Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Portrait, Please! [Pdf]
In this lesson, students are guided in how to interpret a portrait and in how to plan a portrait that is a drawing or a photograph.
J. Paul Getty Trust
J. Paul Getty Museum: Bernini and the Birth of Baroque Portrait Sculpture
Slideshow of important pieces by the renowned Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Includes photos of sculptures and drawings and brief explanations of each piece.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Ornette Coleman
A brief audio discussion of Elaine de Kooning's charcoal drawing of saxophonist, Ornette Coleman. Interesting comments by Wendy Wicks Reaves, curator at the National Portrait Gallery.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: John Frederick Finerty by Diego Rivera
Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, explains how this charcoal drawing by Diego Rivera reflects his usual medium of painting murals.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Herblock's Presidents
Features an online exhibition of the presidential political cartoons of Herbert Block being shown at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Contains drawings from Franklin Roosevelt through Bill Clinton which can be viewed by...
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Paul Allen
From an exhibit of hedcuts from the Wall Street Journal. Two dot-drawings of Paul Allen accompany a biography of this computer entrepreneur.
Goshen College
Art Department: Self Portrait Montage
Take the pressure off your students of drawing the human face. With this lesson create a self-portrait with collage materials.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: F. Scott Fitzgerald
This brief biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald draws on his ability to realistically portray life during the "Jazz Age," a phrase coined by Fitzgerald. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Activities" offers related materials.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: Ernest Hemingway
Drawing on the monstrosities of World War I, Ernest Hemingway presents male characters persevering through many difficult circumstances in his works, as highlighted in this biography. See "Ernest Hemingway Activities" for more resources.
Other
Dayton Art Institute: An European Portrait
Before cameras were invented artists painted portraits to show what people looked like. This website shows a famous portrait done by artist Peter Paul Rubens and tells you how to create a portrait on your own.
PBS
Pbs: Portrait of Crispus Attucks in Boston Massacre
PBS presents a drawing by Henry Pelham of the shooting of Crispus Attucks during the Boston Massacre.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: Sherwood Anderson
Sherwood Anderson is the focus of this biography drawing upon his manner of writing about small town Americans not actively involved in the modernization of the twentieth century. See "Sherwood Anderson Activities" for related resources.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Modernist Portraits: Wallace Stevens
Wallace Stevens is featured in this succinct biography for his modernistic poetry which draws upon his theory regarding the importance of perception. See "Wallace Stevens Activities" for related resources.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Martha Stewart
See the two hedcuts of Martha Stewart from an exhibit of Wall Street Journal hedcuts and read a brief biography of her business life.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Jerry Yang
From an exhibit of hedcuts from the Wall Street Journal are these two hedcuts by two different artists of Jerry Yang, developer of Yahoo. Included is a brief chronology of his business.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Frederick Smith
Read about Frederick Smith's business plan for Federal Express, which he developed while in college. Included is a hedcut from an exhibit of hedcuts from Wall Street Journal.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Bill Gates
A hedcut of Bill Gates from the Wall Street Journal along with a brief account of his development of Microsoft Corporation.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Oprah Winfrey
As part of an exhibit of hedcuts from the Wall Street Journal is this picture of Oprah Winfrey accompanied by a brief biography emphasizing her success in business.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Mona Mesa: What Is Your Opinion? [Pdf]
In this activity, 1st graders look at a print of "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo DaVinci and talk about what they see, searching for visual clues to help them form an opinion. They discuss the importance of portrait paintings during the...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Self Portraiture 101 [Pdf]
In this lesson, students will explore self-portraiture by looking at classical portrait paintings, such as Diego Velazquez's La Infanta Margarita or Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione. A close look at these works reveals...
Other
Artnatomy/artnatomia: Anatomical Facial Expression Learning Tool
A magnificent Flash interactive tool useful for teaching and learning about the anatomical foundation of facial expression. Expandable animated images overlay each other to show both the structure of the skull and the muscles employed...
Web Gallery of Art
Web Gallery of Art: Leonardo Da Vinci
A superb online collection of Leonardo's art. View many of his masterworks at this site, along with drawings, paintings, and inventions. Each reproduction includes a short commentary. A detailed biography is included, with embedded links...
Other
Art Junction: Art Sparkers
Ideas to jump-start imaginations and inspire creative work related to personal understanding and discovery. Ideas include instructions for creating family portraits, community maps, storm scenes, and similar multidisciplinary artworks.