Rigoberto Luna Vinyl Self-Portraits - ArtpaceRigoberto Luna is a local designer and San Antonio native who grew up on the South Side, attended Southwest High School, then went to Pratt

Artpace San Antonio 445 North Main Avenue San Antonio, Texas 78205-1441 210.212.4900 www.artpace.org

ABOUT THE ARTIST Rigoberto Luna is a local designer and San Antonio native who

grew up on the South Side, attended Southwest High School, then

went to Pratt Institute (where he got his degree in graphic design),

living in NYC for about six years he returned to San Antonio. Rigo

was a showcase artist as Artpace 2012 Chalk It Up and in 2009

he was a feature artist at Artpace Chalk It Up.

LESSON OVERVIEW If you had to describe yourself to another by only showing them

objects, what would these objects be? This lesson will appraise

individuality, allowing students to identify their personality and how

to represent it through artistic expression. Students will scan an

image of 4-5 objects that portray to the world a self-portrait.

Using photographs students will replicate an image of their face

with contour lines and transfer it with vinyl print outs onto their

photograph of objects.

OBJECTIVES In this lesson, students will:

• Define what a self-portrait is and the numerous ways it can be expressed.

• Interpret a self-portrait to others through objects

• Use diverse contour lines to replicate an image of their face.

• Identify the appropriate amount of contrast that should be given to the image of their

face.

Above: Left: Objects of our Affections, 2013 . Photos by Rigoberto Luna. Right: : Left: Objects of our Affections, 2013

Rigoberto Luna: Vinyl Self-Portraits

Above: Rigoberto Luna. Photo credit: Janelle

Esparza


MATERIALS

• Epson Scanner

• Box to go on top of scanner to block out light

• 4-5 objects from students

• Camera

• Pencil

• Print outs of student bust portraits (11” x 17”)

• Carbon paper

• Tape

• Frames (11” x 17”)

• Vinyl Printer or black/white butcher paper as a

replacement for vinyl stickers

• Resource images of Rigoberto’s artwork

WARM-UP

• Compare and contrast Rigo’s self-portraits with

Chuck Ramirez. Discuss what a self-portrait is

and can be. Show images of Chuck Ramirez’s

large scale portrait photographs to provoke

inquires and debates about what a self-portrait is

and how the objects we interact with in our daily

life can represent us.

PROCEDURE The student will…

1. Stand in front of a white wall and have a picture

taken (shoulders and up). These portraits should

be printed out on 11”x 17” computer paper.

2. Bring in 4-5 objects from home that describes

them.

3. Place their 4-5 objects inside a box that is over a

Epson scanner. Objects should then be

scanned and printed out on 11” x 17” photo

paper.

4. Receive their printed out bust portraits, a blank

piece of paper the same size, and a piece of

carbon paper. Student will place the plain piece

of paper on table first, then carbon paper (black

side down), then the photograph on top. Tape

these layers down so they do not shift during the

tracing process.

5. Begin tracing the features of their bust

photographs with a pencil. They can shade in

Above: Students work in progress. Photo credit to

Jenella Esparza.


their hair if they choose to help them later in the

process.

6. Once their done tracing they can take their

photograph and carbon paper off. On their blank

11” x 17” computer paper there should be an

outline left behind from previous tracing.

7. Using this tracing as a guide, students will go

back in with a permanent marker and draw

thicker contour lines and color in any features

they want. The thicker the lines, the better.

8. This image will then be scanned in and printed

off of a vinyl printer. If you do not have a vinyl

printer you can enhance the contour line portraits

on a computer an image application (Photoshop,

Illustrator, etc.). Enhance the photo to high

contrast and only black and white. Then using

black or white butcher paper the student can cut

out their busts as a replacement for the vinyl

sticker.

9. Last, the vinyl transfer sticker will be placed on

top of the photograph of objects and peeled

away to leave only the vinyl contour of student.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS

• How do you think Rigoberto Luna created this photograph?

• What is vinyl? What are other things that are made with vinyl?

• Vinyl is typically associated with advertising techniques such as, banners, posters,

and signs. These signs all utilize typography, if you were to chose a font that

describes you what would it be?

• What objects did you bring in to describe yourself? Why do they describe you?

What other object were you thinking about bringing?

• Examine what someone else in the class brought in, why do you think it describes

them?

• How is another why you could make a self-portrait other then taking a picture of

yourself? A place? A pattern? Etc.

• What would you title this piece?

Above: Student example of finished Vinyl Self-

Portrait. Photo by Francisco Cortes


EXTENSIONS

• Write a short essay on the object you chose for your project. What objects did you

bring and why are they important to you?

• Research other contemporary artists that use vinyl in their work. How are they using

it differently than in our projects?

• Vinyl is typically known for advertising and employing typography, if you were to

choose three words to describe you to add to your project what would they be?

What font would you choose?

FOR OLDER STUDENTS

• Identify the commercial/advertising uses of vinyl. What are the pros and cons?

• Duplicate your vinyl image in different colors and associate it with the pop-art

movement.

FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS

• Do a warm up exercise with the students on contour lines. Show students the

differences you can achieve with thick and thin lines.

• Create a vinyl portrait for your family. Think of your objects that associate to you

family history, culture, and traditions.

TEKS

• FINE ART o 117.8 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.B), (b.4)

o 117.11 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.A), (b.4)

o 117.14 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3), (b.4)

o 117.17 (b.1), (b.2), (b.3.B), (b.4)

• SCIENCE o 112.10-112.17 (b.2.E)

o 112.17-112.20 (b.2.B)

• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING o 110.10-110.16 (b.18.C)

o 110.17-110.26 (b.13.A, B, D)

• SOCIAL STUDIES o 113.10-113.16 (b.2.B), (b.11.A, B), (b.12.A, B), (b.13.A)

o 113.16-113.20 (b.18.A, C, D)

• TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS o 126.6 (b.1.A-D), (b.2.B-D), (b.4.B)

o 126.7 (b.1.A, C), (b.2.C), (b.3.B, D)

o 126.14-126.16 (b.1.2), (c.1.B, C), (c.4.A, B)

• MATH

o 111.2 (b.1.B, C), (b.2.D, (b.6.A-F)

o 111.3-111.5 (b.A-C)

Documents

Rigoberto Luna Vinyl Self-Portraits - ArtpaceRigoberto Luna is a local designer and San Antonio native who grew up on the South Side, attended Southwest High School, then went to Pratt