Lesson Overview
Students will view Portrait of a Young Man by Aaron Douglas. The class will discuss how this portrait makes them feel, then tell why they think the artist painted his portrait this way. Finally, the students will examine their own lives and illustrate their own self-portrait using facial proportion and charcoal techniques.

Art Exemplar
Title: Portrait of
a Young Man
Artist: Aaron Douglas
(1898 - 1979)
Medium: charcoal on paper
Date: 1960

Objectives
• Students will recognize the emotions present in Aaron Douglas’ Portrait of a Young Man by discussing the portrait with the class.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the multiple reasons behind the emotions Aaron Douglas displays in his self-portrait by creating their own self-portraits showing connections to their own life.
• Students will identify examples of honesty, courage, patriotism, and other admirable character traits seen in American history by discussing Aaron Douglas’ life.
• Students will interpret ideas, experiences, and stories about themselves by drawing a self-portrait using charcoal media.
• Students will apply facial guidelines by using the guidelines to create their self-portrait drawing.
Procedure

1. Aaron Douglas was born on May 26, 1898, in Topeka, Kansas. Find Kansas on a map.
2. He attended the University of NE in Lincoln. In 1922 he was the only African-American in his class.
3. He taught high school in Kansas City, Kansas. Find Kansas City on a map.
4. He made all kinds or art including murals and self-portraits.
5. He won many awards and encouraged other African-Americans to follow their dream of becoming artists.
6. Many people called him “The Father of Black American Art”.
7. He died in Nashville, Tennessee on February 3, 1979. Show map and figure out how old he was.
Activities
1. Look at Portrait of a Young Man by Aaron Douglas. (Give the students time to absorb the piece). Describe this portrait.
   • What do you see?
   • What do you think was used to make this portrait?
   • What do you think this man is looking at?
   • What emotion is this man showing? How can you tell?
   • What in his life would make him feel this way?
   • How does this man make you feel? Why?
   • What did Aaron Douglas do to show that he had good character?
2. Think about how you are feeling right now.
3. Make your body look the way you feel. If you are sad your body would be hunched over. Your face would have a frown.
4. Take a photo of each student while they demonstrate their feelings.
5. Use the photo to help you draw a self-portrait.
6. Observe the organization of a face. Eyes in the middle of the head space. Teach the facial structure guidelines for drawing a face.
7. Teach / practice drawing with the charcoal. Teach pressure, control of smudging, and shading.
8. Students practice using the charcoal and facial guidelines.
9. Students should observe their own face.
10. Students should draw their portrait using facial proportions and charcoal techniques.
Conclusion
1. Have the students tell why they chose to make their piece the way they did. What was it they were feeling and why.
2. Hang the portraits for display.
Extension Activities
1. Language Arts
   1. Students write a story to go with their self-portrait. Tell the story behind the feelings