Facial Proportions: Drawing a Face

Minnesota 9-12 Visual Art Standards
Used in this Lesson

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.
  • 1A. Analyze how the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space; and principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1b. Evaluate how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1c. Analyze how the characteristics of Western and non-Western styles, movements, and genres in art contribute to the creation of, presentation of, or response to artworks.

  • 1d. Apply understanding of the health and safety issues related to creating in art.

  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.
  • 2a. Integrate the characteristics of the tools, materials and techniques of a selected media in original artworks to support artistic purposes.

  • 3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.
  • 3a. Analyze how visual artworks influence and are influenced by personal, social, cultural or historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meaning and functions of visual art.
  • 4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 4a. Create a single, complex artwork or multiple artworks to express ideas.

  • 4b. Revise artworks based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 4c. Justify an artistic statement, including how audience and occasion influence creative choices.
  • 5. Perform or present in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 5a. Present, exhibit, publish or demonstrate collections of artworks for different audiences and occasions.

  • 5b.Revise presentation based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 5c. Justify artistic intent, including how audience and occasion influence presentation choices.
  • 6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.
  • 6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate works of visual art by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

  • 6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.

    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Science: Human Anatomy/Facial Structure
    • The self portrait assignment is probably the most in-depth and instruction laden assignment that we do in Drawing class. Every day for a week the teacher illustrates how to draw a different feature of the face while students follow and practice drawing the same facial features on their own paper. We start with eyes, move into mouths and noses. After practice on the basic features is completed, we put it all together on a head. Facial proportions are demonstrated and drawn from the front, side, and three-quarter view. Below are links to Quicktime movies showing the process students go through for each facial feature:

    Eyes (9 minutes)
    Mouth (7 minutes)
    Nose (5 minutes)
    Putting it all together on a Face. (4 minutes)
    The videos will take some time to load, so be patient.

    Some examples are shown and proportion lines drawn on them to illustrate how facial features relate to each other.

    After the week of instruction, students are ready to be set free. Students are to bring in a mirror to view their own face or work from a picture.

    Evaluation:

    3 points Correct Proportions
    3 points Resembles the original person/photo
    2 points Correct shading and shadows to indicate three-dimensionality
    2 points Contrast (Details are visible from a distance.)
    10 points total.


    Image above, Gracie N's portrait of Jack Sparrow.


    Drawing of Tony Shalhoub above by Abi K.


    Above, Abi K.'s portrait of Tara Yummy.


    Above, Tabi B.'s portrait of her mom.


    Image above by Leya T.


    Image above by Eric W.


    Image above by Julia P.


    Image above by Evie P.


    Image above by Carrie O.