Kehinde Wiley-Inspired Self-Portraits

2nd & 3rd Grade

By Sarah Zidonik

Unit task: By the end of th is unit , students wi l l be able to create a self-portra it inspired by the art ist Kehinde Wiley. Students wi l l focus on body language, ident i ty, and pattern and repet it ion. They wi l l use colored penci ls to create th is artwork. By the end of th is unit , students wi l l be able to inte l l igent ly discuss the use of body language, ident ity, and pattern and repet it ion with in their own artwork, the artwork of their peers, and in the artwork of Kehinde Wiley.

Session # 1 Standards: VA3: Students wi l l respond cr i t ical ly to a var iety of works in the arts, connect ing the indiv idual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can discuss body language and ident ity, using the artwork of Kehinde Wiley as a start ing point. Introduct ion: Let students know we wi l l be beginning a new unit inspired by the art ist Kehinde Wiley and his paint ings of people (portra its ) . Have several pr intouts of images of Wi ley’s paint ings ready to pass around the class. Ask students to share what they not ice about these images. This can be done in a whole c lass discussion. Next let students know that we wi l l be focusing on the elements of body language and ident i ty to come up with our ideas for th is unit . Break down the words together to f igure out their meanings. Summarize our discussion by emphasiz ing that body language means to speak with your body and not with words and this includes your facia l expressions , and that ident ity means who we are . Show a couple of examples of body language with your own body, and then have a few student volunteers th ink of a personal i ty tra it or emotion to express to the class through a body language pose. Classmates can respond by “reading” th is pose. I f students cannot th ink of an emotion or a tra it to express, have a bank prepared (at least in your mind) to whisper to the students who volunteer. Direct Instruct ion: Next let the students know that we wi l l be breaking down into smal ler d iscussion groups at our tables to examine the paint ings of Kehinde Wiley more closely. Guide students to focus their d iscussion on reading the body language ( including facia l expressions) of the subject of each portra it . They should then use that information to draw conclusions about that person’s ident ity, or at least what the art ist wants us to th ink about that person’s ident ity. Use a student volunteer or two to demonstrate how a conversat ion about a specif ic paint ing may unfold. Let students know that we are having th is discussion so that we may create our own, informed self-portra its using body language to express something about our own ident it ies. Also let them know that you wi l l be photographing them in a pose in the next c lass so that we can learn to draw from a photograph, just l ike Kehinde Wiley paints from a photograph. Independent work: Students wi l l work in smal l groups using pr intouts of Kehinde Wiley’s paint ings to discuss body language and ident ity. Walk around to take note of student’s progress and to guide them in the r ight direct ion. Session # 2 Standards: VA3: Students wi l l respond cr i t ical ly to a var iety of works in the arts, connect ing the indiv idual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

VA1(b): Students wi l l develop their own ideas and images through the explorat ion and creat ion of art works based on themes, symbols, and events. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can learn about the art ist Kehinde Wiley by cr i t ical ly watching a v ideo documentary about h is work. I can focus on the ways he poses his models to express specif ic th ings. I can pose for a picture using body language to express something about my ident ity, and I can summarize th is part of my ident ity in one word. Introduct ion: Let students know we wi l l be watching a PBS documentary about the art ist Kehinde Wiley. This v ideo shows the art ist gett ing ready for a specif ic show ent it led An Economy of Grace . I t begins by showing the art ist select ing models on the streets of New York, prepar ing the wardrobe for the models, photographing the models in specif ic poses (emphasiz ing body language! ) , and then f inal ly paint ing them. Also let students know that whi le they are watching the v ideo and consider ing how Kehinde Wiley ut i l izes body language to express ident ity in h is artwork, they wi l l a lso have to pose today in a body language pose of their choice to depict or express their own ident it ies. Direct Instruct ion: Before the v ideo begins, have a few students demonstrate how to express specif ic personal i ty tra its ( i .e. “Solomon, please demonstrate how you could express that you are a s i l ly person.” Or “Akei l , p lease show us a body language pose i f you wanted to express a ser ious s ide of your ident ity.” ) Once the v ideo begins, for the f i rst several minutes, pause in key parts to make comments to help guide the students’ thoughts whi le watching. Certa in c lasses may be able to take notes to help focus their minds dur ing the v ideo whi le others may struggle too much with writ ing for th is to be helpful. Independent work: For the remainder of th is per iod, students should be taken aside one by one to pose for their body language portra it . Remind them that th is is the photograph that wi l l be pr inted and that we wi l l be drawing from. Before they pose, ask them what they would l ike to express about their ident ity through th is pose in one word (angry, happy, strong, etc.) . Record what they te l l you on a class l ist. I t is best to take photographs at th is stage even though they wi l l be working on their backgrounds f i rst, because you want to be sure to have a photograph for each student once we begin to draw from the photograph (some students may not be present on th is part icular day, for example, and you wi l l have to take their photo in the next couple c lasses). Session # 3 Standards: VA3: Students wi l l respond cr i t ical ly to a var iety of works in the arts, connect ing the indiv idual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought. VA1(b): Students wi l l develop their own ideas and images through the explorat ion and creat ion of art works based on themes, symbols, and events.

