highhill Education.
Looks like fun!
Hi Lucy – thanks for stopping by! Oh yes – I forgot to mention how much fun it was! 🙂
We have the same book but haven’t used it much yet. It’s a very fun and interesting book, isn’t it? I love the art pieces you’ve created with the erasers. 🙂
Thank you! Yes it’s a great book – I wish I could remember whose blog I read about it on – if it was yours, thank you! It’s just the right level for C(9) and me (with no artistic background whatever!). I like that it includes such a wide variety of media and techniques and for each it includes an example by a “real” artist.
I love this technique. I want to do this with my boys! Thanks for posting about it.
Thank you, Phyllis. (And thank you for the pin.) I don’t know how you find the time to leave so many lovely comments! 🙂
Wow – looks like a great technique. Love to try with boys.
Can’t wait to sit and go through this and previous projects of yours in more detail.
Your blog is so well laid out and seems to bring a tantalising ease to all the projects that you and your children engage in. I find it very useful as an uplifter and support in my and my children’s own home ed journey.
Oh what a lovely comment, Loraine! Thank you, I’m touched 🙂 You know my kids – if there’s not “ease” then it’s like banging my head up against a brick wall – no middle ground around here 😀
You know what I noticed as I was reading your post? (apart from the beautiful art work, ofcourse) It was the newspaper on the table!! So THAT’S how one keeps one’s table from becoming as grimy as mine.. I wish I’d known that earlier…….!! Oh well, no point now in protecting it, given how stained it is!
PS Lovely art idea, we might have to try that!
LOL, Claire! I always hope no-one’s looking too closely at my table – it’s still got its Christmas robins oilcloth on it – in March!! 😀 This month I really will get round to changing it!
I bought a few art books as Christmas gifts for my girls. This art lab book was one I was considering but I ended up buying the Art Lab for Mixed Media Artists. Now I’ve seen your post I’m thinking I should buy this book too! The younger girls especially would enjoy the projects. Your drawings are very impressive. What do you do with all your artworks? Do you have somewhere to display them all?
Thanks for sharing! My mind is now buzzing with possibilities!
Ooh I love that buzzing-with-possibilities feeling! I just had a look at the Mixed Media book, I would like to get that one, too.
I’d love to be more organised about displaying artwork. What tends to happen is the latest creations go on the windowsill next to the table, which is lovely as we can admire them as we eat. We have a couple of corkboards where others are put up, and others are displayed in old photo frames which I forget to update – at the moment they are displaying Cubist oil pastels the children made last July!
I do scan everything, but of course that’s not the same as enjoying seeing it. I think my lack of organisation in this respect is one of the reasons I was so impressed by your framed Vermeer strewing!
That’s an interesting project. Drawing with an eraser on life is a wonderful metaphor. My life is pretty good, but there are a few parts I would like to erase:)
LOL, Julie! 😀 I hadn’t even thought of it like that! I was off in whimsical realms, “creating light and space where once there was dark” and the like. But I do like the idea of being able to erase parts, too!