Faces tell feelings - Part 3 - Drawing facial expressions
Students will learn how to draw facial expressions and paint a portrait which portrays a particular expression or emotion.
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 Visual Arts Education
Learning outcomes
Students will:
- learn to draw simple facial expressions.
- apply their learning by finishing a portrait conveying an emotion of their choice.
Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
3 Days
Materials/resources
- Handout on drawing expressions (see attachment)
- Tempra paints
- Brushes
- Paper (12×18) or (18×24)
- Water source
- Paper towels
- Paint smocks
- Drying racks
- For teacher: cover tables with newspaper
- Optional: posters of artwork or photos of people wearing different facial expressions put up around room.
Technology resources
None
Pre-activities
Completion of “Faces Tell Feelings” Unit:
Part 2 - View Powerpoint Presentation
Activities
Day One:
- Distribute handout (see attachment) and pencils.
- Lead discussion about how features (eyes, eyebrows, eyelids, and cheek/mouth area) change as expression changes.
- Have students trace over lines of faces on handout for practice. They may keep these sheets for reference.
- Recall and review images from Powerpoint Presentation (Faces and Feelings - Part 2) as well as observing any other examples such as posters in room. Have students choose the emotion they wish to portray.
- Students use pencil to lightly sketch a face with the chosen expression on their papers. Encourage large drawings which will fill the page to exaggerate the emotion chosen.
- Students will print their first and last name, teacher’s name, and grade level on back of paper and turn in.
Day Two:
- Distribute papers from last week.
- Review proper procedure for handling paint, brushes, and cleanup, and putting paint smocks on.
- Students choose facial color and paint.
- Students continue choosing colors and painting features and background. Encourage neatness, blending of colors in face, and using a contrasting or complementary color for the background. Students should paint to the edges of their paper, covering all white spaces.
- Proper cleanup and storing of paints, brushes, and paintings.
Day Three:
- Provide the needed time for painting.
- Use smaller brushes to add accents and details.
- Proper cleanup and storing of paints, brushes, and paintings.
- Distribute Rubric for assessment when student is finished and have them complete it.
Assessment
See attached rubric
Supplemental information
None
Related websites
N/A
Comments
This lesson in the second in a series of six lessons created by the computer teacher, Susan W. Getter and elementary art teacher, Jan Kimosh at Our Lady of Lourdes School during a summer LEARN NC/NCSSM/Ackland Art Museum workshop. Look for lessons 1, 4 and 5 in the Computer Technology Skills section of the lesson plans.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Visual Arts Education (2001)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
- Objective 2.03: Demonstrate increased fine motor skills.
- Objective 2.04: Develop familiarity with specific media and processes.
- Objective 2.06: Create portraits, still lifes and landscapes from real life observation or memory.
- Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
- Objective 3.07: Recognize composition is using the elements of art to create an artwork.
Grade 4
- Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
- Objective 1.02: Create work which approaches a higher level of realism.
- Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
- Objective 2.03: Increase skills with familiar materials.
- Objective 2.04: Demonstrate one's own thought and feelings visually, using sequential, visual narrative.
Grade 5
- Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
- Objective 2.01: Use additional art media, techniques and processes, which may include:
- Drawing - charcoal
- Printmaking - easy cut, mixed media, collographs
- 3-D - wire
- Photography - pin-hole cameras
- Objective 2.01: Use additional art media, techniques and processes, which may include:
- Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
- Objective 3.02: Recognize and apply the design principles used in composition.
- Objective 3.04: Use variations to create interest in a composition.
- Objective 3.06: Recognize the validity of one's feelings and impressions when solving visual problems.



