Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping, and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today about meaning and symbolism in art through drawing and painting.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking, and exploring together in this lesson.

So, shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to collect and draw meaningful objects that represent symbols in a story.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some keywords.

We'll be using these keywords during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these words down.

The keywords we'll be using today are still life, observation, narrative.

I'm gonna say those again and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Still life, observation, narrative.

Good job.

Now let's think in more detail about what these keywords mean by taking a look at their definitions.

Still life is a drawing or painting of inanimate objects arranged for observation.

Observation is looking carefully at objects to notice details for accurate drawing.

Narrative is the story or message conveyed through art.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords, and when you're ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles we'll be working through together in today's lesson, exploring and collecting objects, and observing and drawing objects.

So in this first learning cycle, we're going to explore and collect objects.

What stories might an object or collection of objects tell? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What do you think? Taking a look at these objects here, what story could we tell? We've got some dominoes and apple, camera.

I wonder what interesting story we could come up with looking at this collection of objects.

A symbol is not just an object, it's something that represents a deeper meaning or idea.

For example, a flower often represents beauty and celebration.

In art, symbols help the viewer understand the message or story behind the image without needing words.

Sometimes objects represent feelings, memories, or important parts of a story, and understanding this helps you choose objects that add meaning to your artwork.

Take a look at this picture here of these wooden toys and puzzles.

Can you think of a toy or a game that's special and meaningful to you and what that might represent? What kind of memory or feelings? Maybe you remember playing it with a particular person or playing it at a particular place like on holiday.

An effective still life shouldn't be random objects.

Each choice has a reason.

For example, a key might symbolise opening new opportunities or secrets.

Knowing the meaning behind objects helps you create more powerful and thoughtful art that conveys meaning and a narrative.

Amrita Sher-Gil is a Hungarian-Indian painter using still life artworks to reflect aspects of her heritage and culture.

Njideka Akunyili Crosby is a Nigerian-American mixed media artist depicting still life objects from everyday life to explore cultural identity and memory.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

An object or image that represents an idea or story is known as a.

Random doodle, colour, symbol, or meaningless object? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the missing word that will complete this sentence, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that an object or image that represents an idea or story is known as a symbol, you're absolutely right.

Well done.

Think of an object that is important to you.

It might be a gift or something from a special day.

Discuss with a partner why your object matters to you.

Pause the video here and have that discussion, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Hopefully, you discuss with your partner why that object matters to you, and listen to what their object was and what meaning that has for them.

Sofia says, "I have a collection of cards, papers, notes, and letters that are meaningful to me.

There is a letter written to me by my best friend that I treasure." And Jun says, "There's a small wooden puzzle toy I was given for my birthday a few years ago that I love to play with.

It's one of my favourite objects." Talking about how objects tell stories helps you notice ideas you might not have thought of.

And sharing ideas with a partner lets you hear different opinions and expand your understanding.

A still life is a drawing or painting of inanimate objects arranged for observation.

Making art from observation means looking carefully at objects to notice details and improve accuracy.

By intentionally choosing objects that are symbolic, we can prepare a meaningful still life scene ready for observing closely.

Doing this will help to communicate meaning, create a narrative, or tell a story in your artwork.

Let's take a look at the objects in this image here.

What can we see? We've got a skull.

We've also got some apples.

And we've got a spoon with something on it.

And the way the apples are being placed, we've got one right at the front that seems to have holes in, so maybe they're overripe or they're starting to go a little bit off.

And all of the objects in the image are all quite dark.

So the symbolism of these objects, they've all been intentionally placed there to create a particular meaning for this still life scene.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Why do artists choose objects carefully when creating symbols? To make it look messy and expressive.

So the drawing is easy to complete.

Because they have to choose an object.

To communicate a meaning or tell a story.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said to communicate a meaning or tell a story, you're absolutely right.

That's why artists choose objects carefully when creating symbols.

This brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to collect three to five small objects that have personal meaning or could represent parts of a story.

For example, a toy from your childhood, a shell maybe for a memory, or a key for mystery.

Then I would like you to create a mind map for one of these objects considering its symbolic meanings.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at both parts of this learning task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you find that? What kind of objects did you collect and which one did you create a mind map for? Well, let's have a look at an example.

