Family Portraits

In first grade we follow up our self portraits with a family portrait. This project gives me a good idea about where everyone is as far as using drawing materials, the understanding of objects being in front or behind something in a picture, and that everything needs to be touching the ground. Seeing floating families at this age is not uncommon. :) This takes us about 2 art classes. One to draw the outline, and the other to color in!

Materials:              12x18 white paper, black permanent marker, crayons.

Procedures:           Discuss the similarities and differences within a family such as eyes, hair, color, skin, shape, clothes, size, etc. Discuss what can be disclosed about personalities, hobbies, social status, life situation, or time in history, etc., in a portrait or family portrait. Students should be encouraged to think before they begin about filling the page, about proportion, and position of the body. They should be encouraged to think about what they want to convey to the observer about their personality, their hobbies, the clothes they wear, and what they look like. Demonstrate drawing a family portrait using a black permanent marker. Students should draw an outline of themselves first, then the outline of the members of their family around them. Students should draw a line representing the ground making sure it touches everyone’s feet. In the background students may add details such as their home, trees, and the sky.

Once the outline is finished, demonstrate how to color the family portrait. Each section should be colored in entirely.

-Miss Scannura