Big Heads!

My year 8 classes have been working in groups to produce large collage portraits. Each student made a tonal charcoal and chalk drawing of a close up of their own face, using the mirrors.  I assigned them each a different part of the face to draw, working within their table groups.  I didn’t tell them what we were doing at the drawing stage – I told them it was a surprise.  They love a bit of mystery!

We looked at the work of contemporary artist, Yi Chen, who makes collages of faces and paints these.  I am a really big fan of his work.  The students had mixed feelings about Chen’s work – but it opened up lots of discussions in class.  His work questions the role of cosmetic surgery in our society and what true beauty is.  I really enjoy have class discussions with the studets, it's great to hear things from their perspective - often they give very insightful opinions.

I then explained that we would be making a large Yi Chen inspired collage within our groups.  I had taken photocopies of the students’ drawings (I didn’t want to destroy their drawings which were beautiful on their own), and they worked together in their groups to make these collages.  I love these lessons as it allows for some group work, which you don’t often get a chance to do in Art.  The students love making them too as they get a chance to be really messy, work on a large scale and they can make really funny faces.  I think the end results are great!

I’ve been working with the technician, Adam, to get the heads standing up and dotted around school.  This is our trial attempts and I think they look pretty good.  We have an Arts Festival coming up next month, and I’m hoping that all 12 of the heads will be on display.

I did this project a few years ago when I was on my probationer year in Cumbernauld, Scotland.  These heads were made using the students real drawings, rather than photocopies.  I displayed them on the walls at the entrance of my classroom and I think they looked great.