Continuous Line Portraits

Year 8 students from Gladstone Park Secondary College explored self-portraits. They started class with a ‘Sketch aerobics’ session.

Four 45 second sketches using ‘continuous line’, ‘blind’ and ‘contour line’ technique. Their subject is their classmate. There was discussion on proportion and important components of facial features.

Next, they explored examples of previous students work and examples of self-portraits and symbols in a PowerPoint Presentation. Handouts on symbols, handed out to students for brainstorm session.

They created a self-portrait drawing in 30 – 45 minutes. Students reviewed symbols to ascertain what they want to use to represent themselves, then manipulated their self-portrait; half remains realistic, the other half symbolic. Colour was added with watercolour and outlines with black ink or fineliner.

Artwork provided by
Sophie Downer