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Portrait Diptych Assemblage
Submitted by: Dawn Stienecker, Parker Intermediate, Aldine ISD, Texas
Unit: Illustration – Byzantine Art
Lesson: The Boy of a Thousand Faces; Diptych Self-portrait with writing
Grade Level: Grades 2 through 6 (read book to determine for higher grades)
Middle School adaptation from Lotti Petricone (below)
This lesson features a glue relief self portrait and personal portrait image covered with aluminum foil on the outside cover. On the inside are special messages about the "artist" and his or her special image. See note from Dawn. Printmaking idea below. You may want to revise the hands-on lesson for lower grades.
Materials for entire project:
Overhead and transparencies, individual mirrors, Mat board (2 per child - donated scraps cut to size 8 ½ x 11 or 9 x 12 (21.5 x 28 cm or 23 x 30.5 cm) - Corrugated cardboard cut to size could also be used) and glue bottles -- Gel Pens
Part 1
Materials and Resources:
Portfolios textbook, Selznik’s book, The Boy of a Thousand Faces,
Focus:
(Warm up) What is an illustrator?
Students will discuss Alonzo’s desire to take pictures of himself as his favorite horror movie characters. How do the illustrations help readers understand the story? (review from LMC presentation)
Click images to see larger views
Objective:
Students will learn about illustration as a form of artistic expression
Students will learn about facial proportions
Guided Group:
Students will take turns reading the guidelines for facial proportions from the art text, Portfolios. As each guideline is discussed, an overhead transparency will be projected to demonstrate the procedure.
Independent Practice:
Students will draw their face according to proportion guidelines directly onto the mat board. They will be making direct observations of their own facial characteristics with mirrors at their tables. Upon completion of the drawing, they will use glue to go over the lines making a relief image that will be covered in faux metal (foil.)
Closure:
Students will recap what an illustrator does. Is it important for an illustrator to have the ability to draw realistically? Should all illustrations be realistic? Does a picture or portrait show everything there is to know about someone?
Students should begin thinking about how to create an image of their selves that reflects how they want to be seen.
Evaluation:
Did students follow the guidelines of proportion? Did they attempt to show their individual features through observation?
PART 2
Resources and Materials:
PowerPoint presentation of Kahlo’s self-portraits, Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States, Diego on my Mind, an early, very classical self portrait, one with her and her pets, and the one with her uni-brow as a bird.
Frida Kahlo Prints
Frida Kahlo Books
Frida Kahlo DVD's
A second mat board (cut to the same size,) mirrors, and glue bottles.
Focus:
(Warm up) Review facial proportions together.
Did the portraits created previously tell much about the students as individuals? What are some of the ways that they would like to be seen?
Objective:
Students will learn about Frida Kahlo’s self portraits
Students will create a self portrait that reveals something about their self and how they want to be seen
Students will apply facial proportions learned in prior lesson
Guided Group:
Students will look at Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits. Then demonstration will be given on how to proceed.
Students will begin by investigating what they can tell about Kahlo from her early, traditional portrait – About how old is she? What can they tell about her social class? Ethnicity?
When they run out of things they can site, move on to another portrait that tells more about her – for example, what does the image of her with her pets tell about her? What are the symbols that begin to appear in her work?
Independent Practice:
Encourage students to consider the things that make them unique individuals. They may consider their cultural heritage as Kahlo did in Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States. They should think about their interests. As they begin sketching composition ideas for the second self portrait, are they actually creating an image of themselves as they want to be seen by others?
Upon completion, students will again go over the lines that outline their face and features with glue.
Closure:
Ask students to share and discuss how the second self portrait tells something about their self. Does one portrait seem more realistic than the other? Why or Why not? Does one tell more of a story because of its inclusion or exclusion of imagery?
Evaluation:
Did students come up with original symbols to express their individual interests? Did they apply some aspect of facial proportions?
PART 3
Resources and materials: PowerPoint presentation of how art and text developed from cave paintings including images of the caves of Lascaux, The Code of Hammurabi, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Illuminated manuscripts, and Stuart Davis paintings.
Gel Pens and black paper to be glued on the interior of Diptychs. (alternate - use black poster board cut to size - slightly smaller than outside cardboard)
Focus:
WARM UP: It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. What does this mean?
