Expressive Color Blind Contour Portraits
M.S. 255 Salk School of Science
Medium: Alcohol-based markers on bristol paper
Age: 6th grade
Students will be able to:
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Use markers to draw a continuous contour line
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Closely observe a subject to notice and draw details
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Use the marker's chisel tip to color large areas and pointed tip for details
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Layer markers to blend colors
Students will understand that:
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Sustained observation allows the artist to closely understand the structure and details of their subject
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Artists use expressive color to convey the mood or emotion they associate with their subject
In this two-day project, students built off the skills developed in previous observational drawing exercises to create blind contour self-portraits. Students drew multiple blind contour self-portraits in their sketchbooks to closely observe their faces before beginning the final drawing. Students viewed figurative works of art that used expressive color, discussing how the color choices impacted the way they felt about the subject. After sharing the associations they have with different colors, students chose a color palette they felt represented their personality, using alcohol-based markers to complete their drawing.
