Pablo Picasso Clay Portrait

AGE RANGE:  PROJECT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED BY AGES 4 AND UP WITH HELP FROM PARENT OR GUARDIAN

APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MIN - 1 HOUR

These clay faces are perfect for exploring Art history. Pablo Picasso is one of the most well-known artists today. Exploring the works of Picasso and drawing inspiration from his work is a great way for children to build connections and knowledge of the artist.

These faces are also a part of the Cubism movement which was a popular movement of art during Picasso’s time. Picasso helped start the cubist movement through his portraits as well.

EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME

Children will gather inspiration from Pablo Picasso and create faces that reflect the Cubism movement.

“Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth” – Pablo Picasso

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Art Materials Needed
Art Materials Needed
  • Air dry clay
  • Paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Water
  • Parchment paper
Project Instructions


  1. Start by looking up images of Pablo Picasso’s face paintings for inspiration
  2. To create the face, start by rolling a small amount of clay into a ball. Then flatten the ball into a oval shape.
  3. Now we are going to be making the face features. Lets start with a mouth, use your fingers and sculpt a mouth with another piece of clay, then attach to the oval. Use water to help “bond” the clay together, so when it dries the face doesn’t break and fall off. You may also scratch up the surface of the clay and add a little bit of water to bond it. This is called scoring.
  4. After the mouth we will move on to the nose, eyes, hair, etc. Keep referring to Picasso's works of art for inspiration and make the face unique to you!
  5. Let the clay dry for 24 hours.
  6. When the clay is completely dry, paint the face with any colors you would like! Let the paint dry and you’re done!