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Look at Me: Portrait Drawing

Page history last edited by Frank Curkovic 12 years, 1 month ago

10 Weeks (1x80mins a week)

NOTE: unit interrupted by field studies and October break

 

Grade 6 Portrait Drawing Outcomes (Standards, rubric etc.)

 

 

Unit Objective: To realistically draw a portrait in pencil with values, tone and correct proportions.

Students are evaluated on knowledge, process, participation as well as product.

 

 

Knowledge

At the end of this unit, students will understand:

  • Proportions of the human face
  • How the interaction of light and objects are rendered in 2D.

 

Skills

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

  • Create correct proportions in a portrait drawing
  • Apply value and tone to a portrait drawing
  • Apply gradation to a portrait drawing

 

Assessment Tasks

  • Formative: Drawing an eye, nose and mouth (Criteria A)
  • Summative: Drawing a self-portrait with correct proportions (Criteria B)
  • Writing mini-reflections & a final self-reflection (Criteria C)
  • Artistic Awareness & Personal Engagement (Criteria D)

 

Key Terms/Vocabulary:

Drawing, Gradation, Highlights, Measurements, Observation, Portrait, Proportions, Scale, Self-Portrait, Shading, Tones,  Tortillon (Rubbing Stump), Value 

 

Rubric

 

*Activities are subject to change at teacher's discretion.

 

 

Week 1 - Introduction

  • Explain MYP art, cover sheet, unit outline, timeline and rubric.

If lost, cover sheet may be download and printed here (simply drag the photo to your desktop):

 

  • Distribute developmental workbooks - All work entered should be dated and given a title!
  • All prep work done in class (and homework) needs to be INCLUDED in Developmental Workbooks, unless otherwise instructed by the teacher.

 

Discuss:

  • What is a portrait? Where have you seen a portrait?
  • Do you have any portraits in your home?
  • What does the portrait look like?
  • Why do people make portraits?
  • Are portraits drawn from the imagination, real life, or both?

 

As a pre-assessment task, students create their own self-portrait from observation (mirrors) in pencil (45mins).

  • Works are then discussed highlighting struggles, successes and strategies.
  • Students answer the question, "What makes a good portrait?" in developmental workbook (homework). This can be done in paragraph form or using a mindmap.

 

View highlighted student work below. Which ones have been done well? Why? The photos include before and after unit results.

Also view student work from 2011-2012 here.

 

Homework:

1. Answer "What makes a good portrait?" in your developmental workbook. Refer to the portrait you did in class and write ways to improve and to set goals for yourself. PLEASE date and title the homework. Due next class. (Required)

Your page may look something like below. This is simply an example.

 

2. Watch the following videos (Optional)

*if videos are not showing, try using another browser

Self-portraits

 

Women in art:

 

 

Week 2 - Value

Students share and discuss previous class portrait drawings. Students are encouraged to take notes on feedback etc.

 

Warm-up: Students do a Continuous Line Drawing (10 mins) of their neighbour in their Developmental Workbooks. Students should date and title the work "Week 2-Continuous Line Drawing warm up"

Look at the object you are going to draw. Focus on the edges of the object closely and draw slowly.

When complete, ask: 

Q. Why would someone want to draw something slowly focusing on line/edge work?

(A. To focus on observing the object, rather than the drawing.)

Below are 2 student examples of blind continuous line drawing.

    

Below is a student examples of a continuous line drawing.

 

 

optional video explanation:

Continuous Line Contour Drawing Lesson

 

Discuss unit question: How does observing help us learn? (Brainstorm)

Significant Concept: Observational skills play an important role in our lives and in our artwork.

How is the unit question and significant concept going to influence your work and how you learn?

 

What are the correct proportions to create true to life portraits?
View a video tutorial on drawing the head in proportion (Go to the Proportions tab on the site).

Students explore human features. They examine their face in a mirror, or of their neighbour and answer:

  • How does the expression around your eyes change when you frown
  • When you are surprised, etc.?
  • How do your eyes, nose and mouth change with each expression?
  • How are face shapes different? Eyes, skin tone, etc.?

Have a look and try it online here (optional in class at teacher's discretion or students can try at home if wish)

 

Task:

Students create a 7 value scale in Developmental Workbooks using 2B, 4B and 6B pencils (B pencils = soft, H = hard)

The photo below is an example of a value scale with 9 tones.

 

Homework: 

Complete value scale if not completed in class. For further info, read the proportions of a head.(Required) 

You may want to get a sneak peek at the links below for drawing eyes! (Optional)

View the following video on gesture drawing. (Optional)

 

 

Week 3 - Facial Features

Warm-up: In 5 mins., complete a gesture drawing of the person sitting across from you. A gesture drawing is a quick sketch and is very loose. There is no need to focus on details. You are simply trying to capture the feel. Keep your pencil moving and stay fluid. Do not use an eraser. (Or complete using black marker.)

Below is an example of a gesture drawing done in marker. Note how value was created.

 

Task: In your developmental workbook, use pencil, shading and gradation to... 

-concentrate on drawing a pair of eyes (half page)

(More tutorials here: Drawing the eye, Eye-drawing tutorial by SarahHow to Draw a Realistic Eye)

-concentrate on drawing a nose.

-concentrate on drawing a mouth. (How to draw lipsHow to Draw a mouth and teeth)

Please date and title all work. You have 2 weeks to complete this.

(You may wish to organise your work to create a distorted face if you wish. This is optional.)

 

Homework:Complete drawing a pair of eyes with shading and gradation. (Required)

 

 

Week 4 - cont'd

  • Review and discuss homework. Students to give feedback for student work done on drawing eyes. Students are recommended to take notes on items done well and areas for improvement.
  • Continue drawing a nose and mouth in class.

