Artist-inspired: self-portraits.

Each year I struggle, as all of us do, with finding the time every lesson I want to do with my students. Because of time constraints, I have always had to make a decision each quarter as to whether my seventh graders would do an artist research lesson, a multi-media project, or a unit on portraits. Because each lesson takes so much class time to cover thoroughly, I am always disappointed that my students do not have time to explore all three processes. Recently, I tried out a new lesson that combined all three of these projects. Students were then able to explore different art styles and media, while at the same time learning some basic drawing techniques.

Objectives

1. Students will research an artist, his or her style and art movement, the art process and techniques they used to create their work, and their training and background.

2. Students will use a variety of media to create a self-portrait and in some way incorporate the style of an artist.

Materials

* watercolor and charcoal paper,
16 x 20" (40.5 x 51 cm)

* digital camera

* rulers

* 4 x 4" (10 x 10 cm) piece of
cardboard with 1 x 1" (2.5 x 2.5
cm) square cut out in the middle

* a variety of media including
pencil, charcoal, watercolor,
colored pencils, oil pastels, acrylic
paints, and collage materials

Time Needed

Approximately two weeks with forty-five-minute class periods.

Choosing an Artist

After exploring different artists through an artist presentation I created, famous artist books, and the Internet, students had to narrow their research to one artist in particular whose style really interested them. I made sure to limit the number of students who used a particular artist like van Gogh, Picasso, etc. This is an important thing to monitor and it really encourages students to branch out and explore some great contemporary artists. Once students decided upon and discussed their artist with me, they continued by researching their chosen artist in greater depth.

I gave students a list of specific facts they needed to find, like the artist's birth, death, and art movement they were associated with, their personal style, and why this artist created what they did. Even though they were creating self-portraits, I did not limit them to looking only at portrait styles or painters. In fact, many of them chose to incorporate their artist's style into their background instead. Other students chose to use a similar portrait style when actually arranging and creating their own portrait.

Taking Digital Portraits

Once students finished their research and knew how they were going to incorporate their artist, they struck a pose as I took pictures of them with a digital camera. I printed their pictures out in 8 x 10" (20 x 25 cm) size to make enlarging them a bit easier. Students used rulers to make both vertical and horizontal lines 1" (2.5 cm) apart in a grid over their image. I demonstrated on my own portrait as we discussed various media and techniques students could use to draw their portraits and create their backgrounds. I also told students they were not limited to just one media or technique.

When students finally had plans for their portraits, they chose a suitable quality of paper for their desired media and used their rulers again to create a 2" (5 cm) grid on this larger piece of paper. I demonstrated how they could take their portrait drawing one square at a time to help them draw and enlarge it more accurately. Some of them even created little 1" view-finders so they wouldn't be distracted by the rest of the photo. I find that this process makes drawing self-portraits a lot less intimidating for middle school students. It also tends to help them keep facial proportions considerably more accurate since they are drawing more from observation and not just drawing features where they think they should go.

Choosing Media

When their drawings were complete students used their chosen media to enhance their drawing. I was surprised at how many students chose a variety of media. Many stuck with a basic pencil or colored pencil drawing while some wanted to use canvas so they could use acrylic paint from beginning to end. Each process allowed them to explore and make personal decisions about a project that represented both their images as well as their interests. The finished projects were as creative and unique as the kids themselves.

Assessment

Students displayed and discussed their finished artwork during a very informal critique on the last workday. Students included in their presentations information such as the kind of media they used and the advantages and struggles that occurred while using their chosen techniques. Students shared the facts and information that they collected about their chosen artist with the class. I graded student artwork with the following criteria:

1. The finished portrait has unity.

2. The portrait is well drawn, in proportion, and resembles the artist.

3. The artist successfully and creatively incorporated the artist they chose to research.

4. The artist used each medium correctly, creatively, and with good artistry.

5. Class time was used wisely and productively while working on this project.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students know and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and cultures.

Amy Wright is an art teacher at South Valley Middle School in Liberty, Missouri. [e-mail]