LESSON PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONS
SHAPE
SELF PORTRAIT
Lesson Objectives: Students will focus on the variety of shapes used to create a self portrait.
Time Required: 1 hour
Artist: Van Gogh or any other artist that did a self portrait.
Materials (See Options!):
White construction paper 12×18 (make sure you have extras for
mistakes)
Pencils and erasers
Mirrors
Oil Pastels
Mounting paper and glue stick
Presentation:
Discuss the prints. Discuss how the features of the face are made up of simple shapes: face is round or oval-shaped, nose is triangular, etc. Talk about how everyone is different. Point out different features you and the teacher have to give examples.
Procedure:
1. Hand out white paper, erasers, and mirrors. Write names on the back of the paper.
2. Drawing with you, begin with the shape of their face. Have them look at their face in the
mirror and identify the shape. Then they can draw it on the paper. Allow them time to erase and draw again. This is a good time to teach them how to sketch lightly and to erase all the way.
3. Make sure they are making their face not yours. Personalize it.
4. Step by step, move through all the features of the face: eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair,
freckles, etc.
Options:
This can be left simply as a pencil drawing, or colored chalk pastels, tempera paint, or markers may be used.
