So, historically I assign my students a self-portrait project,
because they are the everyday students. My students aren't the super artsy,
so-called "naturally" talented art students whom one could ask:
"Select a familiar object or item of food. Create a series of sequential
sketches in which the object gradually transforms into something else."
They would look at me like - Are you crazy?!
Now this is not to say that I don't
believe in my students’ abilities -- no way! I've always taught from the
perspective of high expectations. I scaffold, and teach with all kinds of
analogies, every day examples that they can relate to. I fold in history and
math, reading and writing always...even if they do say "Ms. Hill, I
thought this was art class?" LOL
The reality is that my students typically
have never experienced an art class with rigor. The greatest compliment I
received recently was from a student who said, "Ms. Hill, you know... I
had art before, but he never taught us about artists and their work, he never
taught us how to draw a face like you do, you know the eye lines up with the...
you know?" I had received so much push back that quarter that I'd begun to
wonder if I'd lost my mojo. She confirmed it for me, and so I keep going on.
I've posted her before and after self-portrait drawings.
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