Historical Self-Portrait
Project Overview
In this assignment, students will create a self-portrait inspired by a historical artist. Students will select a portrait from a renowned artist—such as Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh, or Vermeer—study the composition, pose, and style, and then recreate the portrait using themselves as the subject. Students should try to emulate the clothing, pose, and painting techniques characteristic of the chosen artist.
This project emphasizes observational skills, understanding of historical painting styles, and technical painting techniques while encouraging creativity and personal interpretation.
Objectives
Students will:
* Research a historical portrait and analyze the artist’s style, technique, and use of color and light.
* Recreate the chosen pose and clothing with themselves as the subject.
* Apply the artist’s stylistic techniques to their own painting.
* Develop technical skill in acrylic or oil paint (teacher-specified).
* Demonstrate understanding of composition, proportion, and facial expression.
Materials
* Canvas or heavyweight painting paper
* Acrylic paints (or oils, if preferred)
* Brushes (various sizes)
* Palette and water (or medium for oils)
* Reference image of chosen historical portrait
* Sketchbook for planning and thumbnails
* Optional props or fabric for costume/pose
Process
1. Research & Selection: Choose a historical portrait and study the artist’s style, brushwork, lighting, and color palette.
2. Planning: Plan how you will recreate the pose, clothing, and background. Sketch thumbnails and make notes on colors and technique.
3. Setup: Pose for reference, using a mirror or photography to capture your likeness. Arrange props or clothing to match the historical portrait.
4. Sketch & Transfer: Lightly sketch your composition on your canvas.
5. Painting: Apply color and brushwork in the style of the chosen artist. Focus on light, shadow, texture, and overall mood.
6. Refinement: Adjust details, highlights, and contrast to achieve a finished, stylistically consistent portrait.
Assessment Criteria
* Accuracy of pose, proportion, and likeness
* Successful emulation of chosen artist’s style and technique
* Skillful application of color, light, and brushwork
* Thoughtful planning and attention to detail
* Overall creativity and presentation
Creative Challenge
Consider how you can make the portrait your own while staying true to the historical style. Could you modernize subtle details, play with color, or add a personal twist while honoring the original artist’s technique?
Learning Objectives / Student Targets
By the end of this project, students will be able to:
1. Observation & Representation
* Accurately observe and document real objects through drawing.
* Demonstrate proportional relationships and spatial awareness in a still life composition.
2. Material & Technical Skill
* Apply value and shading with graphite to create depth and form.
* Use ink to reinforce contour, emphasize contrast, and define edges.
* Incorporate oil pastel to build bold color, expressive texture, and layered richness.
* Use colored pencil to refine details, enhance form, and smooth transitions in color and tone.
3. Integration of Media
* Thoughtfully combine pencil, ink, oil pastel, and colored pencil into a unified visual whole.
* Make intentional decisions about where each medium contributes best to overall structure, mood, and emphasis.
4. Composition & Design
* Organize visual elements to demonstrate balance, proportion, and dynamic rhythm.
* Guide the viewer’s eye through strategic use of contrast, mark-making, and color placement.
5. Creative & Critical Thinking
* Experiment with media behaviors and problem-solve accordingly.
* Communicate personal artistic decisions through expressive mark-making and color choices.
6. Reflection & Artistic Growth
* Articulate strengths, challenges, and artistic intent in reflection or critique.
* Demonstrate increased confidence and competence with multi‑media processes.
Ohio Fine Arts Standards (Visual Arts)
Creating (CR)
Develop a practice of engaging with sources for idea generation.
Students use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors (observational drawing, thumbnail sketches, exploratory studies).
Select appropriate creative processes for solutions to artistic problems.
Students organize and develop artistic ideas using intentional planning and problem-solving strategies.
Performing (PE)
Refine artisanship while modeling persistence.
Students demonstrate quality craftsmanship through careful selection, handling, and care of art materials and tools.
Apply and defend the selection of materials and techniques.
Students individually or collaboratively apply tools, media, and techniques with precision to enhance artistic intent.
Organize elements of art and principles of design to intentionally construct works.
Students intentionally use value, texture, color layering, and compositional strategies to strengthen design quality.
Responding (RE)
Expand relevant vocabulary to analyze and interpret works of art.
Students use art vocabulary to express preferences with evidence and supporting reasons.
Develop art criticism methods when responding to artworks.
Students analyze how artistic methods (value, texture, color layering, etc.) convey mood or tone and interpret contextual meaning.
Apply self-assessment and goal-setting practices to revise artworks and document growth.
Students evaluate and refine works of art through persistence, practice, reflection, and established criteria.
Explain the relationship between cultures, communities, and artists.
Students hypothesize how art reflects observation, investigation, or cultural meaning.
Connecting (CO)
Connect universal themes in visual arts to personal life experiences.
Students create works reflecting personal connections to experiences, knowledge, or observation.
Investigate emotional experiences through personal and collaborative artmaking.
Students relate artistic ideas across disciplines (e.g., understanding how material behavior influences compositional decisions).
Grading Rubric
Rubrics have become popular with teachers as a means of communicating expectations for an assignment, providing focused feedback on works in progress, and grading final products. A rubric is a document that articulates the expectations for an assignment by listing the criteria, or what counts, and describing levels of quality from excellent to poor.
Student Reflection
A student reflection is a brief, thoughtful explanation of how and why a student created their artwork, including the choices they made, challenges they faced, and what they learned during the process. In art, reflection is important because it helps students develop critical thinking, recognize growth, strengthen their creative decision-making, and take ownership of their artistic development.
Element of Art & Principle of Design
Self-Portrait Artists
Art Movements
Realism – Highly detailed and lifelike representation (e.g., Chuck Close).
Impressionism – Loose brushstrokes capturing light and atmosphere (e.g., Mary Cassatt).
Post-Impressionism – Bold color and expressive form (e.g., Vincent van Gogh).
Expressionism – Emotional distortion and intense color (e.g., Edvard Munch).
Cubism – Geometric shapes and multiple viewpoints (e.g., Pablo Picasso).
Surrealism – Dreamlike, symbolic imagery (e.g., Frida Kahlo).
Baroque – Dramatic lighting and rich detail (e.g., Caravaggio).
Renaissance – Balanced composition and idealized realism (e.g., Leonardo da Vinci).
Abstract – Focus on color, shape, and emotion over likeness (e.g., Wassily Kandinsky-inspired portraits).
Fauvism – Bold, unnatural colors and strong outlines (e.g., Henri Matisse).
Pop Art – Bright colors, graphic style, pop culture influence (e.g., Andy Warhol).
Photorealism – Extremely detailed, photograph-like painting (e.g., Audrey Flack).
Project Demonstration
Examples
“Creativity takes courage.”
Cloverleaf High School
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