Still life paintings are full of hidden meaning. Look carefully at “Vanitas” by Pieter Claesz (1597-1661). Make a list of at least 6 items that you can identify in it, and think about what they convey. What would some equivalent objects be in today’s world? Now, find those objects in your own home. Arrange them in a similar composition to the original painting, and make a drawing, painting, or photograph of your own.
art activity
Daily Creativity #64: Use an Art Technique You’ve Never Used Before
Look to your immediate left or right and draw what you see using an art technique you’ve never used before. Could be stippling, cross-hatching, sgraffito, cross counter, etc. Get creative!
Daily Creativity #62: Draw Shadows and Imagine Them as New Objects
Put some objects in front of a sunny window and draw the shadows they make (if it’s not a sunny day, put your objects in front of a wall and use a bright light instead). Next, try envisioning new animals, people, or whatever you can think of to fit the forms of the shadows.
