From perception to matter: The still life as a threshold in drawing foundations

A group of students at the University or Puerto Rico, Carolina Campus pose with their professor, Yanira Delgado, while holding their framed still lifes. (Carlos Montalvo/CREP UPR Carolina)

By JOHN RIVAS

Special to The STAR 

In contemporary art education, there is a persistent misconception that traditional academic disciplines have surrendered their place to digital immediacy. Yet the methodological rigor that unfolds inside the university classroom dissolves that notion. A faithful example of this creative resistance is PUCO 3035: Fundamentals of Drawing, taught by Professor Yanira Delgado at the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina Campus.

The final project of this cycle, Still Life in Colored Pencil, became a true technical manifesto for the students. Developed between late May and early June, the execution of this still life served as the definitive stage for training the eye and mastering volume, color, and composition through an analog medium.

Far from a simple photographic replica, the pedagogical process required strict order. Each student began with an analysis of lighting through diagrams of light and shadow on tracing paper. From the mathematical delimitation of margins on the page -- where formal neatness is part of respecting the work -- to the soft contour drawing, the project demanded meticulous patience.

The true revelation emerged in chromatic maturity. The course required deep experimentation with color theory, pushing students to use complementary tones to generate shadows, banishing the easy shortcut of black. The systematic application of successive layers, moving from light to dark values, combined with precise blending techniques, gave each piece a striking depth, enhanced by backgrounds that harmoniously complement each object.

Reflecting on the impact of this experience on student development, Delgado emphasized the value of consistency on the paper surface.

“The real challenge for students wasn’t handling the colored pencil, but learning to slow down and observe carefully,” she said. “In an era ruled by immediacy, the still life forces them to inhabit the space, decipher how light strikes an object, and understand that depth is built patiently, layer by layer. Seeing the evolution of their gaze captured on paper and their mastery of complementary mixtures is the greatest achievement of this process.”

The results of this collective effort are evident when observing the group of students proudly posing with Delgado. In their hands, they hold their framed still lifes with confidence: a series of compositions ranging from vibrant primary contrasts to delicate luminous studies of dishware and fruit.

Seeing these finished works is not merely witnessing the completion of a rigorous 130‑point evaluation; it is witnessing the birth of a new artistic sensitivity. In every precisely applied layer of color, these young artists demonstrate that the fundamentals of art remain the irreplaceable pillar upon which excellence is built. Congratulations to Professor Delgado and her students for cultivating art with rigor, observation, and passion.

Prof. John Rivas is an artist and head of the Graphic Design Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina Campus.