Still Life Drawing is a creative drawing activity book filled with quick, achievable and fun exercises from graphic artist and designer Alice Oehr. It takes inspiration from the traditions of still life drawing, helping you to create artworks with what you have on hand.

Since the dawn of time, humans have drawn the items that surround them. Ancient Roman paintings of fruits and flowers kicked off a tradition adopted by artists from Caravaggio to Van Gogh. Still life requires us to slow down and pay attention to often-overlooked details – an art in itself. Colours, patterns and textures are everywhere, and noticing the shape of the coffee cup on our desk or the orange of a pumpkin at the market can spark all kinds of ideas. With Still Life Drawing learn to:

• Use uncomplicated techniques to represent objects on paper,
• Experiment with pattern and colour,
• Create texture with different mediums: collage, paint or even pixels,
• Take the time to appreciate the small things and build creativity into your routines,
• And of course use artistic license and find your own style.

So many people say they can’t draw, but everyone can. Still Life Drawing reminds us that putting pen to paper is a simple pleasure, available to anyone. And when it comes to combining colours, playing with pattern and exploring shapes, there are no rules. Taking inspiration from the objects we encounter is a great place to start, and can help us to find creativity and meaning in our everyday lives.