VA1(a): Students wi l l exper iment and create art works, in a var iety of mediums (drawing, paint ing, sculpture, ceramics, pr intmaking, v ideo, and computer graphics), based on a range of indiv idual and col lect ive exper iences. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can discuss the backgrounds in Kehinde Wiley’s artwork. I can begin to draw my own patterned wal lpaper background for a Kehinde Wiley- inspired self-portra it using symbols and repet i t ion . Introduct ion: Let students know that for th is unit there are two main parts: the background and the drawing of ourselves. We wi l l create them separately and then glue the cut-out drawing of ourselves to our background once both pieces are complete (show an example of how this works). The reason why we are creat ing them separately is so that we can create a cont inuous, repet it ive pattern, much l ike the “wal lpaper- l ike” backgrounds of Kehinde Wiley’s paint ings. Ask students to examine the backgrounds of Kehinde Wiley’s paint ings as a whole c lass.

o What do you not ice in the backgrounds of h is work (what IS a background?!)? o What do you th ink Wiley is try ing to express by putt ing together these backgrounds

with these part icular people? o Or what do these patterns mean to you? How would you descr ibe them?

Direct Instruct ion: Let students know that we wi l l be using Kehinde Wiley’s use of a patterned background to inspire our own backgrounds. Our backgrounds, however, should use thoughtfu l symbols that help express our ident it ies further. What is a symbol? And what symbols might you want to use in your own background? Demonstrate how you might create your own patterned background by repeat ing symbols that represent your ident ity, who you are . (For my example I used a paintbrush to symbol ize that I am an art ist. ) Draw out the ent ire background with penci l f i rst, then we wi l l color the symbols with colored penci ls, and paint the in-between spaces with tempera cakes. (Show an example.) Independent work: Students wi l l begin draw their own patterned backgrounds by repeat ing symbols that represent themselves. Session # 4 Standards: VA1(a): Students wi l l exper iment and create art works, in a var iety of mediums (drawing, paint ing, sculpture, ceramics, pr intmaking, v ideo, and computer graphics), based on a range of indiv idual and col lect ive exper iences. VA1(b): Students wi l l develop their own ideas and images through the explorat ion and creat ion of art works based on themes, symbols, and events.

VA1(d): Students wi l l reveal through their own art work understanding of how art mediums and techniques inf luence their creat ive decis ions.

Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can draw the symbols for my own patterned wal lpaper background for a Kehinde Wiley-inspired self-portra it using symbols and repet i t ion . Introduct ion: Let students know that we wi l l be drawing our backgrounds to our Kehinde Wiley- inspired self-portra its over the next couple c lasses. Once the symbols are drawn and colored in, we wi l l paint the space in-between them with tempera cakes (show example). Direct Instruct ion: At th is point i t is a good idea to show pointers specif ic to problems or issues that may ar ise as you see them to each part icular c lass. Most c lasses could use a demonstrat ion of how to color in neat ly with colored penci ls (go in di f ferent direct ions and use smal l/short l ines rather than large “scr ibbles” to f i l l in your symbols. ) Independent work: Students cont inue to draw and color their repeated symbols. Session # 5 Standards: VA1(a): Students wi l l exper iment and create art works, in a var iety of mediums (drawing, paint ing, sculpture, ceramics, pr intmaking, v ideo, and computer graphics), based on a range of indiv idual and col lect ive exper iences. VA1(b): Students wi l l develop their own ideas and images through the explorat ion and creat ion of art works based on themes, symbols, and events.

VA1(d): Students wi l l reveal through their own art work understanding of how art mediums and techniques inf luence their creat ive decis ions. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can paint around my symbols on my background using a smal l brush and tempera cakes. Introduct ion: Let students know we should f in ish our backgrounds today by paint ing in the spaces around our drawn symbols with a smal l brush. Direct Instruct ion: Demonstrate how to use a smal l brush to paint in smal l spaces (between symbols previously drawn). Also give each student a paper towel, and demonstrate how to dab away areas i f they become too wet or i f the paint gets in undesired areas. I f too much paint gets in an undesired area, show students how to “erase” the paint by adding clean water from a clean brush to the area and picking i t up by dabbing with the paper napkin (try to have softer napkins avai lable versus the school paper towels, as the school paper towels are less absorbent and may just spread the problem areas further). Independent work: Students wi l l paint their backgrounds. Session # 6-7 Standards:

VA1(a): Students wi l l exper iment and create art works, in a var iety of mediums (drawing, paint ing, sculpture, ceramics, pr intmaking, v ideo, and computer graphics), based on a range of indiv idual and col lect ive exper iences. VA1(b): Students wi l l develop their own ideas and images through the explorat ion and creat ion of art works based on themes, symbols, and events.

VA1(d): Students wi l l reveal through their own art work understanding of how art mediums and techniques inf luence their creat ive decis ions. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can draw my body-language self-portra it using my photograph as a stenci l . Introduct ion: Let students know that we wi l l be drawings ourselves in the next couple c lasses using our photographs as a stenci l and then as guidance for detai ls. (Make sure to have photographs pre-cut i f you do not want a part icular c lass to use scissors.) Direct Instruct ion: Demonstrate how to use a cut-out photograph of a student to trace onto a white piece of paper. L it t le pieces of tape are helpful to keep the paper in place as you trace. Once you have completely traced the photo, remove the tape and move the photo around to mark where inside detai ls belong (hold to the s ide to mark where the shirt ends or where the eyes belong, for example). Then start to add further detai ls, and color with colored penci ls. Also demonstrate how a student could add their own creat ive detai ls that are not present in the photograph (such as a tutu or a new hair-do). Independent work: Students wi l l work independent ly to draw themselves using their photo. Purposeful share: Have students turn and ta lk dur ing the last 5 minutes of c lass to share what they have done so far. What did you not ice when tracing your photo? What problems arose for you dur ing the drawing? Did your partner have the same problems? Or advice? Session # 8: Standards: VA1(a): Students wi l l exper iment and create art works, in a var iety of mediums (drawing, paint ing, sculpture, ceramics, pr intmaking, v ideo, and computer graphics), based on a range of indiv idual and col lect ive exper iences. VA1(d): Students wi l l reveal through their own art work understanding of how art mediums and techniques inf luence their creat ive decis ions. Focus of Instruct ion (Object ive): I can arrange my self-portra it on the background where I th ink i t works best. (Some classes wi l l be able to cut out their portra it to glue onto the background whi le others may need the teacher to do so ahead of t ime for them.)

