Creative Portraits

This workshop was presented at EEE events in Madrid (2008) and Estonia (2009).

The aim of this exercise is to provide a means for individuals to give and receive feedback to and from others in the group. I have used this exercise with small groups of about 10 people. This makes this a potentially deep and meaningful activity for those involved. There is nothing to stop you using this with a larger group, except that you will need lots more materials, a large enough space to work in, and perhaps an expectation of a fun activity.

During the exercise individual members provide feedback to other group members based on their knowledge and experience of working together. Feedback is in the form of key messages given through the use of creative materials, for example: using a particular colour clothes to show that someone is kind, enthusiastic, happy etc. Each person works individually giving feedback to each of the other group members. Although this is essentially an individual activity, the end result is a collection of ‘portraits’.

Before you get stuck into the activity, have a discussion and list examples of how you might give your feedback messages. For example:
- What colour clothes would I wear? What hat would I have?
- What sport would I play?
- What is my facial expression?

These are not literally the clothes and colours that I am actually wearing, but more a representation of what I am like. It might be that there are contradictions where a person gets different messages about how different people see them.

This exercise is useful for giving positive feedback, but it can also highlight contradictions and mysteries about an individual. The depth to which you can go will really depend on group trust and confidence with each other, and more practically, how much time you have available.

The exercise can be done inside or out depending on the facilities and the weather. I have used it indoors in a large open space and outside on an enclosed patio. I also played lively music which kept us moving, focussed and gave a time frame for the activity. You do need to ensure that people are wearing old clothes, and take steps not to make mess that cannot be cleared up.

Activity Plan

- Introduce and prepare for the activity – about 15 minutes
- Make your portrait templates – about 15 minutes
- Giving your creative feedback – about 1 hour
- Close the session with a visit to each portrait to share messages and comments – about 20 minutes
- Clear up – about 10 minutes
- You can display your portraits on the wall afterwards if people are happy to share their creations.

How to create your ‘portraits’

1. Roll out two strips of the wallpaper lining paper, enough for the length of each person.
2. Stick the two lengths together with masking tape, and cut to each person’s length.
3. Each person lies on the paper, takes up a position of their choice and gets a partner to draw round their body.
4. Each person then visits each body or portrait to give their feedback using the materials provided.

Resources

- 2 rolls of lining wallpaper or similar fairly solid paper which will hold the paint, glue and any collage materials.
- Masking tape, Scissors, Glue, Large marker pens (water based).
- An assortment of brushes and water based paint.
- Plastic containers for water and mixing paints. I used plastic cups and paper plates.
- Coloured tissue paper and other collage materials such as magazines.
- You could use natural materials if you are in an outdoor environment such as leaves, petals etc.

Conclusion

More recently, I have experimented with creating a group portrait made by 10 people all in the one picture. The photograph is of the finished work. It doesn’t show the real dimensions, as each person is life size! We did have some fun getting into position and ensuring that everyone could fit in.

The exercise ended up similar but different. It felt more like a group project or creation, with a real sense of completion and pride in our final piece. In practical terms each person worked in a very focussed and individual way, working busily from person to person adding their own particular message. The only conversation during the activity was ‘Can you pass me the red paint brush …’ etc. etc. We were all totally absorbed. When we were finished, we shared a very full session of giving feedback to each other based on how we had used a particular colour or decoration for each person.

A small word of caution when using this type of activity: Don’t be fooled by the fun nature of the end piece, this was a very deep and personal session resulting in high quality feedback between individuals. So DO choose your timing for this activity when people have had time to get to know each other and there is a feeling of trust and confidence in the group.

If you do try it, I would be interested to hear how it has worked for you.
Enjoy.

© Lesley Greenaway 2011  Return to workshops