Finalizing Portraits

Year Level

Year 7 Visual Arts

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

20 students

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Lesson Title

Finalizing Oil Pastel Drawings

Unit Context

Lesson 16 of 20 in the unit "Exploring Art through Picasso". Students will continue to develop and complete their Picasso-inspired portraits with oil pastels, focusing on refinement and detail.

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Western Australian Curriculum Alignment

Content Descriptions

• AC9AVA8C02: Select and manipulate visual conventions, visual arts processes and/or materials to create artworks that represent ideas, perspectives and/or meaning.
• AC9AVA8D01: Experiment with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to develop skills.
• AC9AVA8E01: Investigate ways that visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials are manipulated to represent ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in artworks created across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts.

These standards emphasize the use of visual arts techniques and processes to create artwork that communicates ideas and perspectives through skill development and reflection, linking clearly to refining oil pastel portrait work inspired by Picasso.

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Learning Intention (WALT)

We Are Learning To focus on refining our Picasso-inspired oil pastel portraits by applying attention to detail and completing the artwork.

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Success Criteria

• Students will have completed their oil pastel portraits with refined details.
• Students will demonstrate careful observation and use of Picasso-inspired abstract forms and colour.
• Students will use oil pastel techniques such as layering, blending, and pressure control to enhance the portrait.
• Students will participate in a peer critique to discuss and compare each other's work using respectful and constructive language.

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Differentiation and Inclusion Strategies

• For Diverse Learners:

• Provide oral instructions supported by visual prompts and demonstrations.

• Allow use of visual step-by-step checklists for students who benefit from structured guidance.

• Offer larger oil pastel sticks or ergonomic tools for students with fine motor challenges.

• Provide additional time or a quiet workspace for students who require it.

• For Students with Dyslexia:

• Use clear, sans-serif fonts on any printed materials.

• Minimise dense text and use bullet points.

• Provide artist exemplar images rather than text-heavy instructions.

• Recap instructions verbally and allow students to ask questions at each step.

• Extension for Advanced Learners:

• Encourage students to explore varied textural effects with oil pastels (e.g., scumbling, sgraffito).

• Students may initiate a paired critique focusing on compositional strengths, emotional expression, and use of colour influenced by Picasso’s techniques.

• Challenge these students to articulate how their portrait reflects or deviates from Picasso’s style and to propose a creative element to add meaning.

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Resources Needed

• Oil pastels (varied colours)
• Quality drawing paper or canvas (prior prepared)
• Examples of Picasso portraits showing abstraction and colour usage
• Visual aids demonstrating oil pastel techniques (blending, layering)
• Mirrors or photos for self-portrait reference (if applicable)
• Peer critique templates with sentence starters to support discussion
• Cleaning wipes or cloths for hands and surfaces

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Review (5 minutes)

• Quick visual recap of Picasso’s distinctive features, focusing on abstraction, shapes, and emotional colour.
• Highlight the goal of refining and completing their portraits with attention to detail.
• Reiterate success criteria and expectations for oil pastel techniques.

2. Refinement Work Time (30 minutes)

• Students continue working on their oil pastel portraits.
• Teacher circulates offering individual feedback, modelling advanced pastel techniques as needed.
• Promote mindful use of colour layering, blending edges softly or sharply as inspired by Picasso’s contrast.
• Encourage students to step back regularly to view their work from a distance, considering overall composition and balance.

3. Peer Critique and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Students pair up to compare and discuss their portraits using the provided critique template.
• Focus on constructive criticism: identifying strengths and suggesting areas for refinement.
• Encourage referencing visual conventions learnt and Picasso’s style elements.
• Teacher facilitates and guides respectful and specific feedback.

4. Wrap-Up and Look Ahead (5 minutes)

• Collect drawings safely or display around the room.
• Briefly outline the next lesson focus (e.g., final touches, artist statement writing, or presentation).
• Invite students to reflect verbally on one technique they used well and one thing they want to improve.

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Assessment

• Observation of skill application during refinement stage.
• Completed oil pastel portrait demonstrating clear reference to Picasso’s abstract style and use of oil pastel techniques (criteria: detail, use of colour, composition).
• Participation and quality of contribution in peer critique.
• Informal assessment during teacher feedback and end-of-lesson reflection.

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Teacher Notes / Tips

• Model oil pastel blending and layering explicitly at the start for visual learners.
• Use Gallery Walks in future lessons to showcase completed portraits, promoting pride and artist identity.
• Reinforce language and vocabulary around visual arts (e.g., abstraction, composition, layering, tone).
• Maintain a print-friendly lesson plan and visual guides for accessibility and quick reference.

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This lesson plan integrates key aspects of the Western Australian Curriculum for Visual Arts Years 7-8, targeting development of skills and conceptual understanding through hands-on creation and peer reflection, with particular adaptation for diverse and dyslexic learners. The inclusion of an extension activity further challenges advanced students, while the peer critique fosters critical thinking and articulation of artistic intent, aligned to curriculum expectations.