Students will look at examples of artwork that demonstrate the development of writing through images.
Objective:
Students will learn about early forms of art as a vehicle for communication
Students will write about their self portraits for the interior if the diptych
Guided Group:
Students will discuss how they may want to appear may be different than their actual appearance. Using student portraits, a verbal example of what the portraits indicate will be discussed. For example, most of the first portraits will indicate that the individual is young and has the world ahead of them. They may look smart, mischievous, serious, happy, etc. The second portrait should reveal more personal information – that they like cats or sports, that they want to be glamorous or even the kind of music they like.
Independent Practice:
Students will write about what their first self-portrait indicates about them. They will then write about what the second one tells about them. These writings will be fixed to the interior of the diptych on the corresponding sides.
Closure:
Which self-portrait do the students prefer? Ask students to share their in- progress portraits and writing for feedback.
Evaluation:
Did students write about what was contained in their imagery? Did they edit and revise? Did the writing reveal how they saw themselves and how they wanted to be seen? Did they connect with Alanzo in The Boy of a Thousand Faces?
PART 4
Resources and Materials:
Presentation of Byzantine Diptychs. (These are the only links I saved from this unit – I think they were a little challenging to find)
http://www.culture.gr/2/21/218/218ci/00/l9-30.html (Archive)
Aluminum Foil, glue, India ink
Focus:
WARM UP: Define diptych.
Students will look at examples of Byzantine diptychs. They will describe the materials that were used and the content of the imagery. They will discuss what they were used for and whom they were made for, and speculate about literacy and religious art.
Objective:
Students will analyze Byzantine diptychs
Students will discuss their use
Students will discuss the use of the diptych for combining their self portrait
Guided Group:
Instruction and demonstration of the procedure for fixing foil to create the outer leaves of the diptych will be given. They will also be shown how to glue the written work inside of the diptych.
Independent Practice:
Students will independently cover their diptychs with foil that will be smoothed down over the relief lines of their portraits. This will then be coated with an ink finish.
Closure:
Does the diptych provide an interesting way of illustrating the special-ness of each individual in the class? What other ways can they think of to create a double self-portrait? Do they feel like the words on the inside are important?
Evaluation:
Did students apply the foil to their portraits neatly? Didthey use the ink carefully? Wasthe glue applied thickly enough forthe image to come through? Was the written material put inside the diptych with the corresponding image?
Part 5
Assembly:
After it dries (overnight) students will use steel wool to bring out the relief lines.
To assemble diptychs, students can drive a nail through both pieces of the diptych. Make sure they understand they need to be back to back, so the diptych will open properly. Place 1" rings through the holes, and the diptych will function as a standing piece or can close like a book.
This unit was made in conjunction with a visit from the author/illustrator, Brain Selznik. The most obvious connection probably would have been to teach mask-making or stamp design. But this was not for me...
I tied in history of the development of writing/art from the cave paintings and Diptychs. Had to go ahead and throw in some Frida Kahlo too.
As I learned more about his illustrative work, I realized he had awesome potential for teaching art. The cover of The Boy of a Thousand Faces is an excellent example of Chiaroscuro.
He is also illustrating a series that uses foreshortening on the cover of each book - a device used to emphasize the key element of each book. (See the book, Frindle)
You may want to include a printmaking aspect of this lesson. Before covering the glue portrait with foil, a relief print can be made by rolling ink over the image - laying paper over it and rubbing paper with the back of a wooden spoon. Another option would be to make a crayon relief print rubbing. Metallic Crayons on dark paper make nice prints. If you want to make relief lines raise up even more, string or yarn may be glued to the drawing lines.
Teacher: Lotte Petricone Note: this lesson could be expanded to include some cardboard relief with the glue relief |
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Rationale for Teaching Lesson:
Students will learn about the art of self-portraits, and how information is communicated through images, and create a Portrait Diptych.
Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will understand what a self-portrait is, and why artists create them.
