How to make a selfportrait (that doesn't look like you...)

Selfportraits can be fun to make. But in many cases not. Well, to be more precis; they are fun to do but what comes out is often a surprise, and not always a fun one, at least not if you are vain.

My selfportraits usually shows me +10 years. That's what I say to myself. Maybe it is how I look right now, but the simple truth must be that I'm not very good at sketching (me that is).

This weekend I did another kind of selfportrait. I'm taking Juliana Coles class Initiation (you can find out more and sign up here) right now and one of last weeks (many) assignments was to do a metaphorical selfportrait in mixed media. This is what I came up with:

Metaphorical selfportrait

It isn't actually me or look anything like me but I pretended it was me. It was fun and I don't have to be sad that I'm REALLY that old (or anything). 

I made it in the journal I have chosen to work with in the class and this is how I went about it.

Step 1: I painted one spread with pink and skin colored acrylic paint. 

Step 2: After that I made quick sketch of a face but not really of me because I didn't have a mirror at hand. 

Step 3: Then I grabbed an old Vogue magazine that I had and looked for pieces to add to my sketch. Without thinking too much I cut out eyes of the right size and added to my sketch. Then I cut out some hair and added to the  right. I found a picture of Jennifer Aniston and stole her left side hair and her mouth and added that. The hair-parts didn't match on the top of the head but my plan was to add paint and cover it up.

Then I found a nose, but it was quite big :-)

Step 4: With white and skin toned paint I tried to make all parts blend in and I also tried to fix the hair. I also added the turqoise and penwork on her body. The title says A lot of pieces to keep track of, refering to the pieces that the picture was built up by but also all the things I try to juggle in my life right now.

If you are curious of Juliana Coles classes I think you should sign up. She focuses more on process than the actual outcome. It is not about making pretty pictures but to look inside of oneself and find ways to put your own pictures and word on paper.

It can be intense if you want it to be, or you can use it as an excuse to play. I'm somewhere in between. I like to play with it and see what comes up. Sometimes, or really always, things comes up that relates to what I struggle with right now (like the title in the selfportait). I enjoy the process and I do recommend it.