 

Teacher note: Begin taking photos of students and have printed for next class (full A4 size).

 

Homework:Complete drawing the nose and mouth with shading and gradation. (Required) 

 

 

 

Week 5 - Summative Task

Review and discuss homework. Students to give feedback in class and are recommended to take notes on areas done well and areas for improvement.

 

Task 1: (20 minutes)

  • Students given a photo of themselves.
  • Create an equal cross hair grid evenly on the photo.
  • Students create a very loose and quick sketch from the photo and note successes/struggles

 

Task 2: Summative Assessment (for the application area, you are evaluated on proportion, value/tone and gradation)

View rubric.

  • Lightly tone your drawing paper. This will create your middle tone for your drawing (photo below).
  • Duplicate the cross hair lightly from your photo to your drawing paper (photo below).
  • These should be centered on the paper and not on the middle of your face!
  • Examine the proportions and relationships of space and note the intersections on the photo.
  • Duplicate these on your drawing paper.
  • Begin with the shape of your head. Use your eraser to erase the background. Your head should now look like a silhouette. 
  • (More info and demonstration to come in class)

 

  

 

Homework:

View the following videos (Required)

     

 

 

 

Week 6 - cont'd

Students continue with measurements:

  • Complete drawing the shape of your head.
  • Move onto the eyes, then the nose and mouth. Do not do hair yet, that is taught in week 8.
  • Use your eraser to mark out highlights.

 

Homework: In your Developmental Workbook, reflect on how your work is progressing. What are you doing well? What needs improving or focus? If the teacher or class has given you feedback, this should be documented. Please date and title the work. (Required)

If this reflection is not done, it will dramatically affect your overall score on the rubric.

 

 

Week 7 - cont'd

Students continue with facial features and adding different values and highlights to facial features.

Students to use erasers to show highlights.

 

Homework:

View Hair drawing tutorial and Drawing Hair in Pencil

 

 

Week 8 - Drawing Hair

Students continue drawing their self portrait.

(More info and demonstration on drawing hair to come in class)

Hair drawing tutorial

Drawing Hair in Pencil 

 

 

FIELD STUDIES

OCTOBER BREAK

Depending on student work and progress, there is the possibility for week 9 to be eliminated, resulting in work being due the first week back after the October break.

This will be decided in class closer to the date.

 

 

Week 9 - cont'd

Students should be adding finishing touches to work. Recheck your values. Do you have the solid blacks and highlights?

 

 

Week 10 - Presentation & Reflection

Students present and write evaluations of their work. Have a look at your first drawing and compare it to your final drawing. You should see a huge improvement! Write your reflection on your blog. Don't forget to use your "Art" category and tags such as "Art Reflection," "Portrait" "Grade 6 Art" etc.

I will show you how to download the photo from Flickr and upload it to the blog.

Feel free to also hyperlink this wiki page on your blog.

 

Self-Reflection: You will need to include an artist statement/self reflection with your piece.

In paragraph form, please include the following information as well as key vocabulary used in class. 

  • Describe the progress you have made during this unit.
  • What areas have been challenging or easy?
  • Describe the strengths and weaknesses in your work.
  • How did observational skills play an important role in your learning during this unit?

Please provide examples to support your statements. example: Instead of saying "A strength in my work is my hair because it looks good," you should say "A strength in my work is the hair because of how I used highlights and gradation to make it appear 3D." 

 

Here is an example of a well written reflection. Teacher comments are noted in red:

 

    For our first art unit on portrait drawing, we looked at how to draw the human face with correct measured proportions. Our unit question was "How does observing help us learn?" Our significant concept was "Observational skills play an important role in our lives and in our artwork." Throughout this unit, I have made some progress.

Notice how the student has written an introduction explaining the unit.

 

    When I did my first drawing, I didn't do very well in drawing the shape of my head or with my basic facial proportions. The placement with my eyes were too high, the nose was too low and the mouth was too small. The shape of my head was also to big and round. During this unit, I improved with my measuring and proportions. I believe I also improved my shading and gradation skills to make objects appear rounded or 3D.

In this paragraph the student is answering the progress she has made. She wrote about her first drawing and made overall general comments on how she improved. Examples were also provided as well as key vocabulary.

 

    The most challenging aspect for me was drawing eyes. I found it difficult to get the shape right as well as adding the details, such as eyelashes and eyebrows. However, I do feel I improved with this, especially in placing the iris correctly within the eye. An easier part to do was shading. I used 4 tones and this makes my drawing look more realistic. Using a tortillon (rubbing stump) also helped with gradation. Though easy, I did find adding hair highlights a little difficult.

In this paragraph, the student is answering "What areas have been challenging or easy?" A specific example was provided on what the student found challenging as well as easy. Key vocabulary was also used.

 

    I think the strength in my work is the shading. I really tried hard to include a very strong black, middle tones an highlights. By doing this, objects appear more lifelike, especially my nose. A weakness in my work are the hair highlights. I found drawing my hair a bit of a struggle because my hair colour is light and it needs a lot of pencil work to look realistic.

In this paragraph, the student is answering "Describe the strengths and weaknesses in your work."

Again, specific example were provided.

 

    Observational skills really helped me during this unit. I have begun to look at relationships between different parts. For example, the nostrils almost line up with the eyes. By observing more, I also started to notice different shades better.

In this paragraph, the student is answering "How did observational skills play an important role in your learning during this unit?" The students has answered the question and also used it as a way to conclude her reflection.

 

 

 

Teacher Resources: http://www.portraitcompetition.si.edu/educators/educators.html

 

 

 

 

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