taking form

10/26/2011

Whether it is paint, oil pastel, crayon, or anything else you could think of (yarn, paper, sequins...), 8th grade students are showing what they know about value through the process of making portraits.

This project always makes me nervous. Time and again, as we work I look at the beginning moments and think to myself - "How is this going to turn out?!?"

Without a doubt, each time students tackle this challenge, they always surprise me with their inventiveness of ideas and choice of materials. From the pose, to the editing, to the positioning on the page, to the material to finish it, students have had the lead on what and how they wanted to compose this portrait.

The results, as you can see, are taking form as being very interesting and expressive portraits using all kinds of materials.

23 Comments

Virginia

10/30/2012 10:15:05 am

Do you happen to have the full lesson plan for this?? I'd love to do this with my 8th graders as well while we study Chuck Close :)

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:41:08 pm

The lesson for this project starts with this Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/ and at the end of it you can see the steps to get the transfer complete. I ask students to select their media and encourage them to do something outside of the box. My favorite was the one with yarn. Then we upload them to Artsonia and use our learning targets and art to explain what was learned.

Hannah Salia

11/7/2012 10:33:42 am

I'm doing lots of this with my 7th grade students, but I'd love a break-down of how you're approaching it with 8th graders. Looks awesome! We're looking at Chuck Close too in 7th grade, but my 4th grade students do a big value collage with newspaper and an integrated unit on Explorers - glad to share as well.

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:42:13 pm

Thanks for the positive feedback. If you look at the Prezi, you will get a good idea of what I do to introduce the project: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/

Esmeralda

3/19/2013 11:26:28 am

Did you just let them choose a certain number of values? Did you use the grid method when they enlarged their photograph?

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:43:07 pm

When we edit in Photoshop, they pick 5-6 levels for their Posterizing effect. We enlarge through the use of transparencies and overheads.

Mary Fran

9/5/2013 02:02:52 am

Love this project. Can you send me your lesson. I need help with explaining value study on faces. Thanks much. May include Chuck close too.

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:43:49 pm

The best way to describe the process it to watch the last video of my Prezi where I demo it: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/

Ashley G

10/1/2013 12:59:08 am

could you send me the lesson plan! its awesome!

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:44:32 pm

You can see the process in the Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/ Thanks for the positive feedback!

venise

10/6/2013 12:27:00 pm

I have wanted to teach this project for years. Can you send me your lesson plans for the self portrait?

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:45:07 pm

You can see the process in the Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/ I hope it helps you get started!

Jessica

10/10/2013 01:32:15 am

I love this! can you send me the lesson?

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:45:50 pm

Thank you for the feedback! The kids love it, too! You can see the process in the Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/

Marie

10/13/2013 02:51:08 pm

Can you please send me your lesson plan for this project? Thanks!

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:48:13 pm

You can see the process at the end of the Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/

Debbie

10/27/2013 01:03:32 pm

This is a great lesson plan...please share!

Mrs. C

10/27/2013 11:49:02 pm

Thanks! You can see the process at the end of the Prezi: http://prezi.com/g2vb_1xwfxjk/8th-grade-portrait-project/

Ana link

4/22/2014 11:30:35 am

Me encantó este trabajo, me disparó muchas idéas, felicitaciones! Ana

Malynda

8/14/2015 06:43:51 am

This is great! For us non-techies, what program did you use to get the posterizing effect? Is there a free version that students could download

Thanks!

Mrs. C

6/4/2017 05:31:33 pm

Thank you! You could use Pixlr or Sumopaint. Both have posterizing effects and are FREE!

Gina Bruce

2/25/2017 08:37:57 pm

How could I adapt this to a Highschool project? Any ideas?

Mrs. C

6/4/2017 05:33:02 pm

You could easily adapt this to high school. I think offering choices of how they pose and what materials they use is key. I also think size can up the challenge for older kids. If you wanted, you could even have them crop the image to make it more extreme of a close up and abstract. There are a lot of possible ways to adapt this assignment!

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