Surrealistic Me was an international artistic challenge aimed at high school students. Classrooms around the world could participate and upload their work online for judging.

This lesson encouraged students to push their creative and technical boundaries and share their work with a global audience.

A book will be published with selected works from students, with all proceeds going to benefit the Jacaranda Foundation for AIDS orphans in Malawi.

Holly Patterson

Selena Tavanh

PROJECT:Students will create digital self portraits that are heavily edited in Photoshop to demonstrate a surreal version of them.

Surrealism: A movement in art that seeks to broaden reality by dealing with the subconscious, the result often takes on the form of fantasy, dreams, symbols or the grotesque.

sub·con·sciousadjective 1. existing or operating in the mind beneath or beyond consciousness: the subconscious self.

noun 2. the totality of mental processes of which the individual is not aware; unreportable mental activities.

Examples 2012: Alicia Licari, Ashley Sacco,Julia Benbenek

Examples 2012: Julia Williamson, Selena Tevanh, Holly Patterson

•Rene Magritte – Belgian Surrealist painter. Magritte used very ordinary everyday objects and put an unusual twist on them.

What interesting visual trick is Magritte playing in these paintings?

Be thinking of ways that you can play tricks on viewers with photos.

Click here for more information on Magritte

•Salvadore Dali - Spanish Surrealist painter. His works usually contain heavy symbolism. Some repeating symbols in his works were insects, elephants and bizarre landscapes.

Click here for more information on Dali

What words might you use to describe these pieces?

Lesson OBJECTIVEStudents will… •learn to use a variety of techniques to help create strange and dreamlike images.•Focus on manipulating light (exposure) and value (light/dark) to add a sense of feeling and drama to help communicate meaning in their photos.

1st CLASS PROCEDURE – Students will…Step 1: Look at ExamplesStep 2: Complete Digital WorksheetStep 3: FOR HW, start if you have time – Will be checked next class! Plan & sketch out your 3 Surrealistic Portraits using the planning sheet, then have Mrs. E sign for approval.

Steps to finishing the Project… Have ideas sketched & approved by Mrs. E

Shoot Photographs @ home or after school that you need to create your 3 portraits.

Bring images to school, edit photos to create images. (2/11 AC or 2/12 BD)

Create an image file of all original pictures used & any copied from internet (May use a MAX of 3 pictures from the internet).

Grading:• Format images for grading• Have peer review and grade you project• Complete project reflection• Have project graded by Mrs. E

STEP 1: Look through these links at examples of Surrealist Images. Choose 2PORTRAIT images that you like the most. Save them to your U:drive.

Click HERE for Inspiration Images – Gallery 1Click HERE for Inspiration Images – Gallery 2

STEP 2: The link below will take you the classroom website. There is a file you will save on your U:drive and open to complete in Photoshop (“Surrealism Worksheet”). There is also a link to a page that describes techniques used by artists to create Surreal Images. You will need this to answer a few questions AND help plan your ideas.

Click HERE to go to Worksheet File & Technique Link

Step 3: FOR HW, start if you have time – Will be checked next class! Plan & sketchout your 3 Surrealistic Portraits using the planning sheet, then have Mrs. E sign forapproval. Get planning sheet from Mrs. E

Your Work for Today…

Click Here for Digital Book of Project Examples