FREE ART LESSON + PROJECT FOR KIDS

DRAW A SILLY SELF-PORTRAIT

Ready for a laugh? We're using Pablo Picasso's cubism artwork as inspiration to draw a colorful self-portrait. We'll draw two faces in one, then add in lots and lots of color. Bring your imagination!

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My most favorite part about this project... there are no mistakes in art! So have lots of fun drawing your features and choosing a variety of colors for your face.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• Black paper

• Soft pastels

• White crayon

• Mirror (optional, but helpful)

• Paper to protect work surface

• Scrap paper to collect pastel dust

• Damp paper/cloth towel or wet wipe

• Fixative/protectant spray or hairspray (optional)

 

Need art supplies? Check out my suggestions for budding artists: Art Supplies

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TIME NEEDED

The video is approximately 40 minutes, but the actual project may take closer to 60 minutes to complete. Remember, this video can be paused at any point if you need more time to complete a step.

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AGE LEVEL

This art lesson + project is for all ages but geared towards the upper elementary level.

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YOUNGER STUDENT OPTION

Have a preschooler or younger child who wants to create alongside their older sibling? A printable version of this drawing is available (free!). Print the pdf copy and encourage your child to color (or trace and color) the drawing - both boy and girl drawing included: Silly Self-Portrait Coloring Page.

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PARENT/TEACHER TIP

In a time crunch or want to spread out this lesson over two days? Use one art day to draw the portrait using the crayon, then on your next art day grab your pastels and follow along to add color to your self-portrait.

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Soft pastels can be a bit messy, but the mess is worth the fun! Spraying a fixative over the paper when you're finished adding all the color will help the pastels stay in place and hold its color longer, but the color may lighten a little. So, be cautious when spraying.

 

Don’t want the mess of soft pastels? Swap out the crayon and soft pastels for colored pencils or markers to color; you’ll also probably want to switch out black paper for white.