Artists Workshop: Portraits
Artists' workshop Series
What’s inside...
Books in this series provide a vivid introduction to art, combining lively information about artists and their techniques with unusual projects. Portraits by a variety of artists are used to explore techniques like mosaic and sculpture. Presents six portraits to be used as starting points for exploring various artistic techniques, with instructions and examples for creating one's own work.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-10
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What emotions do you see in the different portraits?
If you could create a portrait of anyone, who would it be and why?
How do the colors and shapes used by the artists make you feel?
Which portrait tells the most interesting story, in your opinion?
If you were an artist, how would you like to show your unique style in a portrait?
Tip: Role play these questions
While discussing the book, encourage your child to describe each portrait in their own words to foster creativity and language skills.
Show genuine interest in your child’s responses to build their confidence in expressing their thoughts and opinions.
Relate the themes of the book to your child’s experiences by asking them to think of times they've noticed similar emotions or colors in their daily life.
Offer to create art together after discussing the book to apply the concepts they've learned and reinforce their understanding through practice.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Appreciation of diversity through art
Explanation: Clare Roundhill's book showcases a variety of portrait styles from different cultures and eras, teaching children to appreciate the diversity of art and its reflections on various societies.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to recognize and respect different cultural expressions and historical perspectives, enhancing their social understanding and empathy.
Example Lesson: Understanding emotions through facial expressions
Explanation: The book explores how artists capture emotions in portraits, which can help children understand the significance of observing and interpreting facial expressions.
Real-World Application: This understanding aids children in better interpreting people's feelings in real life, improving their emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships.
Example Lesson: Importance of self-expression
Explanation: Through various artistic techniques and styles demonstrated in the book, children learn that art is a form of self-expression and that there is no single 'right' way to depict something.
Real-World Application: This lesson encourages children to express themselves creatively and confidently in their own unique ways, whether in art or other aspects of life.
Example Lesson: Creativity and imagination
Explanation: The book encourages children to think creatively as they see how different artists imagine and portray the same subject in different ways.
Real-World Application: By fostering creativity and imagination, children can apply these skills in problem-solving and innovative thinking across different scenarios in their everyday lives.