This is such a great lesson because it teaches several important concepts . It takes about 3-4 days to complete but it is worth it.The emphasis at Kindergarten is on:
Personal experience and/or imagination
Exploring a variety of media to develop fine and gross motor skills
Learning care and use of tools and equipment
Following safety rules
Family, five senses, counting, and retelling stories in pictures
Learning about a variety of artists and art forms, including architecture
Art elements - color, shape and line
These concepts are taught with this portrait lesson:
- explore a variety of media
- Create a variety of lines, like thick and thin, curved or zigzag, etc.
- Cut large and small shapes; double layers to produce identical shapesng a variety of media
- create orginial pictures of self
This mixed media lesson was orginally inspired from a lesson on Deep Space Sparkle. I have added my own ideas and even incorporated the story "I Aint Gonna Paint No More". This is great story to end the year with. However I do encourage my students to stay creative and paint over the summer.
NOTE: the handprints were very difficult and messy for my kinders. You'll notice alot with missing fingers. Which is kinda cute. I will think of something different for next year
Materials Day 1:
- Prints of self portraits from famous artists. We looked at Van Gogh's, Rembrandts, Henri Rousseaus
- Oval template
- one sheet of skin colored paper. Students chose their own.
- white paper
- pencils, glue, scissors
- Lesson: Day 1
- discuss what self portriat is. Look and discuss prints.
- Students trace their own oval and cut, on same paper draw and cut out a rectangle for the neck. Glue those on in middle of paper
- Take scrap from that paper fold and draw shape for ear. We drew a D. Students cut with paper folded to make two identical shapes. Glue
- Same with white paper. fold paper, draw oval, and cut to make two shapes. Glue
THIS TAKES THE ENTIRE 40 MINUTES
Day 2
- We used mirrors to look at our faces to see the colors, shapes and lines of our features.
- Using markers draw eyes, nose and mouth
- I cut different colors of yarn such as light yellow, bright yellow, dark brown, light brown, black, reddish-brown. Students chose some pieces that best matched their hair. The mirrors were helpful for this.
- WHILE THEY COMPLETED THE FIRST STEPS I WENT AROUND AND ADDED THE GLUE TO FORM THE SHAPE OF THEIR HAIR.
- they laid the yarn down neatly in the glue
Day 3
- paint for the shoulders/shirts. See my great technique for paint in the kindergarten still life post.
- brush prints for the back ground
- hand prints on piece of construction paper
DAY 4:
- Story "I aint gonna paint no more"
- cut out hand prints and glue at bottom. Really focus on having a left and right hand in art work. I told my students to have the thumbs face in as if pointing to the chin.
- This class used buttons on the shirt. It added a nice touch
