Cezanne Apple Still Life

This was a really fun lesson to teach to 1st graders!  I set up apples on the tables as they walked in.  First graders talked about apple harvest in the fall, what kind of art qualifies as a Still Life, and how to add shading and texture to art.  This was a 3 day lesson.

Day 1: Apple Day
I showed students examples of Paul Cezanne's Still lives of fruit.  Students talked about the use of color in his work and subject matter.

Students drew from both observation and I demonstrated on the board.  I gave them yellow, green and red paper.  I told them to draw 3-7 apples.  After the apples were drawn, students used chalk to add color to the apple paper.  The last step was to add a black outline to the apples using oil pastel.

Day 2: Background & Texture Day
Students used texture plates and crayons to create a rubbing.  They used one color for the bottom (table), and a different color for the top. After the crayon rubbings were done, students used watercolor to create a resist.

Day 3: College & Gallery Walk Day
Students first cut out and glued their apples to their background paper.  I had to remind students that apples don't "fly".  They should sit nice on the table!  After that, students used white chalk to add a highlight to each apple and charcol for the shadows.

Once everyone was done and cleaned up, we had a "Gallery Walk."  Students walked around to each table to see their peers artwork.  After the Gallery Walk students shared their critiques with the class.  I was so impressed with their use of vocabulary!  Here are some of the critiques 1st grade students said:

-"I like background in Sarah's."
-"Cole did a good job cutting out his apples."
-"I like the colors and texture in this one."
-"I like how Madison put the big apples in the back, and the small apples in the front.  She overlapped."
-"I like the shading in that one.  It makes the apples look real."

Check out our Cezanne Inspired Still Life pictures below!