Art and Design · Year 1 · Lines, Marks, and Making · Autumn Term

Creating Expressive Self-Portraits

Using mirrors to observe facial features and proportions. Students create their first formal self-portrait using charcoal and pencils.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Art and Design - Drawing
• KS1: Art and Design - Knowledge of Artists and Designers

About This Topic

In Year 1 Art and Design, creating expressive self-portraits introduces formal drawing techniques. Students observe their facial features and proportions closely with mirrors, then use charcoal for bold lines and pencils for details. They design portraits that convey specific emotions, such as joy through curved smiles or surprise with raised eyebrows. This meets KS1 standards for drawing and builds knowledge of artists like Vincent van Gogh, whose self-portraits show emotional depth.

These activities help children represent their unique identities, boosting self-awareness and confidence. By justifying choices, like selecting thick charcoal strokes for anger, students practice articulating artistic decisions. Compare their work to simple reproductions of artist self-portraits to appreciate varied styles and purposes.

Active learning benefits this topic greatly. Students gain skills through repeated mirror observations, iterative sketching, and peer feedback sessions. Hands-on material trials make proportions tangible, while sharing portraits in small groups encourages reflection and refinement, leading to memorable personal artworks.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate the shapes and positions of your facial features in a mirror.
2. Design a self-portrait that conveys a specific emotion.
3. Justify your artistic choices in representing your unique identity in your drawing.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the main shapes and relative positions of facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, ears) from a mirror reflection.
• Design a self-portrait that visually communicates a chosen emotion (e.g., happy, sad, surprised) through specific facial expressions and line quality.
• Justify the selection of specific drawing materials (charcoal, pencil) and marks (thick, thin, dark, light) to represent personal identity and emotion.
• Compare their own self-portrait with those of classmates, noting similarities and differences in feature representation and emotional expression.

Before You Start

Mark Making and Materials

Why: Students need basic experience with drawing tools like pencils and charcoal to begin exploring line weight and texture.

Observational Drawing Basics

Why: Prior practice in observing simple objects and drawing them will help students apply observational skills to their own faces.

Key Vocabulary

Proportion	The size of one part of your face compared to another part, like how far apart your eyes are or how big your nose is.
Facial Features	The distinct parts of the face, including eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, and ears.
Line Weight	How thick or thin a line is, which can be used to show different textures, shadows, or emphasize certain areas.
Expression	The way your face looks to show how you are feeling, like smiling for happy or frowning for sad.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

All faces have identical shapes and feature positions.

What to Teach Instead

Paired mirror observations let students compare faces side-by-side, spotting personal variations like wider noses or closer eyes. Group discussions reinforce that uniqueness strengthens expressive portraits. This active comparison builds accurate observation habits.

Common Misconception

Eyes sit exactly in the middle of the head.

What to Teach Instead

Guided mirror exercises with rulers or fingers measure head halves, marking the eye line halfway down. Students sketch multiple times, self-correcting through trial. Hands-on repetition clarifies proportions better than verbal explanation alone.

Common Misconception

Self-portraits must look exactly like photographs to be good.

What to Teach Instead

Share artist examples where emotion trumps realism. Peer gallery walks prompt questions on feelings conveyed, shifting focus. Active critique sessions help students value personal expression over perfection.

Active Learning Ideas

Mirror Pairs: Feature Sketching

Pair students with hand mirrors and pre-drawn head templates. One student observes their partner's face for 3 minutes, sketches eyes, nose, and mouth positions. Partners switch and compare sketches, noting unique differences. Add emotion by exaggerating one feature.

30 min·Pairs

Emotion Charades: Expressive Poses

Model emotions like happiness or sadness. In small groups, students act them out in front of mirrors, then draw their face with that expression using charcoal. Groups share one portrait each, explaining their choices to the class.

45 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Peer Feedback

Display all portraits around the room. Students walk individually, leaving one positive comment and one suggestion on sticky notes for three peers' works. Regroup to discuss feedback and make quick revisions with pencils.

25 min·Individual

Artist Match: Style Exploration

Show three artist self-portrait images. In small groups, students vote on favorite styles, then adapt one element, like swirling lines, into their own portrait. Justify choices in a whole-class share.

35 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Portrait artists, like Lucian Freud, meticulously study their subjects, often using mirrors or photographs, to capture nuanced expressions and likenesses for commissions or personal projects.
• Forensic artists use detailed facial measurements and observations to create composite sketches from witness descriptions, helping law enforcement identify suspects.
• Character designers for animated films or video games must draw characters expressing a wide range of emotions, considering how line and shape convey personality and feeling.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Hold up a mirror and ask students to point to specific features and describe their shape. For example: 'Show me your left eye. Is it round or almond-shaped?' 'Where is your nose in relation to your mouth?'

Exit Ticket

Give students a small card. Ask them to draw one facial feature (e.g., an eye) showing a specific emotion (e.g., surprise). Then, ask them to write one word describing the line quality they used (e.g., 'wiggly,' 'sharp').

Discussion Prompt

Gather students to look at a few completed self-portraits. Ask: 'Which drawing best shows happiness? How do you know?' 'What did the artist do with their pencil or charcoal to make the eyes look sad?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials work best for Year 1 self-portraits?

Charcoal suits bold emotional lines and smudging for depth, while pencils offer precise control for features. Provide large paper, mirrors, and fixative spray to prevent smudges. Start with soft vine charcoal to build confidence, avoiding messy compressed types. These choices support fine motor skills and experimentation within KS1 drawing standards.

How does active learning support self-portrait creation in Year 1?

Active approaches like mirror observations and iterative sketching engage senses directly, helping children internalize proportions and emotions. Pair work and gallery feedback build language for justification, aligning with key questions. Hands-on material play reduces frustration, fosters persistence, and makes abstract concepts like expression concrete, leading to deeper skill retention and enjoyment.

How to link self-portraits to famous artists for Year 1?

Select simple images of Van Gogh or Frida Kahlo self-portraits, focusing on one element like bold colors or expressive eyes. Display beside student work for comparisons during shares. Ask, 'How does the artist show feelings?' This introduces designer knowledge accessibly, inspiring children without overwhelming detail.

How to help students convey emotions in portraits?

Model exaggerations, like huge smiles for joy, using your own face in a mirror demo. Emotion charades activate body awareness first, then transfer to drawing. Provide prompt cards with feelings and feature ideas. Peer discussions validate choices, ensuring every child articulates and refines their emotional intent effectively.