Back-To-School Self Portraits

I like art projects that combine drawing and writing. This is a chance for students to write about their summer, and draw themselves for their first art class.1. I made cardboard body templates so the students wouldn't spend too much time drawing a body. On 11" x 17" paper, they should trace the template lightly with a pencil. They need to save room at the bottom for their name.2. Next, they add clothes and details to the body to reflect how they look either on that day, or the first day to school. When the drawings are done, they trace all the lines and their name with a black Sharpie marker.3. Give each student a ballpoint pen and ask them to write in the background a description of what they did that summer. This is to be done quickly, and if they make a mistake, they should just cross it out and keep going. The goal is to not worry about making things perfect.4. Lastly, pass out liquid watercolors and have the kids paint all of their picture. Once again, if colors happen to run into each other, just let them go. I advise that they don't mix or layer colors as things get gray and brown REAL fast with watercolor, but accidents can look pretty cool sometimes.