VISUAL ARTS

“रूपभेदः प्रमाणानि
भावलावण्ययोजनम।्
सादृश्यं वर्णिकाभगं
इति चित्रं षडंगकम् ।।”
Rūpabhedāḥ pramāṇāni
bhāvalāvaṇyayojanam
Sādṛśyaṃ varṇikābhaṅgaṃ iti
chitraṃ ṣhaḍaṅgakam

Meaning
The six limbs of art are:
• Knowledge of appearance,
• Proportion,
• Emotions,
• Aesthetics,
• Similarity,
• Skillful use of tools and
colours.
Source: Vishnudharmottara Purana

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 Pedagogy
Note to the Teachers 1. Encourage students to express their own ideas,
imaginations, emotions and curiosities, and
Classroom and Resources allow their originality and innocence to reflect in
1. Adequate space for students to sit comfortably their work.
and work. 2. Prioritise activities that allow students to explore,
2. Sufficient light and ventilation in the classroom. investigate, experiment and have dialogue in
3. Option of sitting outdoors if the weather is suitable. the classroom.
4. Provision of art materials, tools and basic 3. Include outdoor activities, field trips to museums,
stationery. CBCS, art galleries, art studios as well as local
5. Space for safely storing materials, as well as parks, gardens, markets, festivals, and fairs where
students’ artwork in an organised way. students get opportunities to observe the life and
6. Display boards for showcasing and sharing work, culture around them.
which can be changed regularly. 4. Invite local artists and craftspeople for interactive
7. Facilities for taking students on field trips, visits sessions, workshops for hands-on experience.
to museums or conducting art workshops in the 5. Inculcate simple habits of cleaning up after
school premises. working, putting back materials that have been
8. Projector, computer, speakers and other such used and maintain art materials with care.
facilities for showing relevant images, videos and 6. Students should participate in taking decisions in
other art resources. selecting and displaying artworks.
7. Avoid drawing on the board or in notebooks to
show students how something is drawn.
8. While reading, students underline the elements
of Art — line, shape, form, colour, value, texture
and space.
9. Activities under the heading ‘Continue’ are
extensions of the exercises and can be done at
home or at school.

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 Chapter 1
Objects and Still Life
Welcome to the first chapter where
your visuals in art will narrate a story
through the world of objects and still
life. You will learn to add life to the
still objects.
How?
• By learning how to connect with
them.
• By building a story around them.
• By observing the compositional
arrangement.
• By observing how the light falls
on them creating shades and
shadows.
• Even if they appear seperate
from one point, how do they A student’s painting showing
overlap from another point variety of objects
of view.
Each drawing will deepen understand how to create forms by
your observation and you will adding depth to the objects, making
start depicting objects in your it look three-dimensional.
surroundings as you perceive them. You will also find exciting
Each activity will sharpen activities like creating flipbooks. So
your skills of shape recognition get ready to ignite your creativity
Still life (two-dimensional). You will and nurture your artistic talents.

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 Kriti–I | Grade 6 4

Activity 1: Explore if they can identify the object

from this drawing.
Objects from 2. You can draw different parts of
Surroundings the object. For instance, while
drawing a water bottle, draw
Look around you and observe the
each part (cap, container and
various objects. What material is
so on) separately. Notice the
each object made of? Pause and think
difference in proportions.
about why they are of a particular
3. Try and draw the same object
shape. Is there a reason behind their
from three different angles.
shape and form? Also, observe the
Change your position or move
space around these objects. Move
the object around. You can
around and observe the objects from
place the object on the floor or
different angles. After spending
even hang it. After you finish
some time observing, select two or
your three drawings, share
three objects you would like to draw.
them with your classmates.
Which of the three angles do
Activity 2: Draw Objects they find the most interesting?
in Different Ways
Riddle
Every person draws differently. This
Who am I?
makes their expressions unique.
Wherever you go, I follow
Here are some ideas you can try:
I have no face or form
1. You can draw an object using
You can see me
one continuous line. This means,
But cannot touch me.
you cannot pick up your pencil
Who am I?
Students drawing objects from the paper while drawing
the object. Ask your classmates
Shadow
in different ways Answer of the Riddle:

