I've found that drawing a portrait of another person from a photo can sometimes help students see more details than usual.1. Find closeup photos of different faces, male and female, preferably with strong features. Make sure the photos are all closely cropped, especially into the top forehead.2. Give the students paper that is in the same proportion as their photo. With a pencil, follow the steps shown in the diagram to the right. Starting with a large "U" shape can be easier than an oval for some students. Remind them that our eyes are located in the middle of our heads, but because of this cropping, they will be near the top of the paper. The bottom of the nose is halfway between the eyes and the chin, and the mouth is halfway between the bottom nose and the chin.
3. After the facial features and shoulders are added, have the students trace their lines with a black marker and color everything in with construction paper crayons. Encourage the addition of shadows, such as on the neck chin, etc.
CA Visual Art Standard: Grade Four
2.5 Use accurate proportions to create an expressive portrait or a figure drawing or painting.
