Cubist Quilted Windows Into Your Very Being

Grades: 2 &3 (with help); 4-12

Time Frame: 3 art periods or so

Aims/Goals:

To make a profile or 3/4 self-portrait with secret aspects to them
To learn about the use of patterns in art and create new and exciting patterns of our own
To use symbols and/or words to share feelings, thoughts, likes and dislikes on the inside of parts of our drawings

Standards: 1, 2, 3

Materials & Tools:

white oak tag or bristol board--2 sheets per student
pencils and erasers
sharpie markers
optional: colored markers for the inside

Motivation:

Examples of cubist portraits, crazy quilts and black and white patterns and symbols (for the inside layer)

Vocabulary (Will vary with age taught):

shape, layer, pattern, 3/4 view, profile, background, symbols, Cubism, crazy quilt and any of the facial words above

Rubrics:

You can use whatever rubrics might apply to your situation. For example, a simple 4-rubric chart works for younger grades. It might look like the following:

To get a 1, you must draw a portrait of a friend and have them draw you, add “cubist” areas and make at least two doors that open into your mind.

To get a 2, you must draw a portrait of a friend and have them draw one of you, add “cubist” areas, make at least two doors that open into your mind and create patterns on your face and in the background.

To get a 3, you must draw a portrait of a friend and have them draw one of you, add “cubist” areas, make at least three doors that open into your mind, create patterns on your face and in the background and make interesting symbols, words or pictures inside your doors that tell use about your thoughts, dreams and more.

To get a 4,you must draw a portrait of a friend and have them draw one of you, add “cubist” areas, make at least three doors that open into your mind, create amazing patterns on your face and in the background and make interesting symbols, words or pictures inside your doors that tell us about your thoughts, dreams and more and create a well-crafted, exciting work of art.

Procedure:

Period 1:

Gather students around to show them how to go about drawing a simple profile portrait of a partner. (It is difficult to draw an accurate profile of yourself.) Demonstrate how to depict an eyeball in a profile, as well as how you need to be mindful of the chin, lips, nose, etc. Explain that once they have their faces drawn, they are going to jazz them up and make them cubistic and “quilty-looking”. Have them do the portraits first, however.

Period 2:

At this point, you may want to show them one or two images of Braque portraits and a crazy quilt or two to help them get the idea. This is a very free-form project, so approach it how you wish. You could also use some examples of Op Art, if it suits you.

Next the students will section off their faces and background. Explain that they should make some free-form doors on their profiles, which will become flaps. Make sure they understand how one side of the shape needs to be straight so it opens and closes.

Let them go wild with shapes and patterns, simply using black and white as their color palette. When the portraits are drawn, cut around the appointed shapes to make doors. Use an exacto knife yourself with younger students for a clean edge.
Period 3:

Next they glue another sheet of paper the same size behind the portraits. Be sure to glue only around the edges of the doors and the paper. Elmer’s regular glue (not Elmer’s School Glue or glue sticks) works best. Use a bone folder or the handle of scissors to score the folds of the doors.

At this point, I would suggest having students plan what they want to put inside on practice paper or in their sketchbook/journals. They could write or draw secrets (not too personal, of course), hopes, likes, dislikes, and “what makes them tick.”

Students then should draw their images and words inside the doors in pencil first, using sharpies to trace their lines, when they are sure they have what they want.

Reflection/Display:

As always, you want to share work and display it. This is the part of your lesson that helps children verbalize and analyze.