Our First In-Class Portrait Party!

My after-school art classes started this week and, as a get-to-know-you game, I had all the students try a blind contour drawing of the kid sitting across from them. One side of the table modeled while the other side drew. It was a big hit! The following day, one of the kindergarten kids found me and said "My sister taught me the trick you taught her." Which trick, I asked. "Where you draw each other without looking." At your drawing. "Right! It's fun!" It's fun to know that the kids go home and try these games again.

sarah y. & mr. hughes

sarah y. is the student responsible for the portrait party fad at our school. her mom gave me permission to post our sketches here. below is the one sarah drew of me. "in the art room because you're always there," she said.

A Matrimonial Portrait Party

My sister got married this week in Mexico! The one thing she asked me to do was host a portrait party before the wedding. Over the next few months, I'll post all the drawings we did but here is the invitation I whipped up: A portrait of my sister during her hair and make-up tests.

The Portrait Party in CitiLink

i finally got a copy of our citilink article! with thanks to kerstin for the scan and the illustration. click here to read it!

samuel & amalie el guanaco

the first of many possible portraits from samuel (portrayed above) and amalie (below)!

Class Portraits

hey everyone! so, obviously, the portrait party website is taking a little nap this fall while i secure my footing on a new school year. you'll be happy to know that portrait parties are alive and well in my classes though. in fact, they seem to be a little fad among the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade girls. here are just a few of the portraits that the girls have done of me this year. they are spreading across the art room wall at a surprising pace and i'll post the actual swaps if i get permission from the kids' parents. until then, please keep sending your swaps. i'll post your pictures and mine whenever i find time.

JJ & Trevor Romain

here's a schitzophrenic take on a portrait party. trevor drew "one of the characters who lives in (his) head" (above) and, apparently, she drew him (below).