Sample work Creative Arts K–6 Stage 3: Visual Arts: Cubist inspired self-portrait

Suggested extension activities

1. Students write a description of their own (or another’s) artwork, including information about how tone, line, colour, composition and materials have been used and arranged.
2. Students name a technique that they (or the artist) have/has used to represent subject matter in the artwork and explain how they made it, (or may have made it), and the effect the technique has on the meaning of the work.

Suggested materials

Reference to the works of Picasso and other cubist artists, large art paper (A3), lead pencils, erasers, black crayons/charcoal, warm and cool colours (chalk, pastels, craypas), hairspray/workable fixative and protective sheeting or newspaper.

Prior learning

This activity is a small part of a unit that involved research about famous artists and their styles or movements in artmaking. The Visual Arts focus in this unit is on students' experiences in creating, modeling and using various techniques to develop their understanding about colour, tone and representation of subject matter in their own and others’ artmaking. Students have an understanding of how different visual qualities (colours, tones, shapes, lines etc) and techniques can affect the overall mood of a work, and how this can ultimately influence the audience’s response to the work. Students have been exposed to the work of Picasso, including his portraits, as well as the works and techniques of other artists. They have made expressive and abstract artworks. Students have been encouraged to express themselves and explore various moods through their use of line and colour as an alternative to representing things exactly as they appear. Teachers or guest artists have modeled portraits of other teachers in keeping with the style of the task, as an introduction to the activity.

Outcomes

Making (VAS3.2)
Makes artworks for different audiences assembling materials in a variety of ways.

(Extension Activities)
Appreciating (VAS3.4)
Communicates about the ways in which subject matter is represented in artworks

Criteria for assessing learning

Students will be assessed on their:

• use of different artistic concepts (eg colour, tone, light, scale) and exploration of how these may be used as symbols to represent selected subject matter
• investigation and manipulation of different painting and drawing techniques to represent the subject matter of portraits in a Cubist style.

Work Sample Assessment

Pat 

Pat has demonstrated a very high level of competence in using different artistic concepts and techniques to present a portrait in cubist style. This detailed artwork displays a strong cubist influence and careful observation of the subject matter. The use of line, colour and shading effectively draws the viewer’s eye to the different perspectives of the face. Curved lines and well-balanced colours complement the facial features. Although both cheerful and melancholy tones have been incorporated, there is effective use of contrasting colours in the background to harmoniously blend shapes and integrate with the foreground portrait. Pat has demonstrated a very high level of competence and confidence in incorporating abstract symbols to enhance the balance within the composition, and there is evidence of risk taking in the strong use of line, the placement of facial features, and the use of tone and light. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade A standard at the end of Stage 3.

Taylor 

Taylor has demonstrated a high level of competence in using different artistic concepts and techniques to present a portrait in cubist style. Cool colours have been used to depict a melancholy mood. Colour and tone have been harmoniously blended so that the portrait and background are integrated despite the lack of colour in the face. A variety of shapes have been used and there is strong use of line to delineate the facial features. There is evidence of careful observation and some risk taking. The face has been portrayed from two different viewpoints but the features have not been displaced. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade B standard at the end of Stage 3.

Ricky 

Ricky has demonstrated an adequate level of competence in using different artistic concepts and techniques to present a portrait in cubist style. The choice of harmonious and contrasting colours reflects the ‘cheerful’ period of Picasso’s work and creates balance in the artwork. Sound understanding of cubism is evident in the displacement of facial features but some of these have not been developed in an abstract way. Curved lines are balanced against strong diagonal, straight lines to achieve distortion and abstraction. There is some effective use of line and tonal variation but two viewpoints are not evident. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade C standard at the end of Stage 3.

Frances 

Frances has demonstrated a limited level of competence in using different artistic concepts and techniques to present a portrait in cubist style. Cool colours have been selected and used but the background has not been integrated into the artwork and only one viewpoint is evident. The use of colour and line in the background draw the viewer’s eye to the centre but there is limited evidence of observation and the composition bears greater resemblance to realism rather than cubism. Attempts at abstraction have been made such as exaggerated lines to depict the eyelashes, but these are joined to eyes that are quite realistic. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade D standard at the end of Stage 3.

Shannon 

Shannon has demonstrated a limited level of competence in using different artistic concepts and drawing techniques to present a portrait in cubist style. ‘Cheerful’ colours have been selected and used but there is limited reflection of cubist style. The facial features have been dismantled but there is no evidence of exaggeration or disproportion. There are elements of realism in the facial features and two viewpoints have not been portrayed. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by a student performing at grade D standard at the end of Stage 3.