Victorian portraits

Milbourne Lodge School, Surrey

Year 5 (9 and 10 year-olds)

The art room became a Victorian dressing room as children tried on period costumes and accessories from a selection hired from Surrey Costume Library. They loved wearing spats and bustles, moustaches, bowler hats and cravats. They posed for photographs in full costume, selecting one as the basis for a self-portrait study.

Placing a sheet of acetate film over the photograph, they created an outline using a permanent pen. They then drew simplified faces and added details. The acetates were enlarged onto paper and the students used a Victorian colour palette to paint the tones. As they worked, the students learnt about characters from the 1800s: from Charles Dickens to Queen Victoria - and of course, Renoir himself.

Tiggy Bawden (Head of Art) and Sybil Carey (Head of ICT)

© Milbourne Lodge School. Photo: The National Gallery, London.