The exhibition “Brilliant Exiles” shows portraits of women wearing colorful clothes and striking fun
poses. A portrait (POR-trit) is a picture of a person. A self-portrait is when an artist makes a picture
of themselves.
Can you find her eyes? Now point to your eyes. What shape is her mouth? Does she have a happy smile or a sad one? What colors do you see in her clothes? What does she have on her head?
Sometimes artists use colors to show feelings. Maybe yellow feels happy and blue feels calm.
What colors would you choose for your own portrait?
Now it’s your turn to make a portrait!
For this activity, you will need:
- paper
- washable paint
- paintbrush
- mirror
To make your self-portrait:
- Cover your work surface for easy clean-up.
- Sit in front of a mirror and look at your face.
- Pour small amounts of one to three paint colors on a plate or washable surface.
- Use a paintbrush (or your fingers) to paint your portrait: start with the shape of your head,
then add your eyes, nose, mouth, hair and ears. - Add fun details like a hat or your favorite shirt.
- Write your name at the bottom and let it dry.
- Hang your portrait where your family can see it!