Materials:

• Large, hard paper for painting (e.g., cardstock)
• Paint (any kind, variety of colours)
• Paintbrushes
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions:

Using Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird and Viva la Vida as inspiration, discuss how overlapping has created a background, midground, and foreground within the painting. Talk about how by having herself clear of overlapping objects, she appears to be the first/closest in the painting. Discuss how not including certain parts (e.g., the monkey’s lower body) give the illusion that the animal is behind Frida. On white paper, paint a background on a full sheet of hard paper (e.g., leaves, trees, forest, ocean, mountains). Allow drying time. Using construction paper, create two animals that would belong in your chosen environment/background. Cut out and paste both animals onto the midground of the painted background. Using construction paper, create a self-portrait that fits the entire size of your background. Paste onto the foreground as your final step.

Note* discussions on size of objects in each part of piece should be touched upon (background is smallest). Discussions on which parts should be overlapped (e.g., should we place your self-portrait over the face of the animal or the legs) should take place.

Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

Viva la Vida

Materials:

See instructions as materials vary depending on choice of medium/activity.

Instructions:

Using Kahlo’s The Bus as inspiration, focus your discussion on size to portray depth. The smaller an object is, the farther away it looks. The larger an object is, the closer it looks. Use examples in the classroom to show this (e.g., using a pencil, place it as far away as possible and using your fingers, show the size it appears to be. Bring pencil as close as possible to eyeline and using fingers, show the size it now appears to be). Use a horizon line to further show how size displays depth. Look at a farm or building far away and discuss its actual size compared to how big it looks in the distance. Connect to overlapping and back- mid- and foreground activity. Create your own horizon line. Choose your subject (e.g., farm, city, ocean/beach). Decide what is in the background, midground, and foreground and size them appropriately. On long piece of white paper, draw 3 horizontal lines across sheet (thirds) or use construction paper to divide (see above example). Background objects are either drawn, painted or constructed with paper and pasted onto top line. Repeat process for mid- and foreground. Remind sizing and possible overlapping.

Extension:

Complete the project again with a different horizon subject. This time, in addition to size, emphasize how objects far away are less detailed and less coloured. Try having the same object repeated 3x for each point on the horizon line (back-, mid-, and foreground). For example, a tree repeated should be small, pale, and with no detail in the background. Larger in size and increased detail and colour in midground. Larger still and with extensive detail (e.g., bird in tree is visible) in foreground.

The Bus

Materials:

• IPad or camera to take different perspective shots
• Photocopier/paper to print out reference photos
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Sketch pad/paper

Instructions:

Discuss Kahlo’s many portraits and how they all come from the same perspective (frontal perspective). Discuss how her paintings may look very different if they were done from a different perspective. Take some time to look at one another from differing viewpoints (top down and bottom up). Take a photo of yourself from a top down perspective. Copy and use as reference to recreate through sketching. Repeat process using a bottom up perspective. Compare finished pieces when complete.

Extension:

Complete project with varying subjects (e.g., objects found in nature, items around the classroom).

Self-portrait in a Velvet Dress

Self-portrait Time Flies

Portrait of a Woman in White

Materials:

See instructions as materials vary depending on choice of medium/activity.

Instructions:

Using Kahlo’s The Frame as inspiration, create your own frame for your own self-portrait. Using a photo or drawing of yourself, create your own large scale, colourful frame filled with objects you like. Use any medium you prefer.

The Frame