Art Activity #3: A Self Portrait
In this art exploration activity, we are going to try self portraits.
A portrait is a drawing of someone’s face and head, usually down to their neck and shoulders. No arms, bodies or legs. We will be creating a self portrait, meaning a drawing of our own heads and faces. For this activity you will need:
a piece of paper
a pencil, pen, or marker
a mirror
a hard surface to draw on
Before you begin, think about your job as an artist. An artist looks closely at what they are drawing and tries their best to draw what they see. Looking in a mirror can be strange or hard for some people, so do your best to look at yourself as an artist would. Look at the lines and shapes you see in your face and try to copy them as they are. This is your face and your art. Just try your best!
Go slow. Start with the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Look for any wrinkles, freckles, hair, anything that makes your face unique, and add them to your self portrait.
Draw what you see, not what you think you should see. (As an example, if you have curly hair, draw each curl on its own, rather than a bunch of swirly lines on top of your head.)
You can include your neck and the top of your shirt if you like. Take your time and add details.
When you have finished your portrait, share it with someone in your home. You can also share it with your teacher or your classmates in your digital classroom. I would love to see a photo of it too!
Spacing can be tricky too, so here is a picture guide I found on the internet. Feel free to use it if it helps, or just draw your face however you like. If you do draw guidelines on your portrait, be sure to draw them light enough that they can be easily erased later. Try not to push down too hard on your pencil when you draw.
Miss Marks drew her self portrait, and chose to colour the eyes and lips yellow for a pop of colour. You can colour your self portrait however you like.
