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      Relief sculpture profile portrait

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can create a profile portrait relief sculpture.

      Key learning points

      1. A relief sculpture is a type of artwork where shapes are built up on a flat surface.
      2. Materials such as clay and cardboard can be used to create a relief sculpture.
      3. Cutting out and layering different shapes will create a three-dimensional relief cardboard sculpture.
      4. Artists evaluate their completed work to reflect, learn, and improve their skills.

      Keywords

      • Relief sculpture - raised or carved areas on a flat surface

      • Materials - the resources that artists, craftspeople and designers use to create artwork

      • Evaluate - when we think about our artwork to understand how good it is and how we could make it better

      Common misconception

      Students may attempt to create a piece that resembles a two-dimensional image as a result of not layering the materials.

      Students should be reminded to layer materials to create a three-dimensional piece.

      Teacher tip

      Consider looking at Ali Golzad who is an artist who creates art from recycled cardboard to tell important stories about people who have had to leave their homes. His artwork shows strength and courage, helping people understand the experiences of others around the world.

      Equipment

      For this lesson, students wil need access to recycled materials.

      Content guidance

      Risk assessment required - equipment

      Supervision

      Adult supervision required

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      What 2D shape do you get when you draw a round, curved line that goes back to where it started?

      square
      triangle
      Correct answer: circle
      rectangle

      Q2.
      Match the facial features to their relative locations in a portrait.

      Correct Answer:eyes,in the middle of the face
      Correct Answer:nose,near the centre of the face, slightly down
      Correct Answer:mouth,close to the bottom of the face
      Correct Answer:ear,on the side of the head

      Q3.
      When creating a portrait, you can use to outline the shape of the face.

      straight lines
      Correct answer: curved lines
      dotted lines
      zigzag lines

      Q4.
      When taking a photo of a profile portrait, which part of the body should you focus on?

      the front of their face
      Correct answer: the side of their face
      their hands
      their feet

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      When using scissors to cut shapes for a profile portrait relief, you should always cut ...

      quickly.
      Correct answer: carefully.
      randomly.

      Q2.
      What is a key feature of a relief sculpture?

      It is flat with no raised areas.
      Correct answer: It has shapes that are raised or built up on a flat surface.
      It is only made of drawings on paper.
      It is a photograph.

      Q3.
      When making a profile portrait relief sculpture, it’s important to think about how to layer and arrange the ...

      colours.
      Correct answer: shapes.
      words.
      sounds.

      Q4.
      Match the keyword to the correct definition.

      Correct Answer:relief sculpture,raised or carved areas on a flat surface
      Correct Answer:sculpture,a work of art that is three-dimensional
      Correct Answer:evaluate,when we think about how good our artwork is and how it could be better

      To help you plan your 2 art and design lesson on: Relief sculpture profile portrait, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...