1. Facial Proportion and the Self-Portrait
First Portion of Presentation Adapted From Presentations Created by Rock Ledge Elementary Fine Art Program, Seymour, WI
Original Source:

2. The Self-Portrait:
Here’s a drawing Leonardo da Vinci drew of himself as an old man.
A picture that an artist makes of him/herself is called a self-portrait.
Ask students to share with a partner why they think artists make self-portraits.
Use class cards to call on students to share out.
What decisions go into planning a self-portrait?

3. T-P-S: Do you notice anything in these portraits that might give insight into who the artist is?

4. What is Proportion? Simply… More Specifically…
Proportion means that you make the parts fit well with each other.
More Specifically…
Proportion in art is the relationship between two or more elements.
When we talk about proportion in art we are comparing the size of one object in the artwork to the size of another related object in the artwork.
Proportion is usually not even noticed until something is out of proportion. For example, if a person has a head larger than his entire body, then we would say that he is out of proportion.
Good Proportion
Out of Proportion

5. Other works with excellent Proportion:

6. Face Mapping
Tell students that this is what they will be doing to compose their self-portraits.
Face Mapping is a technique used to set up the proportion of the features on a face.

7. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Draw an oval in the center of your paper
Now using a ruler we’re going to draw some guidelines to help us map out our facial features.

8. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Line of Symmetry
Your face is symmetrical.
This means if you think of an invisible line drawn down the middle of your face the features on the right side are the same as on the left side.
Have students try this by tracing a finger down the center of their faces.
Remember to draw lightly.

9. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eye Line
Contrary to popular believe your eyes are not on the top portion of your face.
Your eyes are located half way up or in the middle of your face .
Have students place one finger at their eye line and then measure the space above and below the eye line to confirm this.

10. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eye Line
Let’s see what this guy would look like if his eyes were located on the top portion of his face…

11. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eye Line
Yikes!!!

12. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eye Line
Using your ruler draw your eye line half way up or in the middle of your face.
Remember to draw lightly.

13. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
The Camera
The Human Eye
Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
What shape are eyes?
Quickly share with a partner about the shapes of their eyes.

14. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
Using the eye line as a guide draw the outside shape of your eye.

15. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
Now carefully erase your eye line.

16. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eyes
Get help from a friend!
Draw your iris, pupil, eyelid, and any other lines or qualities that make your eye unique.
Iris
Colored Part
Circle
Usually hidden on the top or bottom by the eyelid
Pupil
Black
Center of Iris

17. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Eye Brows
What is unique about your eyebrows?
Explain that students will be outlining their features, so they do not need to sketch them in at this point – just outline with a sketch.

18. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Nose
A Couple of Nose No-No’s
This nose is for pumpkins only!!!

19. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Nose
A Couple of Nose No-No’s
This type of nose is reserved for pigs!!!

20. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Nose
A couple of Nose No-No’s
When drawing your nose from a front view do not draw your nose in profile or from the side.

21. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                        
Nose and Proportion
The edges of your nose fall under the inside corners of your eyes.
Direct students to feel with their finger where their nose starts by feeling at the corner of their eyes.

22. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Parts of your Nose
How are the parts of your nose shaped?
What makes your nose unique?

23. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                      
The Bridge of your Nose
Some artists choose not to draw lines for the bridge.
Some draw implied lines for the bridge.

24. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Nose
Remember make your nostrils oval or elliptical shape. NO PIG NOSTRILS!
If you would like to draw the bridge go ahead.
The Bridge of your Nose

25. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Mouth
Mouth No-No’s

26. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Mouth
Mouth No-No’s
Too Simple!!!

27. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                        
Mouth and Proportion
The corners of your lips fall under the pupils of your eye.

28. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
                                                                      
Mouth
Draw your top and bottom lips to create your mouth.
Draw what you see in the mirror.

29. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Line of Symmetry
Now very carefully erase your line of symmetry

30. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Neck and Shoulders
Look at your neck, shoulders, and clothing.
Draw what you see.

31. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Ears and Proportion
The tops of your ears are at the same height as the corner of your eye.
The bottoms of your ear are at the same height as the bottom of your nose.
Have students identify this with their hands.

32. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Ears
Get help from a friend…
If your hair is covering your ears and you can’t see them don’t draw them.

33. Drawing your Self-Portrait:
Hair
Is your hair short or long?
Straight or Curly?
Does it cover your ears?
Does it touch the top of your ears?
Does it peek out underneath your ears?
What direction is the hair growing?
Do you have bangs?
Do your bangs touch your eyebrows?