Students created a mixed media portrait inspired by Surrealism, drawing on themes of identity and our impact on the environment. They began by producing a series of sketches and collage studies, which served as their primary visual research for the final artwork. As part of this process, students learned the key measurements and proportions of the face, developing their drawing and painting skills.
Using their collage studies as a starting point, students explored how surrealist artists combine unexpected objects, symbols and imagery to create dream like compositions. They then applied this thinking to their own portraits, blending realistic facial features with imaginative elements.
For the final piece, students worked in mixed media, combining acrylic paint, watercolour, pastels and collage materials to create a large scale portrait.

Students investigated how social media shapes personal identity, focusing on the ways online platforms allow us to filter, alter and fragment our appearance. Drawing on Cubist principles, they combined realistic portrait elements with distorted, geometric forms to reflect these shifting digital selves. Initial mixed media studies informed the design of their final print, for which students selected colour palettes representing different online identities. Throughout the printmaking process, they developed skills in registration, and thinking creatively about the materials they could incorporate. They also experimented with the Chine-collé technique, adding coloured papers and textures to enhance the layered, filtered quality of their portraits.