Candy Candy Candy

Dots, tempera paint on paper

It's all about the candy! 

Actually, I loved Halloween because of the costumes. I loved that mother made ours and later I could make my own.

But later, in the end, it really was all about the candy! 

As a tradition around here - after the big night - we make candy art! We save a few leftovers to use as our candy still life subjects. (Then of course, it gets eaten.) 

Leftovers, mixed media on paper

We place our candy pieces on a tiny 'stage,' usually just 3 or 4 inches square. Then we copy the image lightly in pencil to a square piece of drawing paper, anywhere from 7" x 7" to 10" x 10" or even larger. 

The challenge is enlarging the tiny subjects on the tiny square proportionally to the large square. It's easy to draw too small.

Sweets, mixed media on paper

We have found that it helps to draw two pencil lines on the the tiny stage dividing it into quarters before placing the candy on it. Do the same to the drawing paper and then draw what is seen in each quarter.

After the initial drawing is completed, simply fill in the colors with art media of your choice: temperas, colored pencil, pastel pencil, charcoal pencil, etc.

When finished, erase your pencil guide lines and stray drawing lines. Then smear a bit of charcoal and/or charcoal pencil in the background to give the table surface some color and create shadows beneath and around the candies. 

Tip: if you are meticulous and cannot depend on your candy stage lasting forever, or if you may not finish your candy artwork in just one sitting, it may help to take a picture of your candy still life (from directly above, of course) for later. Have fun!!!

For more student samples and detailed instructions, see our previous post.