SELF-PORTRAITS
Frida Kahlo
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
• How many of you know the term “selfie”?
• What is “selfie” short for?
• A “selfie” is short for a self-portrait – which is a
drawing or painting of oneself
• Can you imagine trying to paint a picture of yourself?
• Today we are going to talk about an artist who was
known for her self-portraits that were paintings – not
photographs
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
•
Frida Kahlo was a female, Mexican painter born in
Coyoacán, Mexico (1907-1954)
•
Frida was most known for her self-portraits that
included a unibrow and often dark upper hair lip
(mustache)-this style was known as Realism
•
She survived a car accident in her teens and she
often painted very sad and angry self-portraits to
express her feelings about the injuries she sustained
•
She had a difficult marriage to another Mexican
muralist, Diego Rivera which influenced her artwork
as well
•
Diego actually welled up in tears of pride when
Picasso admired the eyes of a painting of Frida’s
•
Frida was also well known for having monkeys
around her and even made self-portraits with them
•
She also did not like to comply with normal societal
roles, she even would dress as a boy
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
• Take a look at this self-portrait
• What do you see?
• She doesn’t look happy, she has very
dark eyebrows, she has surrounded
herself by monkeys, and she has a red
bird of paradise flower behind her
• By looking at this self-portrait, Frida is
allowing us a glimpse into her soul
• She appears sad, but the beauty of the
flower gives hope as well and the
monkeys almost seem to be comforting
her
Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait
with Monkeys, Bird of
Paradise Flower, 1943
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
• This self-portrait is a little different
• Kahlo is wearing a Mexican
Tehuanna costume, with a "huipil,"
or starched headdress, made of
pleated lace, which celebrates her
cultural heritage
• But that’s probably not what you
are staring at…
• It is also referred to as “Diego
[Rivera] on My Mind” why do you
think it might be referred to as that
title instead?
Frida Kahlo, "Self-Portrait
as a Tehuana," 1943.
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
Now it’s our turn, we are going to create our own selfportraits
We are going to focus on the following while drawing our
faces:
• Realism – getting your eye shape as close to your own
shape, eye color, hair color, hair style, etc.– then
EMPHASIZE one part of picture with color like Kahlo
included that red flower
• We are going to include any accessories that we might
be known for – a certain hair bow, a hat we like to wear,
special earrings…
• In working on our background, we are going to include
items that are important to us like a sports team, hobby,
interest, talent, something we like or collect – anything
that helps to tell the viewer more about us!
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
• Before we start, we are going to complete the
following sentence – you can write this on a scrap
piece of paper first or think of it while you are
sketching
I want to be known for ____________________.
• How to answer that question is up to you…but think
about your talents, your qualities as a student, your
friendships, your family, and how you might want
people to remember you in years to come.
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
Okay let’s get started! (I’m going to demonstrate over
here as we go through each step, so keep an eye on
what I’m doing!)
• First you can lightly sketch your eye shape remember to leave one eye space in between your
two real eyes for correct PROPORTIONS of the
face
• Notice how the eyes are
centered in the paper about
a ½ inch from the top of the
line
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
Okay let’s get started! (I’m going to demonstrate over
here as we go through each step, so keep an eye on
what I’m doing!)
• Use the mirrors to try your best to draw your
features accurately, but focus on creating a piece
that expresses who you are with the other clues you
provide the viewer
• Now work on brows, glasses, and features on the
upper half of the paper – you will notice that you
only have half of the paper to use – this is because
“Eyes are the window to the soul.”
• Remember to include features that people will know
you for and a background that includes your
interests
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
• Once you have completed your light sketch – color
in skin color, eyes, etc. with crayon or color pencils.
• To create EMPHASIS- use a marker to color in the
area of artwork you really want people to see first.
• Once you finish your face, make sure to fill in the
background as well, use the whole paper and
remember to create a story of you with the items
you include in your background
• Lastly, write your “I want to be known for…”
statement at the bottom of the page, use your glue
stick and glue it on to a colored paper of your
choice, and sign your name on the back of paper.
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
Let’s review what we learned today…
• A portrait you draw of yourself is called a selfportrait
• Proportion – a principle of art that describes the
size, location or amount of one element to another
(or to the whole) in a work of art
• Emphasis – to have a special area in a picture or
painting brightly colored to draw your attention
• Frida Kahlo is considered an artist of Realism from
Mexico
• There is one “eye space” between each of your
eyes on your face
SELF-PORTRAITS
FRIDA KAHLO
Discussion questions
• Was it hard for you to think of an item to include in
your background to identify you?
• Do you think your self-portrait looks like you?
• Did you like creating a self portrait?
• What are some of the things you wrote down that
you want to be known for?
• Let’s guess whose self-portrait I am showing…