This year Fifth grade students explored self portraiture and started these incredible paintings using old transparencies we found in our art storage! We took portrait shots and then traced the photos using sharpie pens on the transparencies. The students then painted the transparencies (only their hair, eyes, clothing and eyebrows) using tempera paint.

Originally, the plan was to have the students paint an abstract background using a paste paper technique, and then mount their portraits on the backgrounds to create an abstract, textured effect for their portraits. Due to the turn of events however, the students were unable to finish their backgrounds.

The portraits themselves were so well done that Mrs. Yunta thought it would be a nice idea to lend the students a hand and mount them on prints of painted backgrounds to help them achieve the end results. As such, this project became a collaboration of sorts between teacher and student.

Process

We hope you enjoy the gallery!

Fifth Grade Transparency Portraits