Observational drawing is one of the most important skills art students need; however, it can be difficult to put a new spin on an otherwise old concept. In this article, the author relates how she had used a new approach--ready-made still lifes--to observational drawing in her art class. This approach requires the artist to discover ready-made gems and give them a life of their own. It had also had led her students on a mad dash for the junkiest place in the artroom to create a complex and interesting extended interior line drawing.