7th grade artists have been seeing color in checkered squares while painting their pixel-inspired portraits!
The inspiration for this art unit was based on simplified figures created in the style of an 8-bit video game design. We had a photo-shoot in the courtyard where students took turns posing for their source images to then modify as a simplified profile. The students traced the contours of their photos in sharpie marker and flipped them over to reveal the silhouettes.
The "pixeled" style of 8-bit graphic video games in the 70's and 80's was due to the storing capacity of colors that could be displayed in low-resolution with the computer hardware and processing technology of the time. Today, this pixel-style is seen as nostalgic and is sometimes used intentionally in certain video game designs.
While this unit focused on color mixing to represent the pixels that would make up their profiles, it also incorporated drawing technique to demonstrate accurate facial proportions. Their photos were printed in 4.5 x 6 inch dimensions that the students measured 0.5 inch lines across to create a grid that scaled up to 9 x 12 inch final papers. We labeled the grid letters A-I and numbers 1-12 on both their photos and measured the final canvas with 1 inch grid lines using the same labels. This created a visual map to follow one section at a time as they drew their profiles onto the larger paper. Shading the background space in pencil also helped for them to see where the outline of their silhouettes stood out on the paper.
After they had finished drawing onto canvas, we reviewed color theory principles by mixing tints, tones, and shades. I had the students plan their color combinations by shading values in colored pencil on their photos to demonstrate value and contrast in their silhouettes from the background squares.
To best utilize class time, I emphasized the values of 1-2 colors for light and dark squares in just one sample section of their photo source paper to demonstrate the pixel effect before moving on to paint.
We started painting the silhouettes by outlining each square with a dot inside before filling in the paint of each section to keep the checkered pattern going. This gave my students the focus to only mix the different values of one color at a time.
We talked about having lighter values in the face from the tones in their hair and shoulders to separate each section with contrast from each other.
Once their silhouettes were complete, they moved on to painting in their background colors!
Some students wanted to outline their features in sharpie marker to accentuate their features but others prefered to keep their sections defined by hues.
These 7th graders did an incredible job demonstrating color theory, contrast, and value to represent themselves with progressing painting skills.
As I look at their colorful pixel portraits, I can easily recognize the likeness of each individual person who has been playfully painted as if 8-bit superheros in a video game.
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