Frida Kahlo: self-portrait.

LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo painted about 55 self-portraits in her lifetime. "I paint myself because I am so often alone," she said. How do students interpret Kahlo's expression in this portrait? Is she proud? sad? defiant? (She painted this portrait during an unhappy period in her life.)

POINTING THE WAY

Ask students: What is your eye drawn to first? (Likely Kahlo's winglike eyebrows, which "point" to her facial expression.) What effect does the border of leaves have on the portrait? (It makes Kahlo's face "pop" to the foreground.)

WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND

Kahlo relied on her exotic pets for companionship when she felt lonely--they wandered the grounds and rooms of her home in Coyoacan, Mexico, known as the Blue House. Have students list elements that show the connection between her and the little monkey (the protective paws, the red ribbon, their similar facial expressions).

SIGNATURE STYLES

In many of her self-portraits, Kahlo used "signature" elements: traditional Tehuana costumes, pets, and her famous eyebrows. Ask each student to design a collage that includes elements of importance to his or her personality and heritage, such as a favorite jacket, a catchphrase, and a recipe.

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Meet the artist

Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico City in 1907. As a girl, she was an avid tomboy with a playful sense of humor. At age 18, she suffered serious physical injuries in a bus accident and began painting while recuperating. For the rest of her life, Kahlo struggled through debilitating pain, and poured her suffering into her art. She married muralist Diego Rivera in 1929. Their relationship was tempestuous, including a divorce and remarriage. Although Kahlo is often classified as a surrealist, she rejected that label. "I never painted dreams," she said. "I painted my own reality." For educational guides on Kahlo, visit www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo. You might also share the children's picture book Frida, by Jonah Winter (Scholastic, 2002).

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Kids' self-portraits; inspired by Frida

Invite your students to make arresting self-portraits in the style of Kahlo, with favorite (real or imagined) pets peeking over their shoulders! To get started, prepare a mixture of equal parts white glue and ink (or black tempera). Then, share the following directions with your class:

1. Looking into a mirror, draw your own head and shoulders in pencil. Then, dip a Q-tip into the glue and ink mixture. Use the Q-tip to darken the lines of your sketch.

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2. Color in the face, hair, and shirt on your portrait with watercolors. (The glue and ink outline won't bleed.)

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3. Cut the image out.

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4. From a magazine or newspaper, cut out an image of a favorite pet or animal.

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5. Paste your portrait and your animal to a wrapping paper or wallpaper background, then mount on tagboard.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED:

* mirrors

* pencils

* white glue

* black tempera or ink

* watercolor paints and brushes

* scissors 

* old magazines

* wrapping paper or wall paper, and tagboard

CREDITS: FRIDA KAHLO (1907-1954), SELF PORTRAIT WITH A MONKEY (1940) [c] BANCO DE MEXICO TRUST (PRIVATE COLLECTION). PHOTO: ART RESOURCE, NY.; BOTTOM RIGHT: FRIDA KAHLO PAINTING PORTRAIT OF MRS. JEAN WIGHT [c] BETTMANN/CORBIS

PHOTOS: GREG LORD; PROP STYLING; JEFF STYLES; GROOMING: JENNIFER WOBITO; PROJECT BY CHRISTY HALE