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Discuss: “How do these artists show identity in their work?” "How do they use symbolism, color, and composition in portraiture?"
Show Amy Sherald’s and Kehinde Wiley’s portraits, specifically highlighting Sherald’s grayscale skin tones and vibrant backgrounds, alongside Wiley’s patterned backdrops and cultural symbolism.

Lesson Materials:

Essential Question:

In what ways can creating a portrait help us understand ourselves and others better?

Lesson Objectives:

Students will explore how portraits convey identity through symbolism, color, and artistic choices.
Students will create work based on Amy Sherald’s approach to identity and portraiture with Kehinde Wiley's use of cultural symbols..

This lesson aligns well with several Georgia Standards of Excellence in Visual Arts for 5th grade. Here are the key standards it meets:

VA5.CR.1 - Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by:-
VA5.CR.2 - Create works of art based on selected themes using a variety of materials and techniques.
VA5.CR.3 - Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.
VA5.CN.1 - Investigate and discover personal relationships to community, culture, and the world through making and studying art.
VA5.RE.1 - Reflect on the characteristics and merits of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others.

Resource Artists:

Amy Sherald: Known for her grayscale portraits with vibrant, symbolic backgrounds, Sherald uses grayscale skin tones to "remove race" from her subjects, focusing on personality and identity over societal labels.
Kehinde Wiley: Known for his detailed, colorful backgrounds, Wiley’s portraits blend traditional portrait techniques with contemporary Black identity, incorporating symbolic patterns and backdrops.

Prompts for Class Discussion (After watching both videos)

What do you notice about the colors and expressions in these portraits?
Why do you think Amy Sherald paints her subjects’ skin tones in grayscale? How does the absence of color affect the way we see her subjects?
What do you notice about the backgrounds in her portraits? How do you think the bright colors and patterns help tell the story of each person?
Sherald says her portraits represent everyday people in extraordinary ways. What do you think she means by that? How does she make ordinary people look extraordinary?
How do the detailed, patterned backgrounds in Wiley's portraits affect the overall feeling of the artwork? What mood do the patterns create?
Wiley's subjects often look powerful or heroic. What artistic choices (like color, pose, or scale) make his subjects appear that way?
How do both artists use portraiture to explore and communicate identity?
Both artists use color in unique ways to emphasize different parts of their portraits. How does each artist’s use of color affect your understanding of the subject’s personality or story?
If you were to create a portrait of yourself inspired by either of these artists, which artist’s approach would you choose and why?

Draw an oval for the face shape on their sketch paper.
Lightly draw horizontal and vertical lines down the center of the face to help with proportions.
Add the shapes of the Eyes, Nose, and Mouth. Remind them to keep these features somewhat simplified to match Sherald’s style.
Add hair details and any clothing shapes. This can be as simple or detail.
Incorporate the symbols thinking about where the chosen symbol or symbols in the background will be keeping the composition distinct and vibrant.

Setting Up Grayscale Paints:

Mix shades of gray on a palette by adding small amounts of black to white for lighter grays and adding more black for darker shades.

Planning Background Colors:

Choose a color scheme (complementary, analogous, or monochromatic) based on the emotion or personality you want your portrait to convey.

TO PRACTICE MIXING COLORS CLICK ON THIS CRAYON->

Painting the Face in Grayscale:

Start by lightly painting the face shape using the lightest shade of gray.
Apply a medium gray tone on areas where shadows would fall (under the nose, along the jawline, and near the eyes).
Use a darker shade for deeper shadows, such as under the chin and around the hairline.
Use white or very light gray to add highlights on the forehead, nose, and cheekbones.
Blend lightly where the shadows meet lighter areas, helping the face look more dimensional.

Painting the Hair and Clothing:

Paint hair using one or two tones of gray, keeping it somewhat simplified without too much texture.
Add clothing in shades of gray, or use bold colors that contrast with the background.

Adding the Background and Symbol:

Pick a bright color for the background, choosing a color that represents them or complements their grayscale portrait.
Start by filling in the background with one solid color with neat brushstrokes and consistent coverage.
Let the first layer dry, and add any patterns, symbols, or other elements on top, making sure they’re vibrant and stand out.
Paint the chosen symbol, keeping it prominent and visible. If it’s part of the background, make it large and clear; if on clothing, ensure it contrasts well.
Add outlines to certain parts of the portrait to make the features or symbols stand out if needed.

Closing Activity:

Students can present their portraits, explaining one symbol they used, its significance, and how their color choices express their identity.

Symbol Reference: Provide a printed list of common symbols to help students brainstorm .
Adapted Art Techniques: For students who need additional support, simplify the process with pre-mixed grayscale tones and ready-made paint colors.
Expressive Writing Option: Students who prefer written expression can write a paragraph about their identity and how they showed it in their artwork instead of reciting it or talking about it in front of their peers.
SPED and 504 Plan Option: Accommodations for SPED and 504 Plans include adapted materials, such as larger-format paper, thicker markers for better grip as well as allowing extended time for project completion. They can also include breaking down the project into smaller, manageable parts with clear checkpoints and visuals as well as providing extended time for sketching and painting tasks if needed.

Possible Collaboration Ideas

Symbol Brainstorm Carousel:

Process: Set up stations with different themes (e.g., hobbies, emotions, culture) around the room. Each group rotates through stations, brainstorming symbols related to each theme.

Peer Portrait Pairs:

Process: Pair up students to observe each other’s preliminary sketches and give feedback on the representation of their symbols. Partners offer suggestions on details or placement of symbolic elements