LEGO Self-Portraits

My gosh, are we ever on a roll with fun LEGO projects this week!  After yesterday’s gorgeous LEGO mandala art, we decided to try our hand at layered LEGO self portraits today and oh my word – we loved everything about the project!

The inspiration came from this layered cardboard self-portrait that Miss G made during one of her art classes or camps at Collage Collage {an art studio here in Vancouver that we just adore}.  I figured we could probably get a similar effect using LEGO bricks, and I think I was right.  Miss G had such a fun time coming up with how she’d form each of her facial features and the end result is just beautiful.  So beautiful, in fact, that I really don’t want to have to take it apart. :/

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To start off, I gathered up some bricks sorted by colour, plus a handful of random circular pieces I thought might be useful.  Then I set everything out in a divided snack tray alongside one of our big square baseplates.

When I invited Miss G over to create her portrait, we decided that creating a face shape and neck in a single colour would be a good place to start.

Here’s what she came up with {with a little bit of help to create a chin shape}.

And then it was time to add some features!

Because she has bangs that swoop across her forehead, Grae decided that we should take out some of the white face shape bricks and fill them with yellow hair bricks, so that’s what she did.  Of course because the goal is a layered piece, they could have gone on top, but her project, her choice.

What do you think?  Starting to look like her already, isn’t it?

Next it was onto the eyes…  She had already picked out a couple of black circular pieces that she wanted to use for her pupils, but she went back in with some white bricks for the actual eye shape, added some smaller blue bricks for the irises, and then placed the pupils back on top.

Afterwards she added a smile in pink, a nose in white, and a beaded necklace, plus went in and added some dimension to the hair.

Here’s a better look at all of the layers.

We did talk briefly about adding her beautiful glasses, but in the end she decided to go without.

Here it is…  A LEGO self-portrait by Miss G.

If you also have little ones that love DUPLO and LEGO, be sure to pop over to Toddler Approved and check out the huge collection of LEGO activities Kristina is adding to each day this week.  There are several of us kid bloggers participating in LEGO Week this year and not only do the activity ideas span a huge range of ages, but they’re also awesome!  Also, be sure to check out our previous LEGO activities here.