CONTEMPORARY PORTRAITS

Contemporary Portraits

Learning Targets

I can...

• Create a Contemporary Portrait using multimedia techniques learned in class 
• Use line types (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), color variation (complimentary, monochromatic, analogous), and space (positive, negative) inspired by Mexican American Artist (1964-Present) Maya Christina Gonzales 
• Use multimedia techniques (layering, cropping, transferring) and design principles (composition, movement, placement) based on Mexican American Art
• Define Portrait (a picture depicting the face, head, and shoulder)

Lesson One

Day One, Art Start 

1. Mother And Daughter Embrace (2009) Maya Christina Gonzales
2. "Just Like Me: Shorties & Self Portraits by Fourteen Artist" by Harriet Rohmer
3. Discussion Questions "When an artist makes a picture it is called a portrait. When the artist makes a picture of himself or herself, it is called a self portrait. How would you describe your looks to someone else? What would you like to learn about when making a face? If you made a portrait, do you think you would do better, worse, or the same a second time?"

Lesson Activities

1. Choose One 9" by 12" White Paper
2. Trace head template lightly with pencil in center of the paper
3. Outline & Trace portrait parts (head, neck, shoulder) with Sharpie Marker

Day Two, Art Start

1. Retrieve Contemporary Portrait for Assigned Table
2. Read Aloud The Colors of Us by Karen Katx
3. Famous Artist Quote "We do that more personal work inside so that as our voice comes out into the world it has greater strength and power to it and more authenticity which is not often taught or embraced in our culture, and so, how to become free in an unfree world in a sense and how that frees our voice"

Lesson Activities

1. Add facial features (hair, nose, eyebrows, ears) to portrait
2. Add decorations (barrettes, hair ties, beads for earrings, jewelry) to portrait
3. Use black marker to outline facial features and decorations for Contemporary Portraits

Day Three, Art Start

1. Retrieve Contemporary Portrait for Assigned Table
2. Set Up Studio Area (black sharpies, pencils, erasers)

Lesson Activities

1. Use complimentary colors (yellow, purple; blue, orange) to fill in the positive space
2. Use analogous colors (green, orange, violet) to fill in negative space
3. Add shadows (cast shadow, core shadows) and highlights (reflective light, light sources) to Contemporary Portraits 

Artist Examples

Student Examples