This lesson was inspired by the rich, vibrant, quilted portraits of contemporary artist Bisa Butler and features a unique art technique with stunning results. Rather than sewing, students will create... Learn More
This quick portrait lesson uses only simple supplies like paper, oil pastel and cake tempera paint and focuses on line, shape and space. Inspired by the energetic art of William... Learn More
This lesson explores the work of artist Romare Bearden while emphasizing mixed-media collage, cutting, arranging, gluing, texture, and space. Students complete this multi-step project while coming to an understanding that a... Learn More
My goal with this lesson was to teach my fifth graders about Horace Pippin, a relatively unknown American painter and how every artist’s journey is different. The book A Splash of... Learn More
In this lesson, children create a portrait of surrealist painter, Salvador Dalí. Using only white paper, black oil pastel and black chalk, this striking portrait can be as simple or... Learn More
In this lesson, children draw a generic portrait of a man in a bowler hat and then use simple mixed-medium techniques to paint and add contrast. Covering the face with... Learn More
This is a colorful opportunity for children to research and draw traditional Indian dress. Inspired by the colorful illustrations in Indian Tales from Barefoot Book, children follow a drawing sequence... Learn More
Hop on Pop is my personal favorite of all Dr. Seuss’ books. I read this to my children over and over again. It doesn’t take long to read and it... Learn More
Part directed-drawing, part free-expression, this lesson offers an easy American history art activity to celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday, Independence Day or President’s Day that covers the concepts of form, promotion and... Learn More
The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by two farmers digging for a well. An underground tomb was discovered that contained over 8000 soldiers, chariots, horses, and other non-military figures.The... Learn More
To adapt the Pop Art portrait for younger children, simplify the number of steps and offer quick solutions like templates to help children get started. This lesson can be adapted... Learn More
This type of project is great for the end of the school year. Because it uses mostly paper scraps, you can utilize your paper scrap boxes, finally use up the... Learn More
This lesson is part portrait making, part writing exercise and all fun! Kids will LOVE creating their own Ben-Day dots to use in their Lichtenstein Pop Art Portrait. Use the... Learn More
A browse through the children’s non-fiction aisle of your school or public library often leads to great art lesson prompts. When I found the book, The Sad Night, The Story of... Learn More
One of the easiest ways to teach small children portrait making is to eliminate difficult steps. By using a head & shoulders template, children can trace or cut a generous... Learn More
I used a few of my favorite techniques to help my kinders create these adorable (and quite impressive) self-portraits. We used a template to trace the face and used a... Learn More
Using a template or a starter when teaching little kids about the process of making portraits helps the child considerably. Don’t worry that you are stifling creativity. As long as... Learn More
This is a lesson that not only teaches portrait techniques but also engages the imagination. A perfect combination. Photocopy the “Imagination Portrait” handout and give one to each child. Discuss... Learn More