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"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary".
- Pablo Picasso
To jump start my new year of self-discovery and creative encounters I embark on the journey of self-exploration by starting a creative project with the working title Seven self-portraits. The idea was inspired by Cate Coulagos Prato's book "Mixed-Media self-portraits" and is straightforward: this year I shall create seven self-portraits in the media of my choice.
The book is filled with creativity tips, ideas and stories from a number of artists who use the therapeutic effects of creating self-portraits and generously share their stories and their artowork. Why seven? I just happen to like the number. At the same time knowing that it should be more than one painting takes some of the initial pressure of.
From Cate Coulagos Prato's book: "A self-portrait is your one-way ticket to the land of YOU! It's a place where you can see your beauty, understand your shadows, and express deep, intense and painful emotions. It's a powerful tool, one that can effect change and growth, tell stories, and promote connections with others with an invitation to view your unconditional self."
The scary and the exciting part is that I have never painted a portrait in my life and I always considered it to be a task for a real artist. I have no idea what will come out of it but hey, what do I have to lose? Since I paint myself nobody but me can be disappointed!
The first phase is intuitive and is about gathering information. As I leaf through art books of my favourite artists I pay attention to the colors and shapes that speak to me. The idea for the first self-portrait comes before I pull out a poster with one of Frida Kahlo's paintings. It's time to roll up the sleeves!
Observing my own face in the mirror in a new, more detached way I let go of the usual judgement mode. Instead I explore and describe, paying attention to the facts. How far are my eyes positioned from each other? How wide is the mouth line? Using Adobe Photoshop I experiment with the photo I took of myself and settle on the composition.
Consider this:
If you were to make a self-portrait, what side of you would you choose to emphasise?
What would be the medium of your choice?
Would would it look like?
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