2. Students will learn about facial proportions, while creating a drawing from observation for the Portrait Diptych.
3. Students will create a second "self-portrait" that communicates something more about them using symbolism.
4. Students will write text about themselves to accompany the images on the Portrait Diptych.
5. Students will learn about Frida Kahlo, the connection between art and text, and Byzantine Diptychs.
New York State Learning Standards: Standard 1: Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts and participate in various roles in the arts. Standard 2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles. Standard 3: Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual to other works and to respond to other aspects of human endeavor and thought. Standard 4: Students will develop and understanding of the personal and cultural force that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society. |
How the Standards are addressed in this lesson: |
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Lesson Procedures: Lesson Segments: |
Resources below Materials: |
1. Reading/discussion of self-portraits from observation. (1 class) |
PP of self-portraits from observation. |
2. Intro to the project. Contour drawing exercises. Facial proportion exercises. (2 classes) |
Exemplars, PP about facial proportions, Drawing Paper |
3. Using mirrors, draw a self-portrait. Go over lines with Elmer’s glue. (3 classes) |
8 x 10 (20 x 25.5 cm) Cardboard, mirrors, Elmer's Glue |
4. Create / go over Rubric. (1 class) |
Xeroxes of rubric |
5. Discuss the self-portraits of using symbolism and observation. (1 class) |
PP of self-portraits using symbolism. |
6. Using mirrors and symbolism, students create a second drawing that reveals something about how they want to be seen. Go over lines with glue. (3 classes) |
8" x 10" (20 x 25.5 cm) Cardboard, mirrors, Elmer's Glue |
7. Using PP, discuss the connection between art and text. Students write about what the first self-portrait means to them, then about the second. For HW, type using parchment paper supplied by teacher. (1-2 classes) |
PP of Art/Text connections. Parchment Paper |
8. Discuss Byzantine Diptychs. Cover portraits with foil, then glue black paper on the back and paint ink over the foil. Mount writing (1-2 classes) (Note discussion of Byzantine Diptychs can come before OR after t art making - have students make connections to their own art - their personal "shrines"). |
PP of Byzantine Diptychs. Aluminum Foil, |
9. Go over the art with steel wool to reveal the images. Assemble into diptych using raffia or ribbon. Grade using rubric. (1 class) |
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7 ½ x 9 ½ 
cut to size, waterproof 
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or 
, extra rubrics.Segment 1: OBJ - SWBAT state what a self-portrait is. Do Now: Write down what to remember when talking about art. Teacher Input: Discussion of self-portraits from observation. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Using open-ended questions, discuss the self portraits of Degas, van Gogh, Miro, and Beckman. Ind Practice – Closing: What is a self-portrait? What can we learn about the artist by looking at the self-portraits? Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 2: OBJ - SWBAT state the guidelines for facial proportions and begin a drawing for the self-portrait. Do Now: 1. If not finished in previous class – finish VennDiagram. 2. Describe what you think it means to "draw what you see, not what you think you see." Teacher Input: Class 1. Demo of contour drawings. Class 2. Use PP presentation to introduce facial proportions. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Class 1. Finish Venn Diagram, intro to project. Introduce drawing from observation – demo blind contour drawings of hands first. On paper, begin a quick contour drawing of the face. Class 2. Go over guidelines for facial proportions with students, using PP. Review what a self-portrait is. Ind Practice – Class 1: Blind contour drawings of hands, then face. Class 2: Facial Proportion PP exercise. Closing: 1. Go over how blind contour helps drawing from observation. 2. State the guidelines we covered for facial proportion. Finish facial proportion next class. Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 3: OBJ - SWBAT draw a self-portrait from observation. Do Now: Define Proportions What do you need to remember when drawing your self-portrait from observation? (Think about proportion and contour drawing!) Teacher Input: Review of proportion and contour drawing, brief warm-up by doing a contour drawing, and begin self-portrait. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Review yesterday’s lesson on proportion and contour drawing. Warm-up for drawing by doing 2 contour drawings of hands. Begin self-portraits from observations using mirrors. Ind Practice – Begin self-portraits from observations using mirrors. When they are finished, students will go over the lines with Elmer’s glue. Closing: What is difficult about the self-portrait? What changed from doing contour drawings of the hand? Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 4: OBJ – SWBAT state the criteria from the rubric. Do Now: What might be important when you create this work of art? Teacher Input: Using exemplar, with students create the criteria for the rubric. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Use exemplar and existing rubric, and go over the criteria. Ind Practice – Students continue to make the drawing. Closing: State the criteria for the project. Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
