Above: Left: Objects of our Affections, 2013. Photos by Rigoberto Luna. Right: : Left: Objects of our Affections, 2013. Rigoberto Luna: Vinyl Self-Portraits ABOUT THE ARTIST Rigoberto Luna is a local designer and San Antonio native who grew up on the South Side, attended Southwest High School, then went to Pratt Institute (where he got his degree in graphic design), living in NYC for about six years he returned to San Antonio. Rigo was a showcase artist as Artpace 2012 Chalk It Up and in 2009 he was a feature artist at Artpace Chalk It Up. LESSON OVERVIEW If you had to describe yourself to another by only showing them objects, what would these objects be? This lesson will appraise individuality, allowing students to identify their personality and how to represent it through artistic expression. Students will scan an image of 4-5 objects that portray to the world a self-portrait. Using photographs students will replicate an image of their face with contour lines and transfer it with vinyl print outs onto their photograph of objects. Above: Rigoberto Luna. Photo credit: Janelle Esparza OBJECTIVES In this lesson, students will: Define what a self-portrait is and the numerous ways it can be expressed. Interpret a self-portrait to others through objects
Use diverse contour lines to replicate an image of their face. Identify the appropriate amount of contrast that should be given to the image of their face. MATERIALS Epson Scanner Box to go on top of scanner to block out light 4-5 objects from students Camera Pencil Print outs of student bust portraits (11 x 17 ) Carbon paper Tape Frames (11 x 17 ) Vinyl Printer or black/white butcher paper as a replacement for vinyl stickers Resource images of Rigoberto s artwork WARM-UP Compare and contrast Rigo s self-portraits with Chuck Ramirez. Discuss what a self-portrait is and can be. Show images of Chuck Ramirez s large scale portrait photographs to provoke inquires and debates about what a self-portrait is and how the objects we interact with in our daily life can represent us. PROCEDURE The student will 1. Stand in front of a white wall and have a picture taken (shoulders and up). These portraits should be printed out on 11 x 17 computer paper. 2. Bring in 4-5 objects from home that describes them. 3. Place their 4-5 objects inside a box that is over a Epson scanner. Objects should then be scanned and printed out on 11 x 17 photo paper. Above: Students work in progress. Photo credit to Jenella Esparza.
4. Receive their printed out bust portraits, a blank piece of paper the same size, and a piece of carbon paper. Student will place the plain piece of paper on table first, then carbon paper (black side down), then the photograph on top. Tape these layers down so they do not shift during the tracing process. 5. Begin tracing the features of their bust photographs with a pencil. They can shade in their hair if they choose to help them later in the process. 6. Once their done tracing they can take their photograph and carbon paper off. On their blank 11 x 17 computer paper there should be an outline left behind from previous tracing. 7. Using this tracing as a guide, students will go back in with a permanent marker and draw thicker contour lines and color in any features they want. The thicker the lines, the better. 8. This image will then be scanned in and printed off of a vinyl printer. If you do not have a vinyl printer you can enhance the contour line portraits on a computer an image application (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.). Enhance the photo to high contrast and only black and white. Then using black or white butcher paper the student can cut out their busts as a replacement for the vinyl sticker. 9. Last, the vinyl transfer sticker will be placed on top of the photograph of objects and peeled away to leave only the vinyl contour of student. Above: Student example of finished Vinyl SelfPortrait. Photo by Francisco Cortes DISCUSSION QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS How do you think Rigoberto Luna created this photograph? What is vinyl? What are other things that are made with vinyl?
Vinyl is typically associated with advertising techniques such as, banners, posters, and signs. These signs all utilize typography, if you were to chose a font that describes you what would it be? What objects did you bring in to describe yourself? Why do they describe you? What other object were you thinking about bringing? Examine what someone else in the class brought in, why do you think it describes them? How is another why you could make a self-portrait other then taking a picture of yourself? A place? A pattern? Etc. What would you title this piece? EXTENSIONS Write a short essay on the object you chose for your project. What objects did you bring and why are they important to you? Research other contemporary artists that use vinyl in their work. How are they using it differently than in our projects? Vinyl is typically known for advertising and employing typography, if you were to choose three words to describe you to add to your project what would they be? What font would you choose? FOR OLDER STUDENTS Identify the commercial/advertising uses of vinyl. What are the pros and cons? Duplicate your vinyl image in different colors and associate it with the pop-art movement. FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS Do a warm up exercise with the students on contour lines. Show students the differences you can achieve with thick and thin lines. Create a vinyl portrait for your family. Think of your objects that associate to you family history, culture, and traditions. TEKS FINE ART o 117.8 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.b), (b.4) o 117.11 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.a), (b.4) o 117.14 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3), (b.4) o 117.17 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.b), (b.4) SCIENCE o 112.10-112.17 (b.2.e)
o 112.17-112.20 (b.2.b) ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING o 110.10-110.16 (b.18.c) o 110.17-110.26 (b.13.a, B, D) SOCIAL STUDIES o 113.10-113.16 (b.2.b), (b.11.a, B), (b.12.a, B), (b.13.a) o 113.16-113.20 (b.18.a, C, D) TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS o 126.6 (b.1.a-d), (b.2.b-d), (b.4.b) o 126.7 (b.1.a, C), (b.2.c), (b.3.b, D) o 126.14-126.16 (b.1.2), (c.1.b, C), (c.4.a, B) MATH o 111.2 (b.1.b, C), (b.2.d, (b.6.a-f) o 111.3-111.5 (b.a-c)