PIECES OF SELF

CHARCOAL SELF-PORTRAITS

INTERMEDIATE 2-D ART

charcoal on newsprint

I love this exercise.  

Both the kids and I never know what results to expect.

For most all of them it's the very first time they are attempting a self-portrait.

I have them draw their reflections from the glass doors where we store our clay.

This is a prelude to loosen them up before they attempt a serious self-portrait study.

Of course they are very self-conscious at first

 because they know they are being watched covertly by my other kids at the lower level.

But once they get started

 they slip into the right side of their brain

and start to draw more realistically.

It's at this point that I take their pix and they aren't even aware that I am.

hee hee

They only get this one class period to loosen up.

So here they are from left to right,

seniors Malaya Sithichai, Ayesha Durrani, Eileen Lee, Jazzarie Lo, Kevin Ma 

& junior Samantha Tun.

Now that they know I'm taking their picture,

and that they are done with this high pressure exercise;

they all look so relieved.