Self-Portraiture for Older Children

We are back to continue our conversation on our use of mirrors in the Creativity Studio for self-portraiture and are now moving on to the big kids in the room!  

 

We try to encourage older children to really look at their faces, perhaps in a new way.  For instance, “Are your eyes really circles?  Is your hair one color or does it have many shades and variation?  What about your skin and eyes?”  Every child (and every artist) has that revolutionary moment when they begin to really see.  This not only signifies the development of an important artistic skill but also leads to a child’s viewing of the world in an entirely new and more observant light.  

Sometimes the challenge with older children is handling the frustration that they feel if their artwork is not coming together as they had imagined.  It is so important for children, and adults, to understand that there is no right or wrong in art and that mistakes are not only OK, but wonderful learning opportunities!   When it comes to art education, the process is far more significant than the product.  We always encourage kids to experiment with materials and techniques as they create.  With self-portraiture kids may be re-creating the image that they see in the mirror, but how they go about it is entirely up to them.  

Join us in the Creativity Studio for a drop-in during your next visit.  The DCM Creativity Studio is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.  Next week we look to Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius for inspiration as we engage in the process of making delicate prints of vegetables and flower designs!

Guest Blogger Katie Fodor is a Program Developer at DuPage Children's Museum. Katie has an MA in Art History and Museum Studies from Case Western Reserve University. Katie joined DCM’s team in the summer of 2013. She brought with her experience in education and the museum field (Western Reserve Historical Society, the Akron Art Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art).