by our exhibitions and the collection.
Portraits
Pupils look at how artists past and present have made portraits particularly considering how they communicate ideas about identity.
Aims:
- To challenge preconceived ideas about what a portrait is, to recognise how artists use a range of visual elements in to convey meaning, particularly through the use of objects, and also colour, style, dress and posture.
- To interpret what these visual clues might mean about the character and identity of the person and the time that they are living in.
- To make drawings/notes in the gallery using the ideas found in the artworks; focusing on the use of objects to represent ideas about the children’s own identities.
- To make portraits in our studios based on ideas collected in the galleries, using real everyday objects and a mixed media technique, to expand vocabulary, understanding and confidence through experiencing the artworks.
What happens in a session:
The session begins with a tour using artworks from the gallery to inspire discussion, drawing and writing. The artworks range from the 18th Century to the current day with the children considering what these portraits tell us about each person by responding to a variety of clues in the artworks, focusing on the meanings of objects.
Through these clues we will also discuss some wider ideas about society at the time. We visit the Interactive Gallery to try a ‘scrap collage’ portrait challenge using objects to make a portrait. This idea is extended into a group activity using photocopies of objects to make an individual collage and charcoal portrait.
Preparation:
Before the visit discuss the value of experiencing real art through a gallery visit rather than reproductions. Collect images of different portraits – reproductions, images from magazines or newspapers, or photos. Discuss different portraits that the children may have seen at home, school or in galleries before, or portraits they may have made. Consider differences in style, shape and scale, and perhaps facial expression.
Arranging the class into four equal groups for small group team work in the studio would be useful.
For more information including booking, parking, facilities and a downloadable risk assessment, please go to plan your visit.
NC related themes
Art and Design
The session fulfils a range of objectives for Art and Design. The gallery tour allows the children to engage with and understand the roles and purpose of art, craft and design in a variety of genres, styles and traditions. They will develop an understanding of a range of devices that artists employ to communicate ideas, feelings and meanings; and develop their abilities to critically evaluate the work of artists and apply their learning in the context of their own ideas, methods and approaches.
The session could lead into Unit 6B ‘What a performance’, where the children make headwear or a mask for a character from literature using a range of materials and objects. Many of the ideas about the meanings and qualities of objects in relation to an identity covered in ‘Portraits’ could be used, and possibly related to other curriculum areas such as science (see below).
Literacy
During the gallery tour, discussion and interpretation of the artworks covers a range of literacy objectives, such as offering reasons and evidence for views and considering alternative opinions and developing and using specific vocabulary in different contexts. The children will record their ideas in the gallery using drawing and writing. They will use and reflect on some ground rules for sustaining talk and interactions, and the small team activity encourages positive methods for group interaction.
Citizenship
During the session the children will be listening to and respecting each other's ideas and learning to value different strengths and interests within the group. It relates particularly well to QCA Unit 5, ‘Living in a diverse world’. This unit explores ideas about similarities, differences and diversity through identity, and uses objects in part to discuss these issues. Perhaps schools that are twinned may be able to develop collaborative works using this theme. Some of these ideas could also work with the geography unit Passport to The World, a flexible unit for years 1 – 6 that again considers similarities and differences in people and places.
I.T.
The children could use appropriate software to develop collaged portraits using relevant visual imagery, or use digital photographic records of actual assemblages of objects to develop further as individuals or a group.
Science
Units that investigate the physical properties of materials could be related to this session’s theme of objects and meanings, for example a stretchy material like elastic could be seen as being flexible, a heavy material like steel could be seen as solid and dependable. The theme of recycling could also be used to create artworks with a range of meanings from discarded objects.
