In an attempt to get to know some of the native tribes that inhabited our state, I introduced some portraits drawings of Native Americans who lived in our area. I want students to look for details and nuances that make each portrait come to life as they recreate the drawing with their own pencils. Here are a couple I have done in the past:
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Looking for details takes some study. We noted the wrinkles and shading. We pondered the clothing and jewelry. We wondered about their personalities and their experiences in life. In short, we became more intimately connected with the people in the portraits.
It is especially interesting to see the progression of the work: how the lines blend and move across the page, how the strength of these characters are portrayed, now by a younger artist.
All in all, of course, these are pictures of pictures, drawings of drawings, but they are more than that: they are a study in character - something of a lesson for both history and the connection between these new works of art to the words of a story.
