You should get some drawing materials like blank cardstock and graph paper,
some erasers, and pencils of many different "lead" thicknesses. Than draw
or have someone who can draw a simple but recognisable self portrait
present it to the chimp. Penultimately, give the chimp a little mirror and
a set of those drawing materials, and maybe a clipboard. Finally, show the
chimp what you wanted to do by demonstration if necessary. When or if they
get bored give them a tasty treat when they're done, and maybe next time
you present them with drawing materials will be motivated to try for a
treat.
I was wandering today in art class if other Apes besides humans can control
a writing utensil. Every part of their hand is bigger than ours except the
knuckles. We have rather large knuckles for our comparatively small hands,
whereas chimps and other Great Apes don't have bulbous knuckles compared to
the size of the other parts of their hands. That's because we've evolved to
punch with clenched fists, which protects our fingers more than smacking.
Apes tend to use there hands in fighting to backhand or engage a target for
an attack with its canines.
Their hands are remarkably similar to ours, but if we used our hands the
way they do we'll get "claw hand" and aching fingers.
@JoesephKatana we've thought about that. There's a zoo in the UK that have
given chimps a camera sealed in a lexan box - that's the tricky part is
giving them a camera that's within something chimps can't destroy. Jamie
would be looking for a way to take a camera apart within seconds.
@yodakiddggg There are left handed and right handed chimps. But more of
them are left handed than right handed. In humans it's the opposite, how
interesting.