Art History Alive

This project will test your organizational skills and patience because it's a rather large-scale work but the end product is exceptional and students will learn so much art history!

Art History Alive is a project I inherited so the credit for this idea goes to those who came before me. The concept is simple - students re-create a famous portrait in life size and they are challenged to paint and pose as close to the original as possible. Students also create a presentation about their chosen artist describe the artist's life, style, and significance.

Here is the process that students went through to create their final compositions. I've also included some words of warning to help you and your students avoid potential pitfalls.

1. Students form groups of no more than four people. Work must be divided between all members for both the painting, research, and presentation portions of the project.
2. Students select a famous portrait and its artist as the focus of their project. Make sure it is the original painting and hasn't been copied or photo edited by anyone else. Click here for reputable sources to find an artwork.
3. Students paint the portrait's background approximately 2-3 yards long on bulletin board or heavy duty paper. Any details that cannot be re-created physically should also be painted into the background. Remind your students to mix paint on their palette rather than the paper because too much paint/too many layers on such a large work can lead to rips and holes.
4. Students will gather objects, furniture, and accessories to complete the portrait and pose for a photo reproduction.
5. Students will research their chosen artist and create a presentation to be shared with the class including the following information:
1. Biographic information (birth and death, nationality and residence, relevant spouses, etc)
2. Art style - DESCRIBE this style and what makes it unique.
3. Influences - other artists that worked at the same time or came before this artist that helped them develop.
4. Major artworks - which ones are in museums or important for people to know about?
5. Interesting facts - did they accomplish something important or do anything crazy during their life (most famous artists have at least one skeleton in their closet).
6. Not-so-gentle reminder: plagiarism is a crime and indicates that you don't understand what you've been learning because you can't put it in your own words. If something sounds good but doesn't make sense keep looking for a resource that explains it in a way that you understand. You should be able to define every word you use to describe your artist. Also, CITE YOUR SOURCES.