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Segment 5: OBJ - SWBAT state how a self-portrait can incorporate symbolism. Do Now: Define symbolism. Teacher Input: Discussion of self-portraits using symbolism by Kahlo, Alvarez, and van Gogh. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Using open-ended questions, discuss the self-portraits, focusing on what more we can learn about the artist besides the physical attributes. Ind Practice – Closing: What is the difference between these self-portraits and the ones we looked at in the beginning of this project? What more do we learn about the artists? Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 6: OBJ - SWBAT create a self-portrait that reveals something about their self. Do Now: Write down what we can learn about you from your self-portrait you already created. Teacher Input: Teaching Style: Brief discussion about the portraits and how to create onethat reveals something about their self and how they want to be seen. Guided Practice– Discuss the portraits created previously: Do the portraits you created tell much about you as individuals? What are some ways you would like to be seen? Discuss the upcoming self-portraits – drawing from observation, but adding symbolism which tells something more about you. Review facial proportions. Ind Practice – Students begin self-portraits from observation which reveals something about their self and how they want to be seen, applying facial proportions from previous lesson. When the drawing id done, they will go over the lines with glue. Closing: How are you telling something about your self in this portrait? How is it different from what you previously made? Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 7: OBJ - SWBAT understand the development of writing through images and early forms of art as a means of communication. Do Now: It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. What does this mean? Teacher Input: Discussion of examples of artwork that demonstrate the development of writing through images, learning about early forms of art as a vehicle of communication. Introduce writing assignment – writing a statement aboutthe two portraits. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Using PP, discuss art from the caves at Lascaux, Egyptian hieroglyphics, illuminated manuscripts, Henri Matisse, Stuart Davis, and Barbara Kruger. Ind Practice – Write a statement about the two portraits: What does the first self-portrait indicate about you? What does the second tell about who you are? HW: Finish the writing and type. The final draft will be printed on parchment paper supplied by teacher. Closing: Which self-portrait do you prefer? What does it say about you? - Sharing of in-progress portraits and writing… Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
Segment 8: OBJ - SWBAT look at and discuss Byzantine diptychs. Do Now: Define "diptych". Teacher Input: Look at two Byzantine diptychs, describing the materials used and the content of the imagery – what they are used and made for. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– After discuss, demo how to fix the foil on the the foil. Ind Practice – Fix the foil and glue black paper onto the insides of the diptych, then brush ink over the foil. HW: Finish statement about the portraits to be printed on parchment paper. Closing: What were the difficulties in using the foil and ink? Did the image come through when you rubbed the foil? Assessment Method: Verbal Modifications: |
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Segment 9: OBJ - SWBAT finish the diptych by assembling it, and grade it using the rubric. Do Now: Describe how you use the rubric to grade your work. Teacher Input: Demo of using steel wool to burnish the ink off, and assembly of diptych. Review how to grade the project using the rubric. Teaching Style: Guided Practice– Demo of using steel wool to burnish the ink off, and assembly of diptych. Ind Practice – Students burnish the images and assembly the diptych, then grade the work using the rubric. Closing: Assessment Method: Verbal - Rubric - writing Modifications: |
Writing / Reflection (sample question below) Develop a series of questions to address your objectives and national standards. Check for understanding. Reflect on how the Work of Frida Kahlo served as inspiration as well as the religious icons. Students write a reflection answering the questions. |
Assessment Rubric
Rubric for 7th Portrait Diptychs
Name: HR: Period:
#1 Your Written Work Grade Teacher’s Grade:
Excellent A |
Good B |
Adequate C |
Unsatisfactory D |
The Do Nows have been neatly completed every day with correct answers |
The Do Nows have been completed every day with almost all correct answers, but some parts are sloppy |
The Do Nows have been completed almost every day with almost all correct answers, but is pretty sloppy, though legible! |
The Do Nows have NOT been completed almost every day and/or mostly incorrect answers, or are completely illegible |
The artist has completed 2 thoughtful, honest, clearly and typed reflection on each of the portraits, with no spelling or grammar mistakes, and the organizer was used |
