KS1/2 Art - Drawing Self Portraits

The Year 2 class at Lauriston School in Hackney, East London, is the focus for this engaging programme about developing drawing and observational skills using self-portraiture.

Peter Sanders, deputy headteacher and art coordinator at the school, explains the relevance of the project, how he planned it and what materials he uses. He asks his pupils to look carefully at themselves in the mirror and experiment with the range and density of marks possible using a drawing pencil.

Through discussion and reflection, pupils are persuaded to work at a level and with concentration not usually associated with such young children. They develop their mark-making skills and begin to understand concepts such as line and tone.

Peter Sanders' tips:

• Encourage the children to be very quiet while they are drawing
• Remind them that drawing is all about looking and thinking
• Ask the children how what they have learnt has made them a better drawer
• "It's good for children to see that the bizarre is acceptable in the adult world"