Alternative Self Portrait
Alternative �Self-Portrait
Lesson 9
Alternative Self-Portrait 1
In this lesson, you will combine the personal shape you developed in the last lesson �with your word to create an alternative self-portrait. A traditional self-portrait would show your face, but this alternative self portrait will express something about yourself using text and design.
You will need:
Preparing
Attach two pieces of paper together so you have a large background to work on.
Reflect on Your Ideas
In your workspace, lay out everything �you have made over the last few lessons: rubbings, letters, scrap paper, collage materials and letter templates.
Reflect on the work you have done. �Think about the meaning of the word and shape you created in the previous lessons.
Think about an alternative self-portrait. What do you want it to say about yourself? What do you want to emphasize?
Alternative Self-Portrait
Make any new letters and shapes that you need and use any leftover materials from the previous lessons.
Think about how the word and shape will interact. Will the word fit within the shape? Will the shapes overlap the word?
Play with arrangements of your word and shapes using the ideas you’ve explored: scale, repetition, positive and negative space and color.
Once you are satisfied with your arrangement, glue it in place.
How Do Arrangements Tell Stories
Here are two artists’ very different interpretations of the word “FREE.” How do these arrangements tell two different stories?
What do they say about the artist?
Reflection
What choices did you make that tell us about yourself?
How did you use positive and negative space?
How did you use repetition?
What did you leave out?
What story does your artwork tell?
Close Looking
Deborah Kass is an artist who plays with words in �her work.
Look closely at this artwork.
What do you notice about how the artist arranged �the text?
How does the arrangement relate to the phrase “you can’t stop the beat?”
Deborah Kass, You Can't Stop the Beat, 2003�More artwork by Deborah Kass
Remote Arts Learning Partnership
Module One �
Studio in a School NYC Team
Julie Applebaum, Senior Director
Remote Arts Learning Partnership Project DIrector
Writing Team Project Team
Anne-Marie McIntyre Josef Zutelgte Belinda Blum Nicola Giardina Paul Urevitch
Jamie Powell Andrea Burgay Katherine Huala
Graphic Design
Don Giordano
NYC Department of Education OASP Team
Karen Rosner, Director of Visual Arts
Amber Lodman, Arts Program Manager Kaitlin Trammell, Remote Arts Learning Partnership Project Coordinator
NYC Department of Education Visual Arts Teacher Team
Maria Bonilla Susan Bricker Amie Robinson Lara Tyson
These educational materials were created through a partnership with Studio in a School NYC and The New York City Department of Education Office of Arts and Special Projects (OASP) and made possible by the generosity of The New York Community Trust.
Copyright © 2021 Studio in a School NYC LLC