Aim: To create an A3 self portrait based on the theme ‘Getting to know me’ through the process of experimentation with drawing, collage and paint.

Artistic process: Developing skills in drawing, colour mixing, composition, observation and discussing artists work.
AEDP: Line, shape, tone, colour, form, texture, proportion and composition
Assessment Style: Formative 

Lesson 1/13 - Project brief

At the end of this lesson learners should be able to…

1. Respond to and discuss the importance of portraiture as a means to express the human condition through historical and contemporary artworks through class and peer discussion.

2. Construct a timeline of the history of portraiture and how it evolved through different artistic styles and approaches.

3. Create a series of blind contour drawings of their faces through the exploration of line and shape to sharpen their observation skills and eye and hand coordination.

4. Demonstrate confidence in their own abilities as creative agents through observation, drawing exercises

5. Make decisions on what materials to use for their artwork

Lesson 6/13 - Experimentation

At the end of the lesson learners should be able to:

• Experiment with line, shape and materials to create a variety of compositions 

• Investigate layering drawings/photos and paper to create a variety of compositions 

• Note keywords relevant to their artwork and the design they want to work on for their finished portrait

• Record a support study artist in their notebook that influences their work.

Review progress: Provide Individual feedback throughout the class.

Lesson 8/13 - Colour theory

At the end of this lesson learners should be able to…

1. Mix a variety of colours using blue, red, yellow and white

2. Identify the meaning of certain colours as chosen by artists in their work 

3. Record colours and notes on how to mix the colours in a notebook

Teacher Demo

Colour mixing - mixing each primary with each other. Primary with a complementary to create grey. Adding white for a tint, adding dark grey for a shade. 

Student task

Each student gets a palette, paint and paintbrushes and palette knife. They must mix a series of colours as shown plus two swatches from a paint sample book. They will mix the colours until they achieve a colour to match the paint sample. Recording notes in the notebook as they go.

Lesson 11/13 - Layer 2 of final portrait

At the end of this lesson learners should be able to…

• Continue to work on their portrait based on their plans

• Discuss the support study artist portrait - Lenny Abrahanson by Donald Teskey

• Be able to work independently to complete stage two of their portrait

Reflection
The class was quite slow to get started, I had put out materials and their folders in order to get to work quicker which did help, but it took ten/fifteen minutes before they were sitting down working. It was good to talk through the remaining classes and what they needed to get done in those classes. 

I didn’t get to introduce Donald Teskey as I felt it would be disrupting their concentration. Instead I focussed on asking each student to take an artist card and take the homework down in their notebook to complete for next week. This way the students were focusing on work they identify with or like themselves.