Creative Explorations: Foundations of Visual Art · 1st Year · Lines, Marks, and Making · Autumn Term

Drawing Self-Portraits: My Face

Observing facial features in mirrors to create a representational drawing of oneself, focusing on basic shapes.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Drawing
• NCCA: Primary - Looking and Responding

About This Topic

Self-portraiture in the first year is less about photographic accuracy and more about observation and identity. Students use mirrors to look closely at themselves, identifying the shapes and lines that make them unique. This aligns with the NCCA's 'Looking and Responding' strand, as students must analyze their own features before translating them to the page. It is a powerful exercise in self-awareness and confidence.

Through this process, students learn that everyone sees themselves differently. They explore how features like the curve of a smile or the shape of eyes can be represented through simple artistic marks. This topic is deeply personal and benefits from a supportive, student-centered environment where children can share their work and celebrate the diversity of their classroom community. Students grasp the concept of proportion and detail faster through structured peer observation and discussion about what makes each face special.

Key Questions

1. Analyze the basic geometric shapes that compose your facial features.
2. Construct a self-portrait using lines to emphasize unique personal characteristics.
3. Justify the color choices made to reflect your personality or mood in your self-portrait.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the basic geometric shapes that compose individual facial features.
• Construct a self-portrait drawing using lines to represent unique personal characteristics.
• Compare and contrast the use of color to express mood or personality in self-portraits.
• Identify specific lines and shapes used to depict unique features in their own and peers' self-portraits.

Before You Start

Introduction to Shapes and Lines

Why: Students need to be familiar with basic geometric shapes and different types of lines before they can analyze and use them to represent facial features.

Observational Skills: Looking Closely

Why: This topic builds on the ability to observe details, which is foundational for accurately representing oneself in a drawing.

Key Vocabulary

Geometric Shapes	Basic shapes like circles, ovals, squares, and triangles that can be used to represent parts of the face, such as the head, eyes, or nose.
Facial Features	Distinctive parts of the face, including eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and eyebrows, which can be broken down into simple shapes for drawing.
Line Variation	Using different types of lines, such as thick, thin, curved, or straight, to create texture, form, and emphasis in a drawing.
Proportion	The relationship between the sizes of different parts of the face to each other, ensuring features are drawn in a balanced way.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Eyes are at the very top of the head.

What to Teach Instead

Students often forget the forehead. Using a simple 'hands-on' measurement (placing hands on chin and top of head) helps them realize eyes are actually in the middle of the face.

Common Misconception

A self-portrait must look exactly like a photo.

What to Teach Instead

Emphasize that a portrait can show how you feel or what you like. Showing examples of abstract portraits helps students feel comfortable with their own unique drawing style.

Active Learning Ideas

Peer Teaching: The Mirror Challenge

In pairs, one student acts as the 'mirror' and describes a specific feature of their partner (e.g., 'Your eyes are like almonds'). The partner then tries to draw that feature based on the description before checking a real mirror.

30 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Identity Wall

Students create self-portraits that include symbols of things they love. They display them around the room, and the class moves from piece to piece, trying to guess whose portrait it is based on the artistic clues and features.

40 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: Changing Faces

Students make different expressions in a mirror (happy, surprised, sleepy). They discuss with a partner how their features change (e.g., 'My eyebrows go up when I'm surprised') and then choose one 'mood' to draw.

20 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Character designers for animated films, like those at Pixar Animation Studios, use basic shapes and line work to create distinctive and memorable characters, including self-portraits of fictional beings.
• Forensic artists use observational drawing skills, similar to self-portraiture, to create composite sketches of suspects based on witness descriptions, relying on accurate feature placement and shape analysis.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

As students draw, circulate and ask: 'What shape did you use to draw your eye?' or 'Show me the line you used to create your smile.' Record observations on a checklist of identified shapes and line techniques.

Discussion Prompt

Display a few anonymous self-portraits. Ask students: 'What shapes do you see in this face?' and 'What lines did the artist use to show the person's expression?'. Encourage them to point out specific areas.

Exit Ticket

Students write one sentence identifying a geometric shape they used for a facial feature and one sentence explaining a line they used to show something unique about themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I help a student who is frustrated that their drawing doesn't look like them?

Shift the focus to 'features' rather than the whole face. Ask them to look for one specific thing, like the shape of their ears or their hair. Remind them that even famous artists like Picasso didn't always draw 'realistic' faces.

What role does identity play in this lesson?

Identity is central. This lesson is an opportunity to celebrate different backgrounds, hair types, and features. It encourages students to see their own characteristics as artistic elements to be explored and valued.

How can active learning help students understand self-portraits?

Active learning, such as 'The Mirror Challenge' or peer observation, takes the pressure off the individual. When students talk about features with a partner, they use descriptive language that translates into better observation. This social interaction helps them notice details they might miss when working in isolation, making the act of 'looking' a collaborative and less intimidating skill.

Should I provide templates for the face shape?

It is better to let students explore shapes themselves. Providing a 'perfect' oval can make them feel their own drawings are wrong. Instead, use active modeling to show how to find the 'egg' or 'circle' shape of their own head.