Creating Me

Themes > Arts > Drawing > Silhouettes Drawing > Creating Me

Introduction

Tasks

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Credits

Teacher Advice

Introduction:

How do you "see" yourself? Is there a difference between your inner and outer self? When you look in the mirror, who is that person looking back at you? When you draw have you ever tried to draw yourself? Who are you? Are you crazy and wild, or subdued and quiet? Can you be one way one minute and another the next? Are you many selves wrapped into one? Lots of artists practice by making self-portraits.

The Tasks:

These tasks will help you make a self-portrait After you finish making your picture, you can discuss how you have represented a part of yourself through the techniques that you used. WHYyou used what you did to create it (paint, pencil, crayons, clay, etc.). You will also:

see how other artists "intepreted'themselves, sometimes in many different ways and attitudes.
see how colors "look" together,

practice drawing "you" on the Internet,

learn about different views of the face,

create a computer "you," and

explain what makes "you" uniquely "you."

The Process:

We're ready to begin Creating You! Get a notebook or folder that will hold your work. In each step, you will learn more about what a self-portrait is or practice drawing your own. In the end you should be ready to make a final drawing of you, yourself.

1. Choose two of the following artists to view their self-portraits. Notice the way the artist pictured him/herself. Write the name of the artist in your notebook and what you liked or didn't like about the self-portrait. Keep these things in mind when you make your self-portrait. The artists:

2. Learn how colors "look" together. Visit How to Draw Yourself (get your pencil, paper and mirror together) Remember the colors you like using together by writing them down in your artist's notebook. You can use those colors together when you draw your self-portrait. Print out your sheet and place it in your artist's notebook.

3. Can you use a mouse to draw you? Go to ArtKidsRule and practice drawing yourself with the computer's help. Print the picture you create and save it in your artist's notebook to use when you create your self-portrait.

4. You'll need a partner for this task. Visit Kidsartscrafts at About and learn about silhouettes (sil-oo-ets). Follow the instructions for creating silhouettes. While you are drawing your friend, tell him/her about the way his/her face looks. Let your partner have the picture you drew. Place the picture your partner drew of you in your artist's notebook.

5. Go to American High on PBS, create your face with their yearbook album. Try to make your computer face look as much like your real face as you can. When you are finished, print your picture and share it with the classroom. Keep it in your artist's notebook.

6. After you have gathered all your work in your artist's notebook, get a mirror and work on your self-portrait. Use the items in your notebook to help you remember the colors you like to use together and the way your silhouette looks. Use all these things to create your self-portrait. You may draw with a pencil, crayons, or chalk. You might choose to use paint or even shape Play Dough or clay to make your self-portrait. When you are finished, share your self-portrait with the class and tell them why it is "you!"

The Evaluation:

You will be evaluated on your understanding of a self-portrait, silhouette, and the contents of your artist's notebook. You will also be evaluated on your sharing with the class of your own self-portrait.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4
The meaning of self-portrait.	Can pronounce word, but has no understanding of meaning.	Understands word but has no idea of how to accomplish own self-portrait.	Understands word and has accomplished own self-portrait.	Understands word and accomplishes own self-portrait. Also able to distinguish differences in own and other's self-portraits.
Artist's notebook and contents.	Did not gather any materials to place in notebook from tasks.	Gathered two or three items to place in notebook from tasks above.	Gathered materials from all tasks above but only one from each step.	Gathered more than one item from each of the tasks above.
Knowledge of color usage together.	Did not experiment with using colors together.	Used the color task but used "predictable colors."	Experimented with colors and printed out one example.	Experimented with colors and printed out one or more examples. Can give reasons for use of colors together.
Understands the term silhouette.	Can pronounce the word, but has no understanding of the meaning.	Understands the meaning of the word, but did not accomplish the task.	Understands the meaning of the word and accomplished the task with partner.	Understands the meaning, accomplished the task, and can describe differences in own and partner's silhouette.
Shared self-portrait with classmates.	Attempted self-portrait, but did not share with classmates.	Finished self-portrait and shared a limited explanation with class.	Finished self-portrait and shared obvious facts, elaborating on one aspect with classmates.	Finished self-portrait and shared detailed facts about it with classmates. Is able to distinguish differences in own and others.

Conclusion:

You are special, you are unique. There is only one of you in the entire world. By visiting these many places, I hope that you learned a lot about making self-portraits and especially about "you!" You got to see the self-portraits of many famous artists and you got to experiment with colors and using the computer to make a picture of you. And best of all, you created your very own self-portrait and told your class about it.

Credits & References:

In addition to the quality sites listed above, thanks to ClipsAhoy and cksinfo for the artwork used in this WebQuest. Thanks to: artic.edu, progressiveart.com, theartcanvas.com, longfoundations.org, sunsite.dk, and personal.inet.com for the self-portraits of the artists. To visit those sites, click on the particular artist in task one.

Teacher Advice:

The "Creating Me" WebQuest is designed to be used with Pre-K through third grade students. It is specifically an art lesson, but may also be used as a language experience when accompanied by writing. The lesson could also be used to some extent as a social studies exercise. This WebQuest could easily be modified for older students by researching the famous artists and their self-portraits in more depth. It could also be modified in intensity with more writing concerning the uniqueness of self.

Prior to this lesson, students should realize the differences in them and others, but may not be able to express those differences.

This lesson, if followed for the recommended age, will involve more than one class period and may take several days or weeks to accomplish depending on the time alloted for accomplishing the tasks. Tasks may be omitted or combined to shorten the experience (except for task number six).

All teachers should take the time to navigate the WebQuest prior to assigning it to students. Younger students may have a hard time navigating the American High site on PBS. The task only involves one element of the intended use of that site. Teachers may need to read for those children who are not able to read this lesson. For classes of multiple, non-reading students, more than one teacher may be needed.

Teachers should have a basic understanding of self-portraits and the uniqueness of people, especially the face. The concentration is not on the artistic ability of the student, but the student's ability to distinguish unique characteristics of self.

Students may wish to use a partner throughout the entire WebQuest. However, work done in each task should be kept in a separate and individual notebook.

There are additional sites of interest that teachers may wish to utilize. The Crayola website has many ideas that are useful, with the "Me, Myself, and I" being of particular interest to this WebQuest. Teachers may wish to use this in place or in addition to number one through five of the above tasks.

NOTE: Task number six should not be omitted from any of the modified versions of this WebQuest. It is the essential step in children's understanding the lesson.