Embedded Files
Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird, Frida Kahlo 1940 - Randerson Romualdo Cordeiro, Kehinde Wiley 2008 - Lotus Pool, Yue Minjun 2009
Unit Outline & Resources
Unit Outline & Resources
Students will explore self identity through self portraiture and symbolism. The artwork considers pose, composition, value, expression and symbolic elements to represent this personal artwork. With development in the VA process journal, this unit builds on drawing skills from Unit 1 to include value, gradation, grid drawing and a focus on composition.
Throughout these tasks, students follow the creative process through research, ideation, designing and skill development, as well as reflecting and discussing artistic intentions.
Portrait Drawing:
Value scale for shadows and highlights
Grid drawing for accuracy
Digital drawn background to include personal identity symbolism
Click on the Resource icons in each section to find detailed instructions, examples, templates and more.
Student Artwork
Student Artwork
Statement of InquiryThe BIG Idea
Statement of InquiryThe BIG Idea
We seek to understand more about the world through looking at ourselves.
Factual Questions
Remembering facts and topicsFactual Questions
What is a portrait?
What is a symbol?
What factors shape our personal identity?
Conceptual Questions
Analysing big ideasConceptual Questions
How do we use symbols to represent the world around us?
Do self portraits depict the artist as they see themselves or as others do?
Debatable Questions
Evaluating perspectives and developing theoriesDebatable Questions
To what extent does a portrait tell us more about the artist than the subject?
To what extent should artwork communciate a message to an audience?
Key Concept
Key Concept
Identity
In the arts we often explore the self and self-discovery through the concept of identity; however, identity may also refer to the identity of a genre, style, movement, particular artist or place.
Related Concepts
Related Concepts
Representation:
The depiction of a person in a certain way.
Composition:
The arrangement of visual elements to create a finished artwork.
Global Context
Global Context
Real-world application
Real-world application
Identities & Relationships
Exploration of personal identity
1.Intro to Kehinde Wiley (A)
1.Intro to Kehinde Wiley (A)
Instructions:
Instructions:
Compare & Contrast Kehinde Wiley & Jacques-Louis David's Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps.
In your process journal, divide the paper into three sections. Label them: Kehinde Wiley, Jacques-Louis David & Similarities. Describe in list form characteristics specific to each work and what they have in common.
Use the Resources here for more background information on both artworks.
2. Intro to Frida Kahlo (A)
2. Intro to Frida Kahlo (A)
Instructions:
Instructions:
Consider the self portraits of Frida Kahlo for this next analysis of artwork. Select either The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) or Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair. Read the Khan Academy article and then complete an analysis of the artwork in your process journal using:
-Subject Matter: Who is in the artwork?
-Context: What was happening at the time and place this work was created?
-Composition: How is the artwork arranged?
-Symbolism: Do the colors & objects represent something?
3. Analysis of Frida Kahlo Self Portrait (A)
3. Analysis of Frida Kahlo Self Portrait (A)
Instructions:
Instructions:
Select one Frida Kahlo Self Portrait from those provided to complete a full investigation.
The template you will use is in your Google drive VA folder.
The investigation will include:
Context: understanding the background (timeframe, world events, artist experiences)
Describe what you see in this painting.
Interpretation: what are the artist's intentions?
Judgment: what do you think about the art?
4. Printing Selfies
4. Printing Selfies
Instructions:
Instructions:
This exercise uses your self portrait photo to create a print!
Follow the steps on the slides linked in resources.
Edit 4 selfie photos showing different emotions.
Resources
Resources
4. Value drawing
4. Value drawing
Set up your grids using a ruler:
Example of gridded portrait exercise with values
Instructions:
Instructions:
We will do a series of value work to build up pencil and shading techniques using a variety of sources. The following exercises should be included in your Process Journal:
Value scale (10 steps)
Demon Slayer grid drawing
Resources
Resources
How to draw and shade a sphere
Value scale blending
5. Facial features practice
5. Facial features practice
Instructions:
Instructions:
By practicing the facial features separately, we can focus on our value skills before putting them together on a face. You will have 3 drawings each in your process journal:
Mouth
Eyes
Nose
Use the slide show instructions linked on the Resource icon + bonus video tutorials here.
drawingeye.pdfResources
Resources
How to draw lips tutorial
Drawing noses
Drawing Eyes
6. Setting up for your Self Portrait
6. Setting up for your Self Portrait
Marking your measurements along all four sides of the paper before drawing the lines will help to ensure straight lines
When both grids are measured and drawn with straight lines you are ready to label both the top row and left side.
TIP: Use a darker pencil for the grid on the photo (6-8B) and a lighter pencil for the drawing paper (2B).
Instructions:
Instructions:
Now you will get to use the grid drawing technique with your own face! Use the resources here for instructions and tips.
Take a photo thinking of a pose from the shoulders up. It can be serious, silly, sad, mad, consider how your facial expression will communicate to the artwork's audience.
Draw a grid on the printed B&W photo and paste in your PJ. Boxes should be either 1x1cm or 2x2cm.
Draw a matching grid on the A4 drawing paper provided.
Resources
Resources
7. Self Portrait grid drawing: Contours
7. Self Portrait grid drawing: Contours
Contour outlines first (no facial features yet!)
2. Check your outlines before moving on. Look carefully at the grid lines spaces.
3. Now it's time to move on to the facial features. Use your grid to mark the length & width of the eye, nose & mouth for better accuracy.
4. Lines are lightly drawn to include the contours of the head, shoulders and facial features. No shading or values are added yet.
8. Self Portrait grid drawing: Values
8. Self Portrait grid drawing: Values
TIP: Use a scrap paper to smudge a dark pencil with tissue to be applied to your lighter values
Final portrait has all grid lines erased & full values added
Now you are ready to start the facial values. Before you do, erase the grid lines on the face and neck so that you do not have erase the values later when you need to get rid of the lines!
Use the photo to understand the dark and light areas. You will have a full value scale on the face and hair! The value scale that you completed in activity 4 is very helpful to make sure you include the full range!
Steps:
Erase grid lines on the face and neck
Apply light values on the face and neck
Move towards the hair and shoulders with value
Check your values with the grid, once they look accurate and final you can darken the areas according to your photo.
The very last step is to check for highlights and details. Erase the grid as you go.
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