Self Portraits from Observation!
3rd, 4th and 5th grade have been learning all about how to draw a realistic self-portrait. In the beginning of the unit, they began by drawing a self-portrait from memory (see below). Many students found that the first pictures just didn't look like them, and often times the portraits were missing important parts, like ears, eyebrows, and even noses! Below are some examples of students' drawings from memory:

Then, they tried drawing from observation, using mirrors to help see themselves. They learned that to observe means to really, really, really look at something. When you draw from observation you draw EXACTLY what you SEE. That often proved to be very challenging - many girls had to learn how to draw their hair in a ponytail, and everyone had to figure out how to draw the clothing they were wearing. Below are some other student examples of drawing from observation:

Look at the difference between one student's drawing from memory and drawing from observation:

To help make the self-portraits look really real, the students learned about the rules of proportion. These tips and tricks can really help when you're not sure where exactly to put certain parts, or how big to make them. Here's a sampling of the rules the students learned:

1. Map out the big parts first (head, neck and shoulders)

2. Your shoulders on each side are the same width as your head.

3. Your eyes are in the exact middle of your head, and the space in between your two eyes is the same as one of your own eyes (we called it the invisible eye!)

4. Your ears line up with the top of your eyes and the bottom of your nose!

To find out more, ask a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader! They are all experts now!

Coming soon: Expressive self-portraits, exploring a variety of materials and conveying a range of moods and emotions.