Lesson 12: Abstract Portrait

Objective: To have children create an abstract portrait with distortion to show the subject's personality or emotions.

Vocabulary:

abstract - Art that does not look realistic in which the details of the real objects are simplified, distorted, or rearranged.

Cubism - A style of abstract in which parts of the subject are distorted, rearranged into geometric planes, and sometimes show more than one view of a subject at the same time.

distortion - A technique used to change the way a subject looks, by bending, stretching, or twisting its shape.

emotion - A feeling caused from one's situation, mood, or relationships with others.

expression - A look on a person's face that tells the viewer what the person is feeling.

mood - The way an artwork makes you feel or emotion the artist is trying to make you feel.

personality - The combination of traits or qualities that form an individual's unique character.

proportion - The size and placement of one thing compared with the size and placement of other things.

Mystical Head: Crow Wings by Alexej von Jawlensky1918, oil on paper laid down on card10" x 7.5"

Abstract Portraits

Look at the portrait Mystical Head: Crow Wings by Alexej von Jawlensky. Trace the subject's nose with your finger. How does it compare with a real person's nose? Artists may use line, shape, and color in unusual ways to create images that look different from real life. This kind of art is called abstract art. How can you tell that Mystical Head: Crow Wings is an abstract portrait?
Geometric shapes are commonly used in abstract art. What geometric shapes do you see in the artworks in this lesson?
The way an artist uses line, shape, and color in an abstract portrait might show the emotions of the subject in a way that realistic art cannot. What kind of feeling do you get from Mystical Head: Crow Wings? What do you think the subject's mood was?

Portrait of Picasso by Juan Gris1912, oil on canvas93.4 cm x 74.3 cmArt Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Distortion and Cubism
Look at Mystical Head: Crow Wings again. Think about the facial proportions. Are the facial proportions in Mystical Head: Crow Wings true to life? When artists change the proportions from what a viewer might expect, they are using distortion. Artists can distort the way a subject looks by bending, stretching, or twisting, parts of the image. What parts of the face in Mystical Head: Crow Wings are distorted? How are they distorted?
Portrait of Picasso by Juan Gris is an abstract portrait. Gris admired Picasso's style of abstract painting, called Cubism. Artists who painted in this style often showed more than one view of a subject in the same image. Look closely at the face of the subject in Portrait of Picasso. Point out his eyes, nose, and mouth. Can you see more than one view of the subject?

Look at Woman Seated in an Armchair by Pablo Picasso. Do you recognize any of the objects in the painting? Look for objects such as the armchair and the woman's arms.
Now look at Untitled by Anna. What does it have in common with Portrait of Picasso? How many different views of the subject's face do you see?

Woman Seated in an Armchair by Pablo Picasso1917-1920, oil on canvas51.5" x 35"

Untitled by Anna

Think Critically - Tell what you learned.

Studio Time: Abstract Portrait

Materials:

Pencils, Sketchbooks, White Paper, Oil Pastels, Newspapers or Magazines

Plan

Choose a photograph of a person from a newspaper, magazine, or internet search. Make some sketches of your subject's face.
Check list:
- Create an abstract portrait by using distortion.
- Use lines, shapes, and colors that show the subject's personality.

Create

Select the sketch you like best
Use your sketch to experiment with distortion by using geometric shapes for facial features. You may want to change the sizes of some of your subject's features.

3. Use oil pastels to draw the abstract portrait. Use lines and colors to show what your subject's personality might be like.

Reflect - Tell about your work.

Photograph and Submit your work on Google Classroom.

Photograph sketches as well as completed artwork.
"Add" (attach) to Google Classroom assignment.
"Mark as done" to submit your work for a grade.

Challenge: Abstract Self-Portrait College

Create a self-portrait with newspaper clippings, marker a border with words that describe yourself.

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