Fun & Fast Family Portraits

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Fun & Fast Family Portraits
By Deborah Shelton

Making self-portraits and pictures of family, friends, and
even pets, is a great way to connect with children (and
it's a lot of fun!). There are so many imaginative ways to
create a person's image. Try these techniques, then invent
some of your own.

* Traditional. Drawing the way most of us are used to: with
pencils, crayons, markers, paint and paper. Just because
this uses traditional supplies doesn't mean that your
picture has to be traditional. Try out Picasso's abstract
style or even a minimalist portrait (think stick people
with a little more detail).

* Crafty. This is where all of those scrap pieces of fabric
and miscellaneous office supplies come in handy. Buttons,
flat marbles, googly eyes, and coiled paperclips work well
for eyes. Shredded paper strips, yarn, and shoelaces can be
used as hair. Small rubber bands are cute for curly hair.

* Food. Ah, the wonders of elbow macaroni...it's delicious
and artistic! Create a dry pasta portrait, or an edible
picture with slices of cucumbers or olives for eyes, small
carrots for noses, a slice of bell pepper for a mouth,
whipped cream hair--anything goes!

* Hands-On. In other words, finger painting! The secret to
having fun with this hands-on technique is to use only your
hands and fingers--no brushes. Double fingerprints, one
inside the other, work great for eyes. Apply dark lipstick
on your lips and kiss the paper to add a mouth!

* Artistic. Object painting can become very addictive once
you get started, so go through your garage sale box to find
plenty of "canvases." Paint portraits on clear dinner
plates, keepsake boxes, T-shirts, tote bags, and any other
object that lacks pizzazz.