• Professional Master of Education

Robin Edward Leavy

Celebrity Portraiture – 4th Year Project – Loreto Beaufort, Rathfarnham 2019

This transition year project involved students selecting a celebrity of their choice and making a portrait based on the theme of ‘Fame’. The images represented are the visual aids I used to teach the learners about the art of portraiture.
Although 4th year is generally considered a year for secondary school students to explore their potential subject options for the Senior Cycle, the vast majority of the small class I taught in Loreto Beaufort, were gifted learners and creative practitioners. Therefore, while differentiation was indeed part of assessing the learners, I found these students were well capable of applying themselves to the project. The overall decision to engage in the theme of the project came from the student’s voice.
I believe students become far more engaged in project work when you actively listen to your students.
The aim of the projects was to introduce students to portraiture. More specifically, the project involved students studying AEDP including; facial 'proportion,' 'tone,' 'line,' 'volume,' 'depth,' 'scale,' 'texture', and 'structure.'