Mirror Image Portrait Drawing

Submitted by: Stormey Kasser
Title of Lesson: Mirror Image
Grade level: Third Grade

Goals / Objectives:

Students will learn and apply the basic fundamentals of creating a self-portrait through observing themselves and their features in a mirror and reflecting what they perceive onto their paper. They will incorporate history concepts as they discover and relate their cultural background to the class.

The goal is for the student to acquire basic knowledge, skills and experience with drawing a self-portrait. Inherent in the process the students will analyze and create their own ideas of their individuality. Students will incorporate history skills as they consider aspects of their heritage and those they share with an artist.

1. The student will produce a self-portrait utilizing his reflection in a mirror.
   
   

2. The student will consider their nationality and analyze artists, identifying one he shares a heritage with and identifying a painting by the artist they choose.
   
   

3. 

   The student will use map skills to locate their country of origin on the globe.
   
   

4. The student will note two cultural traits he shares with the artist.
   
   

5. The student will share his self-portrait, nationality, country of origin (point out on globe), 2 cultural traits, and the artist and painting he shares a cultural identity with.
   
   

6. The student will associate concrete ideas with appropriate vocabulary.
   

Materials Needed:

Each child will need:

• 10"x12" (25.5 x 30.5 cm) Drawing Paper

• Soft lead Drawing Pencils (#6B)

• #2 Drawing Pencils

• Kneaded Rubber Erasers

• Mirrors

• Scratch paper
  

Each group or table will need:

• Class set of laminated artist portraits and samples of their paintings. (Possible samples below)

  • Vincent Van Gogh - Self Portrait with Palette Print

  • Framed Leonardo Da Vinci Print - 11x17

  • The Scream, c.1893 Print by Edvard Munch, 24x36

  • Weeping Woman By Pablo Picasso Print

  • Edouard Manet Portrait of Leon Leenhoff

  • Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn - Self Portrait Print

• Class set of laminated artist informational sheets (Print off biographies from the internet and laminate them.)

• Class set of laminated heritage/nationality/cultural traits informational sheets. (Again, get off the internet)

• World Globe

Download the Word Version of this Lesson

Book: Vincent's Colors - Van Gogh's descriptions, arranged as a simple rhyme, introduce young readers to all the colors of the rainbow and beyond. The descriptive words combine with spectacular reproductions of many of the artist's most beloved and important works to create a perfect art book for young and old alike.

Lesson Description:

Art Elements and Art Principles of Art Design: line, value, balance, rhythm

Vocabulary Terms:

Line – a dot that moves out into space
Value – how dark or light a hue is
Balance – symmetry (symmetrical, asymmetrical or radial)
Rhythm – repeating elements that create a sense of motion
Portrait – a work of art that shows a person, animal or group of people. It usually focuses on the face.
Culture – way of life
Nationality – the country you or your family is from
Traits – the things about you that make you you, your characteristics

Procedure:

Set up: Place supply baskets with enough materials for each group or table in designated supply area.

1. Whole class discussion of concept of drawing a self-portrait, describing process and procedures as well as incorporating vocabulary words (Written on board in advance)
   
   

2. Preview project and instructions with class. Show examples, model process for visual learners, leaving technique examples on the board.
   
   

3. Helpers pass out table supply baskets.
   
   

4. Students will warm up for drawing by sketching on scrap paper for 5 minutes.
   
   

5. Student will lightly draw 6" oval on paper.
   
   

6. Student will lightly draw both a horizontal and a vertical line, both of which will bisect the center of the oval. This will be the eye line and the focus for centering.
   
   

7. Student will then draw a light line half way between the mid-line and the chin to represent the nose, and another half way between that line and the chin to represent the mid-line of the mouth.
   
   

8. Student will then divide the distance of the horizontal line into five equal portions, the middle of which will represent the distance between the eyes, and those nearest the middle will represent the width of the eyes.
   

9. Student will then draw a light outline of eyes, nose, mouth and ears.
   
   

10. Student will then lightly draw in the hair line.
    
    

11. Students will carefully erase guide lines.
    
    

12. Students will draw and fill in hair with light broad strokes, shading areas by creating more lines.
    
    

13. Students will then add detail teach feature and appropriate shading to complete their project.
    
    

14. Students will identify their nationality and, from provided information sheets analyze information and establish two cultural traits common this country of origin.
    
    

15. Students will then identify one artist he shares cultural traits with and one painting by the artist from provided selection.
    
    

16. Students will locate their country of origin on the globe.
    
    

17. Students will share their self-portrait and their nationality, show the location of their country of origin on the globe, share their cultural traits, the artist they chose and the painting (expressing their commonalities).
    
    

18. Display student self-portrait next to artist portrait.

Assessment(s): Grading Rubric:

National Visual Arts Standards Covered (From):

Visual Arts Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6

TEKS:
Art 3.1A, 3.1B, 3.2A, 3.2C, 3.3A, 3.3B
History 3.5A, 3.14A, 3.14B, 3.17A