High School Studio Lesson
HARDLY
HARDWARE
Debra Lott
The Art Problem
I set up two different still lifes for
my high school portfolio class.
Students could choose to zoom in
on an open form still life or use a
boxed still life
This approach will inspire art to create their
teachers to look at unusual composition.
Students used
and less obvious sources for viewfinders to
new still-life setups. create a perfect
composition and
were encouraged to use exaggerated
scale and stylized approaches. All
drawings would be full format and
extend off the page, have overlap-
ping objects, a center of interest,
and an illusion of depth.
In a never-ending search for
new and inspirational still-life
objects, I discovered that home
improvement retailers make
great resources for art teachers.
Hardware and
building materials are inexpensive and have
interesting and
variable shapes.
I especially liked
the dryer-vent coils and the electrical conduit. These items can be
expanded, twisted, and manipulated
to create transitions and movement.
Massive chains, large oversized
hooks, and giant screws were interesting objects to hang in an ordinary
cardboard box.
Materials and Process
Students used cool gray pencils to
create form. Some students chose a
personalized style while others preferred the trompe l’oeil method. To
complete our hardware value study,
the background was completed in
