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#12 Alternative Self Portraits: Not Just Another Pretty Face!

Your final assignment for SA 111 will turn the lens onto you!
1. There are two major parts to this assignment
2. Each one should be fully developed to the best of the student's ability 
3. Your drawings should illustrate advancement in your skill throughout the semester
4. Your drawings should also illustrate: 
  • creative activity
  • full engagement
  • excellent time management
  • concentration on the range of materials and applications you have discovered in the course
  • the evolution of the assignment fully displayed in your sketchbook
Part ONE
In your Sketchbooks
Graphite on paper compose your eye, nose, mouth
- Capture the values of the surrounding area
- Use a full value range
- Make use of your pencil marks to follow a planar analysis of each of your features
- Remember each feature is surrounded by an area of your face that is structural and does not remain flat!
- Your drawings should be larger than life-size



Part TWO
Graphite
Watercolor Paper*
A patterned piece of paper (origami/wrapping paper) or fabric 

- Make use of a handheld mirror as your viewfinder
- Compose a number of your facial features - first in your sketchbook (completed in Part One)
- Experiment with the scale of your facial features and mirror's contour edge 
- Look intensely at each feature 
- Strive to develop a full value range
- Compose your patterned piece in your sketchbook, develop its general drawing, play with atmospheric perspective, scale shifts, etc. Test your watercolor palette on it

 The DRAWING
- Experiment with the scale of your facial features and mirror's contour edge 

- Look intensely at each feature 
- Strive to develop a full value range
- Strive to develop believable proportions and volumetric forms
- In the negative space draw the pattern you have brought in.  Make sure you arrange in such a way to develop an interesting play on its scale too
- Using watercolors/stains and full opacity of color paint the local color of this patterned area in the drawing
- Allow for it to shift via value, through atmospheric perspective and scale of pattern

Student Work Samples
PART 2










Part THREE > The FINAL
Strathmore #140 paper
Reaves BFK paper
Arches #140 paper
Watercolor paper
Paper size smallest edge 18"
Papers are sold separately in the Bookstore in the black flat files in the back of the shop
> Strathmore, Rieves BFK, #140 Watercolor paper, others

Alternative Self Portraits
What do creative self-portraits express about the artist?
- Self-portraits allow the artist to practice both their drawing and compositional skills
- Self-portraits can express different expressions and moods reflective of the artist
- Self-portraits can preserve a memory
- Self-portraiture requires self-exploration in order for the artist to make the best decisions to how they wish to represent themselves

Expression, gesture, clothing, spatial conditions, texture, media, color, mark making, the expressionistic style will collectively reveal what you wish to convey to your audience, emotion, gesture, etc. 

The question thus becomes, what do you want to say about yourself?

Media on rag paper:
Make use of the media we have used in class including graphite, charcoal, Conte crayon, pastel, collage, watercolor, ink  -- it is your choice and may be a combination of these media

TIP: Make a Mind Map of what makes you You in your sketchbook
A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, concepts, images, tasks, etc. that link and spread radially around a centralized theme. Mind maps are used to generate ideas and visualizations, structure and to ultimately clarify and classify ideas. 

Ours will be I D E N T I T Y
Think about your values, your inspirations, your traditions, customs, ethnicity, friends/family, your interests, your appearance, how you like to spend your free time, etc. 

1. Create a preliminary mind map of your goals, influences, aspirations, interests, personality, etc. in your sketchbook to plan your ideas for Part ONE of your final project

FOR INSPIRATION:
The contemporary works of Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Nigerian American (b.1983)






YOUR drawing...
Develop an alternative self-portrait that exemplifies you and the many things that create your unique personality

** Your drawings should illustrate the following: 
- A full value range
- Developed volumes and masses through full value range (no contour edges here folks!)
- The direction of light falling onto objects
- Local color as well as optical color
- 3/4 of your face needs to be included (minimum) to your shoulders
- Media we have used in class

The scale of the paper's smallest edge = 18"
PART 3 Student Samples:





















Reference images


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