Portrait and Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait , 2010, by Elisabeth B. (Age 8) Okay, I have to make a confession: Artist's self-portraits have always fascinated me, and are by far one of my favorite subjects! Needless to say, this week's Explorations in Art lesson on portraits and self-portraits is also my favorite discussion (and project!) so far this semester. Students got an opportunity to see a variety of artist's self-portraits, as well as a few very famous portrait paintings. After our tour of the gallery, students spent the remainder of the class period either capturing the likeness of one of their classmates, or doing a self-portrait! Self-Portrait , 1997, by Chuck Close. Oil on canvas. Portraits and self-portraits can be created in a number of ways, and also in a variety of styles. For instance, Chuck Close's self-portrait (above) is a pseudo mosaic of painted squares which, when viewed close up, appears very abstract. Viewed from a distance, though, it takes on a photorealistic effect--almost...