Lesson #4: Adding the Finishing Touches

Part of the unit: Drawing a Family Portrait |

Goals

Aim: 
How can adding details complete our family portraits?
Students will be able to:
Identify areas in the drawing that need attention
Describe the main composnents of the composition: setting, background, forefround, subjects
Determine the details to be added
Reflect on their completed work
S tudents wil understand that:
A composition is comprised of many parts that work together to create a whole picture.
Details add specificity to the narrative picture.
Reflection is part of the artist's creative process.
Materials
Drawings from previous lesson, oil pastels (boxes of 12 assorted colors)
Resources
Tamalada (Making Tamales) by Carmen Lomas Garza
Motivation: 
Without telling students the title of the Carmen Lomas Garza reproduction, ask:
  • What is this picture about?
  • How do we know?
  • What are some of the details that identify the people in the picture?  Identify the particular place (setting)?
  • What is going on in the background?  Foreground?
 
Demonstration: 
Direct students to the teacher's drawing from the last lesson:
  • What details can I add to the people in my picture?
  • What details can I add that will help you recognize the setting of this activity?
Demonstrate how you can add some of their suggestions to your drawing. 
Direct students to their drawings:
  • What details can you add that will help us recognize the people in your picture? (favorite clothes and colors, hairstyles, glasses, jewelry...)
  • What details can you add that will help us recognize the setting of the activity?  (If indoors -- wall decorations, placement of furniture...  If outdoors -- signs, buildings, foliage...)
Ask for volunteers to  share their work with the class.  Pose these questions:
  • Tell us about your artwork.  What activity are you and your family doing in this picture?
  • Why did you choose this activity?
  • What details did you add today?  Why?
Next time we meet, we will discuss how artist display their artwork and we will prepare our drawings for display.  Think of a title for your picture.