Warped Self-Portrait 3

Warped Self-Portrait

Unit: Realism Isnt Everything
Grades: 9-12 Advanced
Medium: Chalk Pastel
Durations: 2.5 Class Periods

Objectives
! Students will use facial proportions expressively by warping, exaggerating,
distorting and/or simplifying the features. (MO)
! Students will blend values and colors to create new values/colors. (MO)
! Students will reflect on the impact visual manipulation has on interpreting
a self-portrait.
Art Production
"Anticipatory Set "State Objectives "Input (art history, instructions) "Demo
"Check for Understanding "Guided Practice "Independent Practice "Closure
Day 1
1. Self-portraits can be difficult. We are often the most critical of our
artwork. Now combine that with the criticism we experience when
working in a mirror and a self-portrait can be quite frustrating. Often we
end up looking serious and almost statuesque. Instead of this stoic look,
lets add some life our self-portraits by taking away some of the realism.
By warping our image we take away the concern of getting the
proportions just right. We can loosen up and be expressive in our line,
shapes, and colors. In the end the portrait could be a representation of
ourselves than the representational, realistic images we come to know.
-WhySoSerious.ppt : A sample of traditional self portraits that are just too
serious. Compared to a sample of expressive self-portraits that are a
warped and wacky.
2. Were going to abstract and manipulate representational images to create
expressive portraits of ourselves.
3. Background of Self-Portraits. Discuss how manipulating the elements and
principles can affect the interpretation of a portrait. Use Francis Bacons
work and caricatures as reference.
4. Instruct students to download the WarpIt app to their phones. Yes, we are
going to be using our cellphones in classgasp! While they are
downloading show on the projector how the app works using an image of
yourself. Show the different types of warps, pick one, and explain what
about it you like.
5. Have students take a selfie using the WarpIt app. Help anyone who is
having difficulty choosing a warp. Its shockingly hard to choose one.

Materials
12x18 Black Construction Paper
Pencil
Elmers White Glue
12x9 Black Construction Paper
Chalk Pastels- Various Colors
Matte Finish Fixative
Cellphone & WarpIt app
Elements of Art
Line, Color, Value
Principles of Design
Emphasis, Unity
Vocabulary
Arbitrary Color
Proportion
Representational
Expressive
Art History/Resources
http://www.metmuseum.org/search-
results?ft=self-portrait
http://artviaanderson.weebly.com/rando
m-musings/self-portraits-then-and-now
WhySoSerious.ppt
Modifications/Notes
Have a pencil drawing ready to go before
class begins to use for demoing the glue.
If a student does not have a phone, allow
them to use the teachers phone or iPad.

Warped Self-Portrait 3
When students are finished (cut them off at five minutes) instruct
everyone to place their phones face down on the corner of the desk. This
will help limit the distraction.
6. Using your prepared drawing show students how to outline their contours
using the Elmers glue. Stress the importance of keeping the contours
simple. The glue is thick and will spread a bit, tiny details will not work.
7. Give each student a piece of 12x18 black paper, a pencil, and a bottle of
Elmers Glue. Ask if there are any questions. If not, tell everyone to now
flip their phones over and begin the pencil drawing. Their head should
take up the majority of the page, we dont want a bunch of blank space.
As students finish their pencil drawing they may begin outlining in glue.
8. As students begin finishing their glue instruct everyone to carefully,
without tipping it, move their finished piece to a designated area to dry.
While everyone is cleaning up explain the next steps for finishing the
project. Show an example of the colored piece.
Day 2
1. Anticipatory Set
2. Today were working with color, blending chalk pastels to create different
colors and values in our portraits.
3. Refer back to the wacky photos in the WhySoSerious.ppt. Discuss how
the caricatures use natural coloring to bring realism to the portrait while
other portraits use arbitrary color to further distort the image. Students
may use natural coloring, arbitrary coloring or a mixture of the two. How
the students choose to color their artworks with impact how the self-
portrait is interpreted.
4. Demonstrate mark making and blending methods for the chalk pastels on
a sheet of black paper. Show how to get realistic mixes of skin tones and
hair colors, as well as, examples of complimentary and analogous color
schemes. Again show a finished example of the project. Students should
be aware of how color and value help to define the form. There should be
definite highlights and shadows in their final coloring. For example, the
bridge of the nose would be highlighted but the neck under the chin
should be shadowed.
5. Give each student a 12x9 piece of black construction paper and an
assortment of chalk pastels. Have students practice combining colors by
layering and blending the chalk pastel. Assist students in achieving the
colors they are looking for.
6. Once students have experimented with the chalk pastels they may begin
coloring their self-portraits. All of the black paper should be covered with
chalk pastel, leaving only the glue lines to be black. This includes the
background!
7. As students work, be available to assist and make suggestions for color
choices and blending. Make sure that no matter what color scheme
students are using, they should still be creating values appropriate for the
human face.






























Warped Self-Portrait 3


8. As student finish their works have them go to a ventilated area and spray
their piece with the fixative, holding it 12 inches from the paper. Ask
students to think about how their warped images look like them, thinking
about the emotion the manipulation exerts. There will be verbal critique at
the beginning of the next class.
Day 3
1. Have students Warped Self-Portraits displayed on the critique wall as
they enter the room. Give everyone some time to look at the pieces and
talk amongst themselves. (This should only last about 5 minutes but will
get the students loosened up and talking about the artwork.) Short
discussion about Francis Bacon quote.
2. Give the students some questions to consider as they talk about their
artwork and the work of others. Each person will talk about his or her
work. It may be helpful for the teacher to ask questions as prompts for
talking about the work. The critique should be an open discussion
allowing everyone to make comments. Critique comments may be
positive or negative but must adhere to the critique conduct rules of the
class.
Aesthetic Questions
Is it possible for this portrait to look more like you than a photograph?
Art Criticism/Analysis Questions
Does your Warped Self Portrait show your personality?
Could it express your state of mind like Francis Bacons self-portraits?
Did you use color to enhance the wacky-ness, or did you use it to
create a sense of realism?
Evaluation Criteria





Discuss this quote:
Francis Bacon, 1975. I loathe my own face.
. . . Ive done a lot of self-portraits, really
because people have been dying around me
like flies and Ive nobody else left to paint
but myself.

CONTENT
Student reflected on
the impact visual
manipulation has on
interpreting a self-
portrait.
Student blended
values and colors to
create new
values/colors.
1 2 3 4 5
CREATIVITY
Student exaggerated,
distorted or
simplified
proportions their self-
portrait.
Student chose the
appropriate colors to
accentuate wacky-
ness or create a sense
of realism.
1 2 3 4 5
CRAFTSMANSHIP
Student created clear
and descriptive
contour lines with
the glue.
Student blended
colors to create
values appropriate to
define the human
face and purposeful
to the composition.
1 2 3 4 5

COMPLETION:
Student completed
each step of the
project within
designated class
periods.
Student completed
all assigned tasks for
this project including
critique.

1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL: __ / 20 pts.
COMMENTS: