Self-portrait Lesson Plans

Students bring baby pictures of themselves. They discuss composition in art and compare these to their pictures. Students discuss mood, and ways an artist creates mood. They create a triptych using their baby picture, a recent photograph and a self-portrait.

Students complete "me" projects as part of a sociology unit. In this self-esteem and personal worth instructional activity, students have a choice of how they would like to make a project about themselves. They make Me Mobiles, write down 100 goals, draw a self-portrait, make a collage or film a video about themselves.

Learners study about self-portrait artists and the varying styles of self-portraits. They choose a style of self-portrait that they want to duplicate. They recognize the essential elements of a complete self portrait.

Students distinguish between a portrait and self-portrait making comparisons and contrasts. They use a digital camera to take a picture of a classmate. They use draw/paint software to experiment with different techniques and effects.

Fourth graders create self-portraits using artistic elements found in Hispanic culture and, specifically, the art of Frida Kahlo. The lesson plan can be adapted for any culture/country and requires an outside person with cultural knowledge.

Students create self-portraits using the technology of digital cameras mixed with other media. Adobe Photoshop is a requirement for this specific three week project. State standards for the arts are addressed.

Seventh graders research the life of Vincent Van Gogh, paint a color wheel and use it to examine Van Gogh's color choices. They practice drawing proportions of the face and create self-portraits using color and texture techniques used by Van Gogh.

Learners discuss what an illustrator is and illustrations help readers follow the story line. Using the illustrations, they identify the characteristics of facial proportions and draw their own face. They use glue to cover the lines they made to cover with foil to make a relief.

Students participate in teacher-lead discussion of Seminole patchwork and styles of dress. They practice identifying the patchwork design of the Seminoles and what they mean. They create (and write a description of) a paper doll self-portrait using various patchwork designs.

Students reflect on the different roles they have for themselves in a journal entry. After reading an article, they discover information on the life of Rembrandt. In groups, they examine the roles of Rembrandt in his self-portrait and choose three aspects of their identify to create their own self-portrait.