Introduct ion: Gather students together to discuss what we wi l l be doing today. Let them know that we need to complete th is unit by glu ing our cut-out drawings of ourselves onto our pattern background. Direct Instruct ion: Demonstrate how you can move your picture drawing around the background unt i l i t “ looks r ight” to you. Once you have found the best locat ion, demonstrate how to correct ly g lue i t down using a glue st ick. Independent work: Students wi l l f in ish up any loose ends to their project and then glue down their p ictures onto their backgrounds. Purposeful Share: We wi l l gather as a whole c lass or in separate groups by tables (depending on the class and the amount of t ime left ) to discuss our masterpieces. Cr it ique cards can be used for guidance but only i f there is enough t ime. (See attachment)

Kehinde Wiley: Body Language Self-Portra its Grading Rubric

4 3 2 1

Final project: • clear ly demonstrates

an understanding of body language to express ident ity, and student is able to art iculate the meaning behind the chosen body language pose.

• clear ly made use of the photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body and then to mark where important detai ls belong.

• Uses a repet it ion of symbols to create a meaningful “wal lpaper” background.

• Is careful ly and completely colored in and painted

Student has clear ly taken ownership and made indiv idual choices to move beyond the bare minimum.

Final project: • demonstrates an

understanding of body language to express ident ity, and student is able to art iculate the meaning behind the chosen body language pose.

• made use of the photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body and then to mark where important detai ls belong.

• Uses a repet it ion of symbols to create a “wal lpaper” background.

• Is careful ly and completely colored in and painted

Final project:

• demonstrates an understanding of body language to express ident ity.

• Part ia l ly made use of the photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body.

• Uses a repet it ion of symbols to create a “wal lpaper” background, though symbols hold l i t t le meaning.

• Is not careful ly and completely colored in and painted.

Final project:

• Does not demonstrate an understanding of body language to express ident ity.

• Part ia l ly or hardly made use of the photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body.

• Does not use a repet it ion of symbols to create a “wal lpaper” background, or symbols hold no meaning.

• Is not careful ly and completely colored in and painted.

Kehinde Wiley Self-Assessment

Ask yourself these questions to make sure you remembered everything! Did you…

ü choose a body language pose that te l l us something about who you are (your ident i ty)?

ü use your photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body and then to mark where important detai ls belong?

ü thoughtfu l ly choose symbols in your background that help us understand your ident ity

even more?

ü use repet it ion of these symbols to create a pattern in the background?

ü careful ly and completely color in and/or paint your sel f-portra it (both the background and your body)?

ü take your t ime and completely f in ish the assignment?

Kehinde Wiley Self-Assessment

Ask yourself these questions to make sure you remembered everything! Did you…

ü choose a body language pose that te l l us something about who you are (your ident i ty)?

ü use your photo as a stenci l to trace the shape of your body and then to mark where important detai ls belong?

ü thoughtfu l ly choose symbols in your background that help us understand your ident ity

even more?

ü use repet it ion of these symbols to create a pattern in the background?

ü careful ly and completely color in and/or paint your sel f-portra it (both the background and your body)?

ü take your t ime and completely f in ish the assignment?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Quest ions to ask your partner and yourself BEFORE you complete your background:

ü Do you have symbols that express your ident ity (who you are)? ü I f no, what symbols wi l l you add today? ü How much space is left b lank on your paper? What s ize symbols do you th ink is best

at th is point to be able to complete the assignment? ü Did you repeat your symbols to create a pattern in your background?

Crit ique Cards:

Best CRAFTSMANSHIP Craftsman: noun, plural craftsmen. 1.a person who practices or is highly skilled in a craft; artisan. 2. an artist. Let someone know that you notice how carefully they completed this artwork! They took their time, practiced art techniques, and completely finished the assignment.

Give the artist an intelligent compliment! AND EXPLAIN WHY Ask yourself before you speak: Did the artist follow the unit guidelines? (What WERE the unit guidelines?!) How did the artist take ownership of the assignment to make it his/her own artwork? What part(s) do you see as exceptional and why? How does this artwork make you feel?

Ask the artist an intelligent question! Example starters: Why did you choose to …? What was your inspiration for …? How did you …? If you could change something about your artwork, what would it be? What is your favorite part about this artwork and why? What does _____ mean to you? How does this artwork make you feel?