The artist has completed 2 somewhat thoughtful, typed written reflection on the art project, but the writing could have been expanded somewhat or there are some spelling/grammar mistakes |
The artist has completed a written reflection, and/or it is not very thoughtful, or not typed, with several spelling/grammar mistakes |
The artist has not completed a written reflection, or it is clearly not thoughtful, or not typed and not legible, with many spelling/grammar mistakes |
#2 Your Craftsmanship Grade Teacher’s Grade:
Excellent A |
Good B |
Adequate C |
Unsatisfactory D |
The glue lines can be very clearly seen because enough glue is used. |
The glue lines can be seen in most places because there was enough glue used |
The glue lines can be seen in some places but not in most because there was not quite enough glue used |
The glue lines can’t be seen in enough places because there was not enough glue used – so we can’t make out the image |
The tin foil is carefully placed over the glue lines, and the edges are glued down, and it has been rubbed carefully – there are no holes anywhere! |
The tin foil is carefully placed over the glue lines, and the edges are glued down, and it has been rubbed carefully – but there are 1 or 2 small holes that don’t distract us from the image |
The tin foil is placed over the glue lines, and the edges are glued down in most places, and it has been rubbed – but there are several holes that we see right away |
The tin foil is placed over the glue lines, and the edges are not glued down in most places, and it has been rubbed so hard that it is full of holes |
The black paper is centered and has been glued down with absolutely no glue smudges! |
The black paper is almost centered and/or has been glued down with almost no glue smudges! |
The black paper is kind of crooked and/or has been glued down with some glue smudges – but it will work |
The black paper is very crooked and dirty |
The text has been centered and neatly mounted with no glue smudges! |
The text is almost centered and/or has been glued down with almost no glue smudges! |
The text is kind of crooked and/or has been glued down with some glue smudges – but it will work |
The text is very crooked and/or dirty |
The final text has been typed according to the guidelines with absolutely no mistakes |
The final text has been typed, the guidelines were not followed exactly, BUT it works in the artwork! |
The final text guidelines were not followed at all, BUT it can still work in the artwork |
The final text was not typed at all following the guidelines, and we could not make it work for the diptych |
The diptych has been tied together carefully and neatly with raffia |
The diptych has been tied sort of neatly and carefully, but the artist had some difficulty, and we can see it |
The diptych has been tied, but it is a MESS! |
The diptych has not been tied at all |
#3 Your Concept Grade Teacher’s Grade:
Excellent A |
Good B |
Adequate C |
Unsatisfactory D |
The self-portrait from observation is very clearly a specific person and communicates very clearly "who" the person is by using lots of details |
The self-portrait from observation is clearly a specific person and communicates somewhat clearly "who" the person is by using some details – but we may have a question |
The self-portrait from observation seems to be a specific person and communicates a few things about "who" the person is by using a few details – but we have questions |
The self-portrait from observation could be anyone and communicates little about "who" the person is because there is very little detail – and leaves us wondering |
There is a very clear mood in the portrait from observation, which we can tell by the facial expression |
There is a clear mood which we can tell by the facial expression, but we have to work a little |
There may be a mood intended to be expressed, but it is not too clear |
We can’t figure out the mood |
The facial proportions are absolutely correct in the portrait from observation |
The facial proportions are almost correct – but may be a tiny bit off in one place |
The facial proportions are not correct – but it is clear the artist worked very hard, and it is only off in a few places |
The facial proportions are not correct in many places at all! |
The symbolic self-portrait communicates very clearly "who" the inner self of the person is, by using symbolic visual clues. |
The symbolic self-portrait communicates something about "who" the inner self of the person is, by using a few symbolic visual clues but we have a question |
The symbolic self-portrait communicates little about "who" the inner self of the person is, because there is little use of symbolic visual clues- leaving us with questions |
The symbolic self-portrait communicates very little about "who" the inner self of the person is, because there are no clear symbolic visual clues -leaving us with lots of questions |
Reflection: Answer the questions below:
1. Describe how you felt about this project – did you enjoy it, why or why not?
2. If you could change one thing about your work on this project, what would it be?
Resources
Frida Kahlo - The Frame (print available from Shorewood Prints)
Frida Kahlo - Artchive
Frida Kahlo: Contemporay Thoughts - site by Daniela Falina
Life and Times of Frida Kahlo- This is the PBS presentation
Byzantine Art | More from the Met | Byzantine Art - National Gallery
Some icon images
Many images of Byzantine diptychs can be found in a Google image search - also look up triptychs.
