Saturday, April 2, 2011

Self Portraits & Journal Prompt

This week Inspiration Alley had the prompt to do self portraits. I decided to play along. I think it would be a great journal prompt too so I decided to post it today as both coincide. First to create my self portrait I really had to capture the essence of who I am even if it is not exactly how I look.

Completed Self Portrait

I wrote an entire page about my self, how I feel about my self, what I stand for, my strengths and insecurities trying to capture the essence of me. Then I decided to start to create me on the page.
The intent of a self portrait is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. *


Once I started painting I was able to convey the passionate side of me and the blue side of me by the use of color. I used collage tissue paper almost like a jig saw puzzle  to represent the many pieces of me. To finish it off I chose to highlight the focus on me and blend the background by use of paints and inks. I would not be me without my paintbrush. I also chose to leave readable the most vivid parts of my daily life on a tag around the neck. Only because society loves to label people.


I hope you use the journal prompt to write about yourself and explore creating a self portrait. For more inspiration visit Inspiration Alley to see what other artist's created.

Here is a collage of the process.
  
To read more about self portraits and see some examples and history visit Wikipedia.
I also came across this great article with 4 tips to Mastering Self Portraits at ScottsdaleArtsSchool.org  which I linked directly to the article. I found it after I did mine, but tip #4 suggests making a self portrait more than once and doing it differently. They have some great tips for creating self portraits.
Have you created a self portrait?  

Click to enlarge
 I took a photographic self portrait too
I am never without my camera

Journal Prompt: To write about yourself and create a self portrait.

Quote: A portrait, to be a work of art, neither must nor may resemble the sitter... one must paint its atmosphere. Umberto Boccioni 

Food For Thought: 

14 comments:

  1. Fantastic piece of art, Theresa!

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  2. I Love this Theresa so neat and well put together.
    I am impressed!!!

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  3. Great piece of art and I loved being able to see how you created it layer by layer. It is so meaningful with all those words and layers. And the red hair is stunning. Thanks for all the tips & links.

    Kat X

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  4. Way to go. Love the underwriting too. I have not given myself permission to do a self portrait yet, although aren't all our paintings self portraits?

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  5. Wonderful prompt, and an excellent way to express yourself--thanks too for the great link!
    P.S. I have to agree with Pam--all of the art that makes us happy would have to be a self-portrait too.

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  6. I like how you really put yourself into this.
    Very nice.

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  7. I like this so much, and also how you showed us the process!

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  8. Nicely done...and I too like how you "put it altogether" for us to see. No, I have not done a self portrait...and I probably won't...

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  9. Thanks for stopping by I am glad you enjoyed seeing the process photos. Happy to put the information together for anyone who hasn't tried a self portrait. Everyone's from IA came out with their own twist it was beautiful and amazing to see.
    Theresa

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  10. I love how you incorporated the writing what a fabulous idea!

    It looks wonderful as a collage of stages too!

    xo
    Kristin

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  11. I love the process you used. I enjoy writing my thoughts in the background and then covering up with paint. It's very therapeutic. The mixed media self portrait is cool. I'll try to look through it and get some ides. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Very cool process. It is very interesting to read and see the whole story behind the creation.

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  13. i LOVE this post...seeing your process is so fabulous.

    i especially love that you wrote about the essence of you on the page. so beautiful!

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  14. Thank you ladies for your lovely comments and visiting!! I do quite a bit of clearing out my mind and writing under what I paint. It sometimes is what creates the idea of what I am going to paint.
    Theresa

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Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment! Creative friends comments mean so much!