Lesson Plan #2: Basquiat Inspired Self Portraits

Students learned about the artist Jean Michel-Basquiat and did some close looking at his paintings. We discussed how Basquiat used text and symbols to convey a message to the viewer. Students started their pieces by practicing blind contour portraits, where they would look at their reflection on Zoom and draw their faces without looking at the paper. This allowed them to create more abstract versions of themselves. Students then brainstormed different words, phrases, and symbols they could include in their portraits that would give details about who they are. Students used oil pastels and crayons to complete the final self portraits.