Self Portrait, Photography and Collage

by Susan Cirigliano

5.7K168

Intro: Self Portrait, Photography and Collage

I am an art teacher in an elementary school and do a lot of projects with my kids that involve photographs. Often I will take a portrait of a student , then, cut their face out. The face will serve as the basis for their activity. Sometimes their theme is friendship, sometimes a season is explored, sometimes another artist's style is explored in their work. (I will include samples of some of these progects at the end of this Instructable)
After the faces are removed from the photograph, I end up with a pile of faceless photos. It kills me to throw away their little bodies so I got this idea to put my face in place of their missing one!
I created this crazy collection of self portraits. The process is fun and simple!

STEP 1: Supplies

an assortment of photos
a pair of scissors
and a glue stick

STEP 2: Choose Your Photo

Remove the faces from your photographs buy carefully cutting out with the scissors. Then choose the faceless photo that you will use to create your self portrait. 

STEP 3: Choose Your Photo

Figure out which photo of yourself works best with the faceless photo that you are working with.
Using the glue stick put glue on the back of the faceless photo and place over your portrait.

STEP 4: Trim

Trim off any wayward edges.

STEP 5: Turkey Is Ready

Done

STEP 6: More

I have tons of these but here are a few of my favorites. 

STEP 7:

STEP 8:

STEP 9:

STEP 10:

STEP 11:

STEP 12:

STEP 13:

STEP 14:

STEP 15:

STEP 16: Some Kid Projects

We talked about Freda Kahlo's self portraits and how she would always include images that were special  in her paintings. Using their own photograph the students did a self portrait in the "style" of Freda Kahlo. 

STEP 17:

STEP 18: Friendship

Often Friendship is the theme in the projects we do. This one was If you were my friend I would teach you to swim. 

STEP 19: Friendship

If you were my friend I would read you a bedtime story.

STEP 20: Nursery

With my 3 year olds, they use a photo transfer on fabric and paint their own section of a Friendship quilt.

STEP 21:

STEP 22: Friendship Paper Dolls

In first grade we make painted friendship paper dolls.

STEP 23: Seasons

Spring flowers

STEP 24: Seasons

Winter snow man. With my 4 year olds (This is me, not a 4 year old) I made photos of them wearing funny hats which we used for the heads of their winter snow man paintings. They were awesome!

STEP 25: Seasons

Fall we painted ourselves as scare crows.

STEP 26: Dancing Fairies and Elves

Dancing fairies and elves.....

STEP 27:


8 Comments

Paris121 8 years ago

I love your style and you obviously love working with your students. How lucky they are to have you for their teacher! ??

duke121 9 years ago

It is good that the kids have and artist and not just a teacher to encourage their creativity and ability to craft. Well done!

sshepherd4 10 years ago

I really love this idea! Quite simple and the humor factor is excellent! Thank you for posting!

Susan Cirigliano 11 years ago

They are pretty funny I must agree. It is really funny for me to look at these portraits
because I know the face that was connected to that body to begin with. I love the photos where they are making art or holding their drawings. Some new ones...I am not sure if I was able to add them or not?