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ASSIGNMENT
In this project, students will create a self-portrait inspired by a historical figure. They will research and match the historical figure's clothing, pose, expression, and lighting to accurately represent both the figure and themselves. The final artwork will combine elements of self-expression with a careful study of history and visual references.
Specifications
minimum of 11x11 @ 300 dpi
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Research a historical figure to gather reference images, focusing on clothing, pose, expression, and lighting.
Create a self-portrait that accurately reflects the selected historical figure, maintaining a balance between their identity and the figure’s visual characteristics.
Apply principles of portraiture including proportions, lighting, and anatomy to create a realistic and engaging image.
Use digital tools to refine the self-portrait, including layering, color adjustments, and blending techniques to create depth, texture, and a cohesive visual style.
Analyze and reflect on the connection between personal identity and historical representation in a creative and thoughtful way.
Essential Questions:
Essential Questions:
How can we combine elements of our own identity with the identity of a historical figure to create a meaningful self-portrait?
What can studying historical portraits and photography teach us about lighting, expression, and composition?
How does researching a historical figure influence the decisions we make about clothing, pose, and expression in our portrait?
What techniques in digital art help create a realistic portrayal of a person, whether contemporary or historical?
Big Ideas:
Big Ideas:
Historical Representation in Art: Portraits of historical figures often serve to convey much more than just appearance—they communicate power, status, emotion, and time period. In this project, students will connect their personal identity with a historically significant figure, allowing for a blend of personal and historical narrative.
Expression and Emotion: A portrait can express not only physical likeness but also mood, character, and emotion. Students will learn how to capture a specific moment or personality through pose, expression, and lighting.
Digital Techniques for Realism: Using digital tools to create a realistic portrait requires an understanding of shading, proportions, and light, as well as the technical skills necessary to blend colors, add textures, and refine details.
Research and Reference in Art: In order to faithfully recreate a historical figure, students will develop their research skills by gathering accurate reference images and understanding the context of the figure's appearance, attire, and environment.
Vocabulary with Definitions:
Vocabulary with Definitions:
Self-Portrait: A representation of an artist created by that artist, typically depicting their own likeness.
Historical Figure: A person of significant importance from the past whose life, actions, and legacy have had a notable impact on history.
Reference Image: An image used as a guide for creating artwork, often of a real-life subject or object.
Pose: The position or stance of a figure in an artwork, which can convey emotion, intention, and context.
Expression: The facial features and emotions portrayed in an artwork, often used to communicate mood or personality.
Lighting: The way light interacts with a subject, creating highlights and shadows that help define form, depth, and mood in an artwork.
Proportions: The relationship in size and scale between different parts of the body or object in a composition, essential for achieving a realistic depiction.
Anatomy: The study of the structure of living organisms, crucial for understanding how to depict the human body accurately in art.
Layering: In digital art, layering refers to the practice of using multiple layers to separate different elements of the artwork, making it easier to edit and refine.
Blending: The process of smoothly transitioning between colors, shades, or textures to create a seamless, natural effect.
Lesson Procedure:
Lesson Procedure:
1. Ideas & Research
Objective: Students select a historical figure that interests them and begin researching their appearance. This includes looking for reference images of the figure’s clothing, pose, facial expression, and lighting.
Guidance:
Students will use resources like online archives, museums, or reputable sources for historical references. They should aim to find portraits, photographs, or artworks that provide a clear idea of the figure’s identity, context, and presentation.
Students should choose a pose and expression from these references that they feel reflects both the historical figure and themselves.
Outcome: By the end of this stage, students should have a clear idea of which historical figure they will base their self-portrait on, along with collected reference images that showcase the figure's appearance, clothing, and mood.
2. Google Slides Presentation with Reference Images
Objective: Create a presentation on Google Slides (or other presentation software) that includes all gathered reference materials, as well as an outline of their plan for the self-portrait.
Guidance:
Students will organize their references by category: pose, expression, clothing, and lighting.
They should also write a brief paragraph explaining why they chose the historical figure, how they relate to that figure, and how they plan to combine elements of their own appearance with those of the historical figure.
Outcome: The presentation should include:
Images of the historical figure(s).
A description of the pose, expression, clothing, and lighting they are attempting to replicate.
A personal reflection on how they plan to incorporate themselves into the portrait.
3. Sketching & Composition Planning
Objective: Begin the sketching process by planning the composition of the self-portrait, focusing on proportions, the pose, and overall layout.
Guidance:
Students should start by drawing a basic sketch of themselves in the chosen pose, referencing the historical figure’s posture, angle, and expression.
Students should pay attention to the proportions of the face and body to ensure that the sketch is anatomically accurate and appropriate for the style and era of the historical figure.
Outcome: The sketch should establish the pose, composition, and basic structure of the portrait, with key reference points for placement of clothing and accessories.
4. WIP (Work in Progress)
Objective: Begin refining the self-portrait by adding in basic shading, outfit details, and lighting to match the historical figure's appearance.
Guidance:
At this stage, students should focus on basic blocking of colors, clothing details, and the light source to match the historical reference.
Students should also start to refine the expression, adjusting the facial features to accurately reflect the historical figure while maintaining their personal likeness.
Outcome: Students will submit a work-in-progress that includes a clear composition, some basic shading, and the beginnings of the outfit and environment. Feedback should focus on likeness, proportions, and the use of lighting.
5. Final Portrait
Objective: Finalize the self-portrait, incorporating all details, final lighting, and color adjustments.
Guidance:
Students should ensure their lighting is consistent and enhances the mood of the piece. Any last-minute adjustments to the proportions or details should be made at this stage.
Add textures to clothing and accessories to give them more life and realism, using layering and blending techniques to achieve a smooth, realistic look.
Finalize any background elements that support the historical context of the portrait (e.g., props, setting).
Outcome: Students will submit their final portrait, which should include:
A realistic self-portrait that incorporates key elements of the chosen historical figure.
A well-executed blend of personal and historical features, with attention to lighting, expression, and clothing.
A final reflection on how they combined their personal identity with the historical figure and what they learned through the process.
Assessment & Feedback:
Assessment & Feedback:
Formative Assessment: Ongoing feedback throughout the research, sketching, and work-in-progress stages. Teachers should assess the quality of reference gathering, likeness in the composition, and effective use of lighting and clothing.
Summative Assessment: The final portrait will be assessed based on:
Realism and accuracy: How well does the final portrait reflect both the historical figure and the student’s own likeness?
Composition and proportion: How balanced is the image, and are the proportions accurate?
Use of digital tools: Proficiency with digital techniques (layering, blending, color application).
Narrative: How effectively did the student combine their personal identity with historical representation?
(Beginning of Class)
3 Google Slide, 1 portrait reference on each, information on how you plan to reimagine as yourself
Examples
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