Using portraiture to reveal and conceal identities
I can play with negative space and mark-making to create an expressive portrait.
- Year 9
Using portraiture to reveal and conceal identities
I can play with negative space and mark-making to create an expressive portrait.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Portraits often reveal how a person looks, but artists can also create portraits that conceal their physical appearance.
- Portraits can challenge us to look at people from different perspectives rather than traditional representations.
- Negative space portraits can help to reveal other aspects of identity.
- Playing with materials to express emotions can bring our feelings to the forefront of our portraits.
Keywords
Conceal - to hide or obscure parts of something
Reveal - to show or uncover something that might not be obvious
Positive space - the area occupied by the main subject
Negative space - the empty area around or within a subject in an artwork
Silhouette - a dark shape or outline usually filled with black
Common misconception
Negative space just means there’s nothing there — it’s empty or unfinished
Negative space may look ‘empty,’ but artists use it intentionally to draw attention elsewhere — it helps us focus on shape, emotion, or story without showing everything. It’s a powerful choice, not a mistake.
Equipment
Paper, scissors, glue sticks, black paint or ink, brushes, water pots, palettes, pencils, coloured pencils, felt tips, collage materials, optional unusual materials (e.g. coffee, tea), silhouettes.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Portraits can tells us about the without including a figure or face.
Q2.Match the following definitions with the correct terms.