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 Continue: Draw objects of different Activity 3: Light and
materials found at home. Find
objects made of wood, metal, clay,
Shade
plastic, cloth, etc. Place them where Place different objects in front of you.
there is some light. Create an outline • Observe their shapes, shades,
drawing and try to map the dark shadows and how the light falls
and light areas. Notice the colour on each of them.
and shape of shadows, and include • What is the shape of their
these in your drawing. shadows?
• On which side of the objects do
you see their shadow?
Use a pencil and try a few
experiments. Vary the pressure as
you create rhythmic strokes in any
direction. Are you able to create
light and dark tones?
After you have practiced this on
a separate paper or drawing book,
draw the objects in front of you.
Within the outline of the objects,
create pencil strokes from light
to medium to dark tones. Also,
observe the shadows and show it in
your drawing.

Student’s artwork showing light and shade

Visual Arts 5

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 Kriti–I | Grade 6 6

DO YOU KNOW Activity 4: Through the

Amrita Sher-Gil is an Eyes of an Artist
important modern Indian
woman artist. She was Artists have a practice of studying
born in 1913. Her mother objects. They arrange them in a
was from Hungary and group to create drawings, paintings,
her father was from
sculptures and photographs. Such
India. She studied art in
Paris. When she was 21 artworks are called still life. In a still
years old, she returned life, a lot of thought is given to the
to India. She travelled choice of objects and how they are
around the smaller towns arranged.
and villages with her Flowers, plants, vegetables, fruits,
canvases, oil paints
and brushes. Her
food items, clothing, tools and other
paintings have household objects are also included
rich earthy in a still life arrangement.
colours. She was Why do you think it is called a
deeply affected by still life? If an object doesn’t have
observing the life
life, would it be a still life?
and conditions of
common Indian Still life painting by Amrita Sher-Gil Still life artworks depict things
people, and that are ‘still’ and do not move. In
created paintings the process of making the artwork,
based on these Discuss and talk about the objects, the objects get a new ‘life’. Look at
themes. arrangement, light, shade and still lifes made by well-known artists
shadows seen in this painting. and discuss them in your class.

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 Activity 5: Create your
own Still Life
Make groups of four to five and
sit in a circle. In the centre of the
circle, place two to three objects. Try
and put objects made of different
materials like a bottle, fruit, metal
compass, wooden ruler, piece of
fabric or anything that interests
you. Discuss in your group different
ways the objects can be placed and
arranged. The objects can touch
each other or you can scatter them
around. Make sure everyone in the
circle can see the arrangement of
objects clearly.
Observe and draw the objects to
create your own still life.

Visual Arts 7

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 Kriti–I | Grade 6 8

Activity 6: Drawing Continue: Observe and draw objects

that are a part of buildings — doors,
Furniture windows, pipes, taps, shutters, fans
What are the different types of and lights.
furniture you see in school and at
home? Observe and draw any two
or three furniture objects. Compare
your drawings with the actual
objects. Compare the straight lines,
angles and shapes you drew with
straight lines, angles and shapes in
the object.
Edit your drawings so that it
conveys dimension and depth
around the object. This is called
perspective. It gives us a feeling of
three-dimensional space as though
we are seeing it in front of us.
In small groups, look at your
peer’s work and analyse whose
work has perspective. Identify the
lines, shapes and forms that are
helping in showing the perspective.

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 Activity 7: Make a Step 7
Step 2
Flipbook
Wouldn’t it be fun if you could make
your objects move in your drawings?
You can do this by making a flipbook.
Follow the instructions below: Step 3
Step 1

Step 4 Step 3 – 6: Now, it’s time to add

movement to your object! On the
second last page of the flipbook,
trace the first drawing with a pencil.
Change the position of the object
very slightly. Repeat this step till you
Step 5 have drawn on all pages, each with
Step 1: Cut an A4 sheet into eight a slight change.
equal pieces and make a pile. Staple Step 7: Flip the pages of your
the pieces together from the shorter flipbook quickly. You will see your
side. Your book is ready! object moving.
Step 2: On the last page of the You can increase the number
flipbook, choose an object and draw Step 6 of pages in the flipbook to have
it close to the right edge. Draw with more movement!
a pencil and add other details if you
like. When you are happy with your
drawing, outline it with a marker.

Visual Arts 9

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