Reverse Self Portraits in Art Club

The first thing they did was tape a piece of translucent paper over an image of themselves.

They then used a black sharpie to trace themselves, creating simple shapes for their portrait.

Ms. Phalen showed the students a technique in which they could simplify some elements such as their eyes and nose when tracing.

After the students finished tracing their image, they used paint markers to color in their portrait. The final step was to create their background.

Using a white piece of paper and a paint brush, they used a technique in which they dissolved pieces of tissue paper over their portrait, creating colorful and unique designs.

In addition to being the background, the paint also filled in the rest of the painting, creating a striking self-portrait.

Since January when Art Club began, fourth and fifth grade students have had the opportunity to learn all about various artists and techniques. 

Students learned about Contemporary Artist Jen Stark, watching videos about her life and learning how Jen and her team created the sculptures and murals at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago.

Fifth graders spent time learning about furniture design, researching different styles and designing and creating 2D and 3D furniture. 

Fifth graders also created abstract paintings on canvas by exploring various paint pouring methods, using paint scraping tools and pouring acrylic paint on their canvas.