Materials
Art books or posters with portraits, including Picasso's self-portraits
White art paper
Pencils
Crayons
Tempera paints and a brush for each color. In addition to the basic colors, skin tones are
needed"beige, brown, tan, and black
One large mirror or several small mirrors
Instructions
1. Explain to the children that before cameras were invented, people had to have their portraits
painted if they wanted to have a picture of themselves. Show them pictures from art books. Tell
them that many artists paint self-portraits by looking in mirrors at themselves.
2. Have the children pair up with partners. Hand out art paper and pencils, and invite the children
to draw a portrait of their partner. When the first child is finished, the other child gets a turn.
3. Remind the children that a portrait is a picture of the head and shoulders of someone.
Emphasis should be made on facial features: color of eyes, color of hair and skin, ears, nose, and
mouths.
4. When the partners are finished, invite the children to look in mirrors at themselves and make
self-portraits.
5. Mount the partner-portraits and the self-portraits next to each other on a bulletin board and
compare how they are alike and different.
More to do
More art: Use rulers to make "frames" around the edge of the portrait papers. Decorate the frames
in a pattern or a pleasing design.
