Exploring Identity Through Self Portraits

In art 6th grade students are currently exploring the theme of identity. They began the unit by looking at the photographs of artist Bayeté Ross Smith. Smith's photographs explore how external appearances can impact one’s opinion on the identity and personality of individuals. Students will be creating a series of three miniature self-portraits that explore various external appearances and identities they could take on.

For this first self-portrait students used mirrors to draw themselves from observation. Students have learned how they can use facial proportions to guide them in drawing their own self-portrait. They then used oil pastels and learned how to add value to enhance their skin tones and make their self-portraits appear more 3-dimensional. Students also used texture to show differences between the different surfaces such as their skin and hair.