Developing Personal Style

Overview

Students reflect on techniques learned in the “Mastering Portraiture Techniques” unit and use them to define a personal portrait style. They create a mood board that shows visual inspirations and the artistic choices they will use in their next portrait work.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify what “personal style” looks like in portraiture.
• Students will connect portrait techniques from the unit to their own preferences and ideas.
• Students will plan a portrait direction using a mood board of images, words, and artistic elements.

Success criteria

• I can identify at least 2–3 portrait techniques from this unit and explain how they influence my look.
• I can create a mood board that clearly shows a consistent personal style (colour, mood, composition, and texture).
• I can justify my inspiration choices using clear art language.
• I can present my mood board plan and next steps confidently in a short peer discussion.

Curriculum links

• Understanding and using visual arts concepts such as style, composition, colour, and symbolism to represent ideas.
• Developing and applying techniques and processes to communicate meaning in artworks.
• Reflecting on and evaluating artmaking choices and how they relate to intended audience and purpose.
• Using artistic language to describe, discuss, and justify artistic decisions.

Lesson structure (70 minutes)

1. 0–5 min: Entry routine + unit recap Students collect materials and complete a quick “Technique Recall” check-in: name one technique you used well in a previous portrait task (written or spoken). Teacher displays 4–6 technique prompts (e.g., shading for form, expressive line, colour mood, facial proportion guides, texture marks).

2. 5–15 min: WALT mini-lesson—What is personal style? Teacher models a short example: a “before” portrait (mixed approaches) versus a “style” portrait (consistent colour mood, mark-making, and composition). Students discuss: What choices stay the same? What choices change? Teacher emphasises that personal style is a repeatable set of visual decisions, not “being fancy.”

3. 15–25 min: Technique-to-style mapping In pairs, students choose 3 techniques they want to carry forward and write one sentence for each: “I want to use this because it helps me show…” They highlight where those choices appear in their past work (photos or sketches). Teacher circulates, prompting art language (contrast, emphasis, value/tonal range, texture, gesture, mood).

4. 25–45 min: Mood board construction (core work) Students build a mood board using A3/A4 paper or digital collage (as available). Must include:

• 6–10 inspiration images or visual fragments (photos, printed images, magazine cut-outs, or teacher-provided options)
• At least one colour palette swatch strip (3–5 colours)
• 2–3 texture/mark-making samples (from prior experiments or teacher mini swatches)
• 2 short words/phrases that describe mood (e.g., “quiet strength”, “bold energy”)
• A “style statement” (1–2 sentences): what they want their portraits to feel like and why

5. 45–55 min: Teacher conference + refinement Teacher holds quick desk conferences (target: each student or a group of two) focusing on clarity and consistency. Students adjust one element: either add missing evidence of technique, sharpen their palette, or refine their style statement for specificity.

6. 55–65 min: Peer gallery walk + feedback Students rotate through peers (or teacher-led station) and use a simple feedback structure:

• “I notice…” (one strong visual choice)
• “I think your style is…” (a style interpretation)
• “Have you considered…” (one suggestion for next portrait)

7. 65–70 min: Exit reflection Students write or speak a 2-line reflection: “My personal style direction is…” and “Next lesson, I will…” Teacher checks mood board requirements against success criteria.

Resources

• A3/A4 mood board paper or digital collage platform (and access/permissions if digital)
• Scissors, glue sticks, tape, and optional craft knife with supervision
• Magazine/newspaper images, printed portrait references, and teacher-curated visual prompts
• Colour palette materials: pastels/coloured pencils, or pre-cut colour strips
• Texture/mark-making sample cards from earlier techniques (or simple cardstock for new samples)
• Notepads or sticky notes for style statements and keywords
• Art language sentence starters (e.g., “The mood is created by…”, “The emphasis comes from…”)
• Student portfolios or photos of prior portrait experiments for quick reference
• Timer and display board for technique prompts

Assessment

• Mood board completion and alignment to the success criteria (techniques used + consistency of style).
• Teacher conference notes focused on clarity of technique-to-style links and use of art language.
• Peer feedback quality during the gallery walk (notice/interpret/suggestion).

Differentiation

• Support: Provide a “starter mood board” template with pre-placed sections (palette, texture, style statement) and a word bank for mood and justification.
• Support (dyslexia-friendly): Offer reading alternatives—audio explanations from teacher, short printed prompts with larger font, and single-sentence cards for choosing technique-to-style links.
• Support (SEN/learning needs): Allow students to select from pre-curated image sets grouped by mood (e.g., calm, intense) to reduce decision fatigue; allow oral responses for the style statement before writing.
• Extension (advanced learners): Add a “Style System” requirement—include a labelled diagram showing how at least two techniques will repeat across different portraits (e.g., consistent lighting direction plus mark-making style), and justify choices with more precise language about contrast, tonal range, and compositional focus.
• Extension (advanced learners): Challenge students to include one symbolic element in the mood board (e.g., an object motif or repeated shape) and explain what it represents about the portrait subject.