Acrobats!

Self-Portrait before being attached to trapeze...

First grade students began their year by studying self-portraits.  After looking at the work of Frieda Khalo, they set out to create their own.  students were given a precut shape of a person that included everything but the head.  Each student drew in their own head, trying to represent themselves in their drawing.  once the drawing was complete we returned to the smart board where we studied a very different portrait by Picasso titled The Acrobat.  We learned how Picasso was very inspired by the circus and painted many pictures of harlequins.  After looking at Picassos work we also viewed work by other artists of circus performers and acrobats.  students then returned to their portraits adding patterns of lines or shapes in order to create a costume like a harlequin or circus performer.  students colored their work with colored pencils.  lastly, students watched videos of real circus performers on the trapeze to give them ideas of how they might want to attach their own self portraits to their trapeze