8-Week Art Study: Faces of Emotion — The Art of Expression and Individuality

Overview

Students will explore how artists throughout history—and today—capture human emotion and identity through facial expression. They’ll learn facial structure, proportion, and expressive details while connecting their artmaking to literary themes of peer pressure, conformity, and authenticity to accompany their CommonLit ELA unit Following the Crowd.

By the end, each student will complete a final expressive portrait (self, peer, or imagined figure) that communicates an emotional or social theme connected to the ELA unit.

Week-by-Week Plan

Week 1: The Human Face as Story

Theme: What do faces reveal—and what do we hide?

• Art Focus: Basic facial proportions and placement (eyes, nose, mouth, ears)

• Artists:

  • Leonardo da Vinci (study of human proportions)

  • Alice Neel – honest, emotional portraiture that captures personality over perfection

• Activities:

  • Sketch basic head shapes using the Loomis method or simple oval guides.

  • Quick sketches of classmates’ neutral expressions.

  • ELA connection: Journal — “When do I hide my true feelings in a crowd?”

Week 2: Observing Emotion

Theme: Reading emotion — subtle vs. exaggerated expressions

• Art Focus: Anatomy of facial muscles and emotional cues (eyebrows, mouth, eyes)

• Artists:

  • Käthe Kollwitz – expressive emotion in portraiture and printmaking

  • Norman Rockwell – exaggerated but authentic expressions

• Activities:

  • Draw from mirrors showing 5 basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared).

  • Expression thumbnail sketches (10 quick faces).

  • ELA connection: Compare to a literary character who “goes along” versus one who resists.

Week 3: Identity and Authenticity

Theme: What makes a face yours?

• Art Focus: Proportion variation, individuality, and avoiding “generic faces”

• Artists:

  • Frida Kahlo – self-portraiture and emotional honesty

  • Amy Sherald – modern portrait artist who redefines representation and individuality

• Activities:

  • Self-portrait from mirror — line only, no shading.

  • Write reflection: “What expression best represents my true self?”

Week 4: Group Dynamics

Theme: Faces in the crowd — sameness and difference

• Art Focus: Composition with multiple faces and variation in emotion

• Artists:

  • Yayoi Kusama – repetition and pattern

  • Njideka Akunyili Crosby – layers of identity and community

• Activities:

  • Sketch a crowd scene or repeated faces with subtle expression changes.

  • Discuss: “When does repetition feel safe? When does it feel oppressive?”

Week 5: Light, Shadow, and Depth

Theme: What’s visible, what’s hidden

• Art Focus: Shading techniques to model the face (light source, value)

• Artists:

  • Carrie Mae Weems – use of light and shadow in storytelling photography

  • Rembrandt van Rijn – chiaroscuro for emotional depth

• Activities:

  • Practice shading on spheres, then apply to a portrait sketch.

  • Photograph your own face with strong directional light for reference.

Week 6: Modern Media and Mood

Theme: Curated expressions — are our “faces” real online?

• Art Focus: Expression through digital or mixed media

• Artists:

  • Cindy Sherman – constructed identities and performance in portraits

  • Liu Bolin – blending into surroundings, “The Invisible Man”

• Activities:

  • Create a “filtered self-portrait” — real vs. social media face.

  • Discuss ELA connections: conformity in digital culture.

Week 7: Final Project — Draft and Refinement

Theme: Expressing truth through art

• Art Focus: Composition planning, refinement, emotional clarity

• Activities:

  • Draft expressive portrait (self or imagined figure showing emotion tied to “following the crowd”).

  • Peer critique focused on emotion readability.

  • Artist statement draft: “The story behind my expression.”

Week 8: Exhibition — Faces of the Crowd

Theme: Standing out and speaking up

• Art Focus: Presentation and reflection

• Activities:

  • Finalize expressive portrait (traditional, mixed media, or digital).

  • Write short reflection connecting portrait to ELA theme: “What does my face say about conformity and individuality?”

  • Host mini-gallery walk titled Faces of the Crowd.

Skills Progression

By the end of 8 weeks, students will be able to:

• Draw accurate facial proportions

• Capture distinct emotional expressions

• Use light, value, and detail to add realism and depth

• Create portraits that communicate emotion and meaning

• Connect visual expression to literary themes of identity and conformity

Optional Materials & Tools

• Graphite pencils (HB–6B)

• Charcoal and blending tools

• Mirrors or tablets for self-reference

• Digital drawing apps (if available)

• Sketchbook for daily practice and journaling