This portrait exercise is an effective way to engage students in drawing, shading and blending colour. It begins
with a Design Brief which challenges students to create an animal alter-ego for a human being, blending the two faces
into a seamless transition.  It provides an excellent medium for explicit teaching of facial proportions, and
detail, and for modelling dry pastel technique.

Students are provided with a design Brief and a set of A3 photocopied faces. They are invited to look at the faces,
discuss them and brainstorm what possible animal alter-ego each person may have.

The Creative process is then discussed and a graphic organiser of this process is provided to each student to lead
them through a series of sequential steps which may take up to 6 weeks to complete:

• Design Brief
• Discussion and Brainstorm
• Internet research to find an appropriate face for the animal of choice
• Design drawings in the Visual Art Diary with explicit teaching of facial proportions
• Modelling and Experimentation with dry pastel technique
• Inlarging face design onto white cardboard
• Colour and blend using dry pastel
• Mount and frame completed artwork
• Complete a self – evaluation sheet.

The Design Brief, Metacognition Sheet, Self Evaluation Sheet and Graphic Organiser of the Creative Process accompany
this lesson plan.

Judi Robertson
Haileybury Castlefield
Haileybury College Brighton
Suitable for Grade
Prep and Level 5