Here, Lucas says that he has objects that include a meaningful letter that he was given, a set of keys, flowers for hope, and a pair of glasses that are a family heirloom.

Then he decided to make the mind map around the keys because they could symbolise mystery, opening doors, maybe unlocking a treasure chest.

It could even mean discovering something new or a connection to home, and maybe even accessing new places.

So well done for having a go at collecting those items and then creating a mind map for one of them to consider their symbolic meanings.

This now brings us to the second part of our lesson where we're going to take a look at observing and drawing objects.

Look carefully at this still life image.

Notice the objects included and consider why they might be important.

And then think about these questions.

They help us understand how art can tell stories and build narratives.

How you arrange your objects in your drawing changes how your story is told.

And placing objects thoughtfully helps focus attention and will make your artwork clearer.

And you can try moving objects around until your still life composition feels balanced.

Let's have a look at this image here of a still life composition.

What can you see? You have some flowers, some books, a glass, and a watch.

What could each of those things symbolise? Now that you have your objects in position, we will practise drawing them carefully.

An observational drawing means looking closely at what you see, not guessing or imagining.

This helps make your drawings more accurate and interesting.

So here someone is drawing some flowers from an observation.

Observation is about paying attention to details like the shape, size, and texture of objects.

The more you observe, the more realistic and detailed your drawing will be.

And this skill also helps you to reveal what makes your chosen objects meaningful through your art.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

What does observational drawing mean? Looking carefully at an object to draw accurately, guessing what something might look like, drawing as fast as possible, or closing your eyes to imagine an object when drawing.

Pause the video here and have a quick discussion with your partner, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said, looking carefully at an object to draw accurately, you're absolutely right.

That's what observational drawing means.

When observing and drawing objects, you might use pencils or pens to draw.

Focus on the shapes, sizes, and details you see, not what you think they look like.

Take your time and try to capture what makes each object unique.

A useful tip when making an observational drawing is to look more at the object than at your paper while drawing.

Start with soft light lines you can erase if needed, and add details slowly instead of rushing.

And this approach helps improve your drawing gradually over time.

Many artists have refined and developed their observation skills to depict objects and convey meaning in their work.

Vincent van Gogh's "Still Life with Drawing Board, Pipe, Onions, and Sealing-Wax" includes everyday personal objects the Dutch artist used while in hospital.

And these items reflect his thoughts, habits, and emotional state.

To refine your drawing and make it look more realistic, you can add shading, texture, or extra details.

And if something doesn't look right, just try changing it.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Objects can work as symbols when creating a still life.

In art, symbols are powerful because of what they represent.

Choosing meaningful objects tells a story through your artwork.

So here we have a clock, a mannequin, and a jar of coins.

What could those things symbolise? Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

How can you show meaning in a drawing? By scribbling quickly only.

By choosing objects that represent ideas or stories.

By using only one colour to draw with.

By not thinking about the marks when drawing.

Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said by choosing objects that represent ideas or stories, you're absolutely right.

That's how you can show meaning in a drawing.

This brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to arrange your chosen objects to create still life composition.

You should consider the placement of the objects, the background, and overlapping the objects.

Then once you've had a go arranging your objects, I would like you to create a pencil sketch of your still life composition.

And you should observe your chosen objects and focus on capturing proportions, shapes, and textures.

And finally, I'd like you to annotate your still life drawing, add labels to your drawn objects that explains their intended symbolism.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at each of those three steps, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did that go? Were you able to arrange your objects and then sketch them and finally annotate your drawing? Well, let's take a look at an example here.

So we've got this sketch and we've got some glasses to indicate wisdom and observation, some flowers to symbolise a celebration, envelopes to represent connection and personal messages, and keys to show mystery and uncovering secrets.

So well done for having a go arranging some objects for your still life, and having a go at sketching them through those observations.

And finally, for adding those annotations to show what your objects symbolise.

Before finishing this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about developing understanding of symbolism by collecting and drawing objects.

Objects can be chosen intentionally to represent personal or story-based symbolism.

Observational drawing improves when artists focus on shape, detail, and proportion.

And arranging objects thoughtfully into a still life scene, support stronger compositions and can develop narratives in art.

Thank you for joining me this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you next time.