This Art and design video explores how self-portraits can communicate more than a person’s appearance by using words and phrases to give clues about identity. The children consider what they would like others to learn about them through their artwork, choosing words that communicate their personality, interests or things that are important to them.

The video demonstrates how to place tracing paper over a photograph and write words along the lines of a portrait. The children explore changing the size and placement of text to make particular ideas stand out, helping them understand how artists can make purposeful choices to communicate meaning through their work.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Art and design painting videos, which support teachers in developing confidence and subject knowledge as they help children explore artistic processes and communicate their ideas through art.

See more of our Year 5 Art and design scheme of work.

• Art and design, Year 5, Painting and mixed media: Expressive portraits, Lesson 2: Personality portraits.
• Art and design, Year 5, Painting and mixed media: Expressive portraits.