Title: Frida Kahlo Digital Self Portrait
Lesson by Alicia St.Germain
Age/grade level: 5th-12th
Big idea (conceptual focus):
Students will create a digital self-portrait using
Photoshop using the likeness and techniques that famous portrait artist Frida
Kahlo would use to incorporate into her paintings.
Rationale:
Students will learn about art history and the process of
self-portrait making. Students will also become familiar with Photoshop
software and its many applications to create artwork. Still will also explore
how imagery adds personal narrative and reflection to a piece of artwork.
Discipline connections (art, social studies,
literature, etc):
¥ Art
History
¥ Multiculturalism
¥ Digital
Media
Key concepts:
¥ Frida
Kahlo: Background: Frida Kahlo (FREE dah CAW lo) was a famous Mexican painter.
She loved Mexico and its folk art. Frida often used ideas from Mexican folk art
traditions in her own artwork. When Frida was 18, she was hurt in a bus
accident. Her spine, pelvis, and foot were broken. After the accident, Frida
was in constant pain. She found the courage to live by painting. She painted
the things that were important to her - special days, dreams, and the world of
her imagination. Frida painted with the same bold courage that helped her to survive.
¥ Self
Portrait: Painting a Self-Portrait: A self-portrait is a painting by an artist
of him or her self. The painting tells us something about which the artist is.
It gives us clues about what is important to the artist. We can guess what the
artist loves by what is in the painting.
¥ Imagery:
A set of mental pictures or images. The use of vivid or figurative language to
represent objects, actions, or ideas. The use of expressive or evocative images
in art, literature, or music. A group or body of related images, as in a
painting or poem. Representative images, particularly statues or icons. The art
of making such images.
¥ Photoshop:
The professional standard in desktop digital imaging
Activities (studio work):
Day
one:
Introduce
the artist Frida Kahlo through digital images of her work explain how she would
make self portraits of her self surrounded by imagery of her life in Mexico.
Explain to students the importance imagery places in self-portraits to express
ideas and beliefs about the person in the portrait.
Introduce
project to students by showing teacher and student examples. Next have students
pose for their own digital image to be used in the next class. Ask students to
think about 3 different images to use for imagery in their self-portrait that
would explain something about themselves.
Day Two
Prep: Have students photos either emailed to their accounts/ provide a disk/ or
on network. (Create image account, goggle Image is an excellent source for
images but may not be child friendly edited)
Day
two: Introduce students to Photoshop software, show students how they can cut
and paste images they find online (goggle images, or procreated image source)
Show students how they can enhance their backgrounds with paint, image adjustments,
etc. Encourage students to explore the many functions that Photoshop provides
for photo editing.
Allow
additional days for student to finish their self-portraits as needed.
Students will be able to?
Use
Photoshop to manipulate a digital image. Create a useful self-portrait that
conveys a message about the artist identity through imagery.
Rubrics:
Use of
three Images.
1, 2,
3, 4, 5
Proof
of exploration and manipulation of images in final project.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5