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Can You Sketch Emotion?

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Lesson Plan

Emotion in Lines Plan

Students will explore how expressive line work and simplified facial features can convey distinct emotions, culminating in a quick individual sketch that communicates their chosen feeling clearly.

Visualizing emotion through drawing strengthens artistic expression and emotional literacy, empowering students to translate internal feelings into compelling imagery.

Audience

12th Grade Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Demo, guided practice, and independent sketching.

Materials

Sketch Paper, - Pencil Set, - Eraser, - Mirror or Reference Images, and - Can You Sketch Emotion? Slide Deck

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

  • Display slide deck title and learning objective
  • Explain how line quality and facial cues express emotion
  • Encourage risk-taking and personal style

Step 2

Demonstration

5 minutes

  • Show examples of curved, jagged, and varied line weights
  • Demonstrate three emotions (happiness, anger, sadness) with simple facial features
  • Highlight the impact of eyebrow, eye, and mouth shapes

Step 3

Guided Sketching

8 minutes

  • Prompt students to select an emotion to illustrate
  • Have students create 3 small thumbnails experimenting with line styles
  • Circulate to offer individual feedback and support (Tier 3 focus)

Step 4

Independent Application

3 minutes

  • Students choose their strongest thumbnail and develop a cleaner sketch
  • Remind them to refine line quality and facial details

Step 5

Reflection

2 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share their sketches and explain line choices
  • Provide positive, targeted feedback to reinforce expressive techniques
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Slide Deck

Can You Sketch Emotion?

Express feelings through line quality and facial expressions

Welcome students and introduce today's focus on expressing emotions through drawing. Emphasize the power of simple lines and features to convey feeling.

Learning Objective

• Explore how line quality conveys emotion
• Identify key facial features that express feeling
• Create a personal sketch illustrating one emotion

Read the objectives aloud. Explain that by the end, students will know how to use line and facial cues to communicate an emotion clearly.

Why It Matters

• Builds artistic expression and confidence
• Enhances emotional literacy and empathy
• Empowers you to share feelings visually

Discuss why visual emotional literacy matters in art and everyday communication.

Expressive Line Quality

• Curved Lines: softness, gentleness
• Jagged Lines: tension, unrest
• Varied Weight: emphasis, depth

Visual: Sample line styles

Explain each line type. Show live or pre-drawn examples on the board or via document camera.

Key Facial Features

• Eyebrows: arched vs. furrowed
• Eyes: wide vs. narrowed
• Mouth: smile curve vs. frown

Visual: Diagram of facial landmarks

Highlight how small changes in facial features shift emotion dramatically.

Demo: Three Emotions

Emotional Thumbnails:
• Happiness: upward curves, relaxed lines
• Anger: sharp angles, heavy strokes
• Sadness: drooping features, light weight

Visual: Three mini sketches

Show quick demo sketches for happiness, anger, sadness. Talk through line and feature choices.

Guided Practice

  1. Choose an emotion
  2. Sketch 3 small thumbnails using varied lines
  3. Experiment with eyebrow, eye, mouth shapes

Instruct students to pick an emotion and sketch three 1"–2" thumbnails. Circulate and give targeted feedback.

Independent Sketch

• Select your strongest thumbnail
• Develop a clean sketch (4"–5")
• Refine line quality and facial features

Encourage refinement: clean lines, clear facial cues, intentional weight changes.

Reflection & Share

• Display sketches to the class
• Discuss line and feature decisions
• Reinforce expressive techniques

Facilitate sharing. Ask volunteers to explain how their line choices express their emotion. Offer positive, targeted feedback.

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Worksheet

Sketching Emotions Worksheet

Materials: Sketch Paper, Pencil, Eraser, Mirror or Reference Images, Emotion in Lines Plan, Can You Sketch Emotion? Slide Deck

Instructions: Complete each section below, using varied line quality and clear facial cues to convey emotion.

Part 1: Thumbnail Sketches

Choose three different emotions and create a small thumbnail (1"–2") for each.

  1. Emotion: ____________

Draw here:











  1. Emotion: ____________

Draw here:











  1. Emotion: ____________

Draw here:











Part 2: Identify Line Quality

Consider how each line type conveys feeling. Which emotion do you associate with each? Why?

  • Curved Lines:






  • Jagged Lines:






  • Varied Weight:






Part 3: Facial Features Reflection

Answer the questions about your final sketch (4"–5").

  1. How did you adjust the eyebrows to express emotion?






  2. How did your eye shapes contribute to the feeling?






  3. What mouth curve or line weight did you use, and why?






  4. What surprised you about using line quality and facial cues?








  5. Next steps: How will you apply these techniques in future drawings?






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Quiz

Sketching Emotions Quiz

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