The Power of the Gaze in PortraitsActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning works because Year 3 pupils grasp the impact of gaze by experiencing it. Moving, drawing, and discussing together helps them feel the difference between connection and mystery in portraits. This hands-on approach builds lasting understanding beyond abstract discussion.
Learning Objectives
- 1Analyze how the direction of the gaze in selected portraits impacts viewer perception and emotional response.
- 2Explain the compositional effect of direct versus averted gazes in conveying mood or narrative.
- 3Design a self-portrait or portrait of a peer, intentionally using the gaze to communicate a specific feeling or idea.
- 4Compare and contrast the use of gaze in two different portraits, identifying how it influences the viewer's connection to the subject.
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Pairs: Gaze Pose and Sketch
Pupils work in pairs: one poses with direct gaze toward partner for 2 minutes while the other sketches eyes and expression. Switch roles, then try averted gaze to a window. Pairs discuss how each gaze changes the portrait's mood.
Prepare & details
Analyze how direct eye contact in a portrait affects the viewer's connection to the subject.
Facilitation Tip: For the self-portrait task, position mirrors at angles so pupils can see how head and eye direction change together.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Small Groups: Famous Portrait Analysis
Provide prints of portraits like Mona Lisa or Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. Groups note gaze direction, predict emotions or stories, and sketch a quick copy focusing on eyes. Share findings with class.
Prepare & details
Explain how an averted gaze can create a sense of mystery or introspection.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Individual: Gaze-Directed Self-Portrait
Pupils draw self-portraits where gaze points to a meaningful object like a book or pet in the composition. Add details to show why the gaze matters. Display for peer comments on attention guidance.
Prepare & details
Design a portrait where the gaze is used to direct the viewer's attention to a specific detail.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Whole Class: Gaze Effect Gallery Walk
Display all portraits around room. Pupils walk, note gaze directions, and jot reactions on sticky notes. Conclude with class vote on most engaging gazes and why.
Prepare & details
Analyze how direct eye contact in a portrait affects the viewer's connection to the subject.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Teaching This Topic
Teachers should model how to shift gaze by demonstrating head turns and eye focus in front of the class. Avoid telling pupils what gaze means; instead, guide them to notice how their own feelings change when looking directly at peers versus looking away. Research shows that embodied learning—moving and posing—deepens comprehension of abstract concepts like gaze and emotion.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like pupils confidently explaining how gaze choices affect emotion and viewer focus. They should use specific art vocabulary and adjust their own gaze in portraits to match their intended message. Sketches and discussions show clear awareness of how gaze shapes meaning.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Pairs: Gaze Pose and Sketch, watch for pupils assuming a direct gaze always means happiness or friendliness.
What to Teach Instead
During Pairs: Gaze Pose and Sketch, have pupils model serious, curious, or questioning expressions while maintaining direct gaze, then sketch and label each mood to show the range of feelings a direct gaze can convey.
Common MisconceptionDuring Small Groups: Famous Portrait Analysis, watch for pupils stating that gaze direction does not guide the viewer’s eye in composition.
What to Teach Instead
During Small Groups: Famous Portrait Analysis, provide arrows on tracing paper for pupils to overlay and trace the gaze path, then redraw the portrait with a new gaze direction to test how the viewer’s eye moves differently.
Common MisconceptionDuring Individual: Gaze-Directed Self-Portrait, watch for pupils focusing only on the eyes and keeping the head position fixed.
What to Teach Instead
During Individual: Gaze-Directed Self-Portrait, place mirrors around the room so pupils can physically turn their heads and observe how the gaze direction shifts the entire composition, encouraging them to sketch both eye and head alignment.
Assessment Ideas
After Pairs: Gaze Pose and Sketch, show two portraits (one direct, one averted gaze) and ask, 'How does the way the person is looking make you feel? Which portrait feels more personal, and why? What do you think the person in the second portrait might be looking at?'
During Small Groups: Famous Portrait Analysis, provide a simple face outline and ask pupils to draw the eyes twice: once with a direct gaze and once with an averted gaze, then write one word describing the feeling each gaze creates.
After Individual: Gaze-Directed Self-Portrait, have pupils swap drawings and write one sentence on the back of their partner’s sketch stating what they think the subject’s gaze communicates (e.g., 'This gaze looks curious').
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge early finishers to sketch the same face with three different gaze directions, each paired with a different background object the gaze could ‘point’ to.
- Scaffolding: Provide printed eye shapes on card for pupils to arrange on a head outline to test gaze direction before drawing.
- Deeper: Compare portraits from different cultures, noting how gaze direction signals respect, authority, or storytelling in each context.
Key Vocabulary
| Gaze | The act of looking at something or someone for a prolonged period. In portraits, it refers to the direction the subject's eyes are looking. |
| Direct Gaze | When the subject in a portrait looks straight out at the viewer, creating a sense of connection or confrontation. |
| Averted Gaze | When the subject in a portrait looks away from the viewer, which can suggest introspection, shyness, or looking at something outside the frame. |
| Composition | The arrangement of elements within an artwork, including the placement of the subject and the direction of their gaze, to create a specific effect. |
| Viewer Engagement | The way an artwork captures and holds the attention of the person looking at it, often influenced by elements like the subject's gaze. |
Suggested Methodologies
More in Portraiture and Identity
Understanding Facial Proportions
Learning the mathematical guidelines and common ratios for placing features correctly on a human head.
3 methodologies
Self-Portraits and Personal Expression
Using mirrors and personal symbols to create a self-portrait that reflects individual personality and identity.
3 methodologies
Caricature and Stylization in Portraits
Exploring how artists like Picasso or Daumier exaggerated features for effect, focusing on caricature and stylization.
3 methodologies
Drawing Different Facial Expressions
Practicing drawing various facial expressions to understand how subtle changes in features convey emotions.
3 methodologies
Portraits from Different Cultures
Investigating how different cultures and historical periods have approached portraiture, from ancient Egyptian profiles to tribal masks.
3 methodologies
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