June 15: Future Self Portrait
A Self-Portrait in the Style of George Keyt
Assigned Teachers: Suren, Piyumika, Krishanka
Duration: 1.5 hours
Age: 6-16
Intro
Students will explore identity, imagination, and abstract expression by creating a future-facing self-portrait inspired by the flowing lines and cubist influence of Sri Lankan modernist George Keyt.
You will need:
A4 or A3 drawing paper
Black markers or pens
Crayons, oil pastels, or paints
Mirrors or printed student photos (ask students to bring)
A bottle for the ‘spin the bottle’ exercise at the end. Can just be someone’s water bottle
Guide
Step 1: Imagine future self
“Imagine yourself in 10 or 20 years. Who will you be? How will you feel? What will you care about?”
Activity: Write 6 Words about your Future Self
Each student writes down six words that describe their future self. These can be traits, roles, or dreams.
Example: Kind. Bold. Artist. Explorer. Patient. Leader.
They can keep these words at the corner of their paper for inspiration during the drawing.
Step 2: Learn the Art Style
🧠 What Is Abstract Art?
Abstract art doesn’t copy real life—it uses shapes, lines, and color to show emotion and imagination.
Artists like Wassily Kandinsky believed colors were like music—nonverbal, expressive, and powerful.
🔷 What Is Cubism?
Cubism broke faces and objects into geometric shapes, showing multiple views (front + side) at once. It was developed by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, in Europe, but influenced artists around the world.
Cubism helps us see the world in new ways—not just how it looks, but how it feels or moves.
🌏 Who Was George Keyt?
A Sri Lankan modernist who combined Cubism and South Asian influences (temple murals, sculpture, poetry).
Known for flowing outlines, abstracted faces, and emotional expression through bold form and color.
His portraits are stylized, dreamlike, and rich with symbolism.
Here are some examples of Keyt’s portraits.
Ask:
“What do you notice about the shapes and lines?”
“Do these faces feel still or alive?”
“How is this different from a photo?”
Step 3: Create Your Future Self-Portrait (30 min)
Sketch a stylized face using bold black lines
Combine frontal + profile views
Use curved lines, geometric shapes, and symbolic details
Add 2–3 symbols (e.g., book, sun, tree, bird, heart) that reflect their six words
Use color blocks (crayon, pastel, or paint) to express feeling—not realism
TIPS
Remind the students “Don’t draw your face—draw the feeling of who you’re becoming.”
Play some relaxing music while they draw
Encourage:
Exaggerated features
Asymmetry
Non-literal representation
Symbols and symbolic use of color
Step 4:
Sit or Stand in a circle outside
Hold up your portraits
Spin a bottle and ask students to share: One of their six words, One symbol they included, What their future self might want to tell their current self