Elementary

The Essential Questions
How can we use unconventional materials to create art?

Objective
Students will create a collage portrait inspired by artist Salvador Dalí.

Materials
9 x 12" (23 x 20 cm) paper, teacher-created template for the eyes (see step two), glue sticks, scissors

Procedures
1. Introduce students to the work of artist Salvador Dalí, emphasizing its surreal and dreamlike quality. Then introduce the lesson with a finished collage.
2. Direct students to sift through magazines to find prints, patterns, and textures for their portraits. Ask them to begin by cutting out a large circle for the head before moving on to the other features. Students can use a teacher-created template to create the eyes or find and cut out these features individually.
3. Students continue to cut out shapes for the nose, mouth, ears, hair, neck, and shoulders. Once all the features have been collected, have them arrange their collage portrait on their final paper before layering and gluing the pieces.
4. If extra time is permitted, students can create a border or other accessories with magazine scraps.

Assessment
Does the portrait include all the pieces required (e.g., head, neck, shoulders, hair)? Is the portrait a clear representation of a person?

Jenna Cleary is an art education specialist at The Shape of Art in Audubon, New Jersey.