Colorful drawing of a smiling woman surrounded by hearts and flowers with colored pencils.

Self-Portrait Guided Drawing

Draw and Color Project

Let’s play with shape and color! This abstract portrait project lets students exercise their creativity along with their drawing and coloring skills.

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Dixon Ticonderoga Materials:

  • Prang® Thick Core Colored Pencils, 8 count
  • Prang® Triangular Colored Pencils, 12 count
  • Prang® Drawing & Color Paper Pad

Other Materials:

  • Pencil
  • Permanent marker
  • Eraser
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Step One

Give each student a piece of paper, placing in front of them in a portrait (vertical) orientation.

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Step Two

With a pencil, lightly trace a circular object for the head. Add a U shape underneath it for the jaw.

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Step Three

With a permanent marker, trace the outer shape of the head and jaw. Add lines below it for a neck and shoulders.

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Step Four

Using a pencil, draw a pair of guidelines: a vertical line from the top of the head to the chin; and a horizontal line from side to side, slightly above the mid point.

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Step Five

Draw the eyes along the horizontal guideline. Use your fingers to measure consistent spacing.

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Step Six

Draw the other facial features. For the best proportions, lightly draw guide marks for the nose and mouth. The bottom point of the nose should be halfway between where the guidelines cross and the chin, while the mouth should be halfway between the bottom point of the nose and the chin.

Step Seven

Draw ears, hair, and any other details to create a complete face. Add abstract shapes like those in the “Lines + Designs = Patterns” handout below to decorate the face and hair.

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Step Eight

Trace the pencil drawing with a permanent marker. Do not trace any of the pencil guidelines.

Step Nine

Erase all remaining pencil marks.

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Step Ten

With the permanent marker, draw four lines radiating out from the face to create quadrants.

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Step Eleven

Fill the quadrants in with additional abstract shapes from the “Lines + Designs = Patterns” handout below.

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Step Twelve

Use the colored pencils to color in the drawing. Experiment with value by varying how hard you push the pencil down when coloring. Experiment with blending colors by using one color on top of another (this is particularly useful for creating skin tones).

Prang Cassie Self Portrait Colored Pencils

National Core Arts Standards

Creating, Anchor Standard 1
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.


Creating, Anchor Standard 2
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.


Creating, Anchor Standard 3
Refine and complete artistic work.

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