What is a Portrait?

The National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20565
(202)842-6249 (Educational Tours)

Instructional Unit:
The students will take a field trip to the National Portrait Gallery. The guides help the students become actively involved in creating and interpreting portraits.

Curriculum Unit:
Grade General
Art

Objectives:
Students will:
1. Explore the question "What is a portrait?"
2. Learn to view and better understand portraits.
3. View portraits in a different media.
4. Analyze basic geometric shapes, lines, and structures of portraits.
5. Look for evidence of exaggeration which emphasizes physical or personality traits.
6. Look for expressions and moods depicted in portraits (disappointment, surprise, dismay, pleasure, happiness, etc.)
7. Draw portraits by putting in clues to the subject's identity.

Pre-Visit Activities:
A National Portrait Gallery docent visits the classroom. With the help of slides, students "explore" portraiture and "read" portraits from the National Portrait Gallery's collection for their clues. Students then draw portraits using clues they learned from the slides.

On-Site Activities:
The students will see portraits in different media displayed in the permanent collection and special exhibitions. This will emphasize a variety of styles and media. While touring, students will search for clues in a portrait's facial structure, exaggeration, costumes, props., etc. Finally, the students will tour freely and visit the Museum shop.

Follow-Up Activities:
Students will discuss the tours and share items purchased at the shop. They will then be asked to create a portrait from a photograph. Attention to clues and props will be stressed. The created portraits will then be displayed, as well as tour photographs. They will then write an article about museum experiences in the school newspaper. Finally, they will send "thank you" notes to the gallery staff.

Appendices:
None

Bibliography:
Brookes, Mona. Drawing with Children. J.P. Tarcher, 1996.
Dean, Wayne. The Incredible Spreadable Magic Drawing Book. Wayne Dean Editions, 1983.
Selleck, Jack. Faces (Insights to Art Series). Sterling Publications, 1977.
Slobodkin, Louis. The First Book of Drawing. Franklin Watts, 1958.
Tritten, Gottfried. Teaching Form and Color. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1981.

Return to Art Lesson Plans