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GRADES 3–5 · Eyes · Expressive Portraits

Build an Eye in Layers: Change the Mood

Name ____________________ Date __________

WHAT YOU WILL MAKE

Create two related studies labeled with their intended moods, focusing on build an eye in layers. Use the subject steps as practice before making this final pair or set.

Shared feature reference for Eyes — Shared feature reference. It may not show this task’s exact pose, accessory, or style. Use the teacher’s matching reference too.

Draw it step by step

Start lightly before adding detail. Make two versions of the same feature or portrait with different moods. Keep the identity clear while changing your drawing choices.

Choose two moods, such as calm and excited. Plan how line pressure, angle, gaze, silhouette, or contrast could suggest each.
Mark the two eye corners.
Join them with lid curves and place the iris.
Erase extra guides, add the lid crease, then compare with your reference.
Repeat the study with the second mood. Keep two identifying shapes the same. Change at least two visual choices, then ask a partner what each version suggests.

Watch out → Try this

Common drawing problem: Adding small details before the main shapes and placement are clear.

Repair: Return to the first subject step: Mark the two eye corners. Compare the biggest shapes before refining.

Check your work: Did your first marks help you place the details? Name two changed choices and two shapes you kept. A viewer may interpret the mood differently.

Materials: pencil, eraser, paper, and a mirror or teacher-approved reference. Optional black drawing pen; no painting required.

Build an Eye in Layers: Change the Mood · Practice page

Name ____________________ Make light trials first. Divide a box further if your task needs extra versions.

1 · Observe and plan

2 · First drawing

3 · Change one choice

4 · Independent application

My evidence: Did your first marks help you place the details? Name two changed choices and two shapes you kept. A viewer may interpret the mood differently.

I changed __________________ because I noticed __________________.

My next practice goal: __________________________________________________

Teach this handout · 30–45 minutes

Prepare: Provide a mirror or clear teacher-approved feature reference. Explain that students are practicing decisions, not copying every detail of the illustration.

Demonstrate: Demonstrate the subject sequence: Mark the two eye corners. Join them with lid curves and place the iris. Erase extra guides, add the lid crease, then compare with your reference. Then show how the final style step changes the drawing.

5 minutes noticing, 5 demonstrating, 15–25 drawing and revising, 5 sharing. Collect the practice page and a specific explanation of one change. Evaluate the target skill and revision—not attractiveness or speed.

Grade	Support and challenge
3	Use a large feature study and one observed change. Supply page divisions and model the first landmark. Two trials are enough before application.
4	Complete the listed sequence. Compare two versions and label the contour, proportion, or overlap that changed.
5	Use an unfamiliar reference or second viewpoint after mastering the first. Explain which choices should stay consistent when simplifying or exaggerating.

Offer adapted grips, larger spaces, extra time, or a spoken reflection. Use fictional characters for deliberate distortion; do not mock classmates or stereotype identities. Obtain consent before drawing a peer. Proportion guides are comparisons, not rules for all faces.

Shared demonstration: plan → add major forms → refine. It supports the process, not every task-specific outcome. Print this image separately if wanted.