Have you ever looked in a mirror and tried to draw your own face? If you have, you’ve made a self portrait! An artist self portraits is simply a picture an artist makes of themselves. But it’s so much more than just a copy of a face. It’s a way for artists to tell a story, share a feeling, or practice their skills. For hundreds of years, from famous painters to digital artists today, creating artist self portraits has been a special and important job.
This article will explore the amazing world of artist self portraits. We’ll learn why artists make them, how they’ve changed over time, and how you can make your own!
Why Do Artists Make Self Portraits?
Artists don’t just make self portraits because they need a model. They do it for many powerful reasons.
- The Always-Available Model: Long ago, before cameras, artists needed people to model for them. Models could be expensive or busy. But the artist themselves are always available for free! They could look in a mirror and practice drawing faces, expressions, and lighting any time they wanted. This made creating an artist self portraits the perfect practice tool.
- Showing Their Feelings: A self portrait is like a visual diary. An artist can show if they are happy, sad, proud, or angry. The famous artist Vincent van Gogh made over 30 artist self portraits. When you look at them, you can see his intense feelings and his unique way of seeing the world.
- Telling the World “This is Me!”: Artists use self portraits to control how people see them. They can choose to paint themselves as strong, elegant, creative, or powerful. It’s their chance to say, “This is who I am.” This aspect of artist self portraits allows for powerful self-expression.
- Trying New Things: Self portraits are a safe place to experiment. An artist can try a new brush stroke, a new color, or a new style without worrying about what a client might think. It’s all about learning and growing. Many of the most famous artist self portraits were born from experimentation.
A Quick Trip Through Time: The History of Self Portraits
Artist self portraits have a fascinating history. Let’s see how they changed.
- The Early Days: A long time ago, during a period called the Renaissance (around 600 years ago), artists started to become more famous. Before this, many artists didn’t sign their work. But now, they began to add small pictures of themselves into their big paintings, often hidden in a crowd. It was a sneaky way to say, “I was here!” The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a great timeline on this period.
- The Superstar Artist: About 500 years ago, a German artist named Albrecht Dürer began to really focus on artist self portraits. He painted himself as a confident and important person, almost like a king. He helped change how people saw artists—from simple craftsmen to brilliant thinkers. You can view one of his most famous self-portraits at the Alte Pinakothek’s website.
- The Masters of the Selfie: In the 1600s, a Dutch artist named Rembrandt made artist self portraits his life’s work. He created about 80 of them! He painted himself young and old, happy and sad, rich and poor. He used his own face to study human life itself. Later, in the 1900s, Frida Kahlo painted over 50 self portraits. She included her pain, her love, and her Mexican culture in her beautiful and honest work. The Rijksmuseum has a vast collection of Rembrandt’s work online.
- Today’s Self Portraits: Today, we have “selfies,” which are a kind of quick self portrait. But artists still make traditional artist self portraits in paint, pencil, and clay. They also use digital tools to create amazing self portraits on computers and tablets.
How to Make Your Own Self Portrait
Ready to try? Making a self portrait is fun and easy. You don’t need to be a professional artist. Here’s how to start.
What You’ll Need:
- A mirror you can hold or set up easily.
- Paper (any kind!).
- A pencil, pen, or any drawing tool you like.
- An eraser.
- Optional: Colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
Simple Steps to Follow:
- Set Up Your Space: Sit in a comfortable chair. Place your mirror so you can see yourself clearly without moving your head too much. Make sure you have good light on your face.
- Look, Look, Look: This is the most important step. Don’t just draw what you think your face looks like. Look closely at the real shapes you see in the mirror.
- What is the shape of your head? Is it more like an oval, a circle, or a square?
- Where are your eyes compared to your ears?
- How long is your nose? How wide is your mouth?
- Start with Light Shapes: Use your pencil to lightly draw basic shapes. Draw a light oval for your head. Lightly draw a line down the middle and across the middle to help you place your features. This is your guide. Khan Academy has a wonderful free tutorial on drawing proportions.
- Add Your Features: Start drawing your eyes, nose, and mouth. Remember:
- Eyes: They are usually halfway down the head. Don’t forget the eyelids!
- Nose: It goes from between the eyes down to about where your guide lines cross.
- Mouth: It sits below the nose. Look at its shape. Is it smiling? Is it straight?
- Don’t Forget the Details: Add your eyebrows, hair, ears, and neck. Your hair is not just a solid shape—it has lines and waves.
- Shade and Color: Look at where the light hits your face. The spots that are bright should be lighter on your drawing. The shadows (like under your nose or chin) should be darker. You can use your pencil to shade these areas. If you want, add color with your crayons or markers!
Tip: Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect. The goal is to practice and have fun. Every artist started right where you are. The more you practice creating an artist self portraits, the better you will become.
Famous Artist Self Portraits You Should Know
- Leonardo da Vinci: Some experts believe a famous red-chalk drawing of an old, wise man is a self portrait of Leonardo. The Royal Collection Trust details the history of this drawing.
- Vincent van Gogh: His swirling, colorful paintings show his amazing style and his emotional life. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has the largest collection.
- Frida Kahlo: Her paintings are full of symbolism, showing her physical pain and her deep love for her Mexican heritage. The Museo Frida Kahlo offers a virtual tour of her home and studio.
- Pablo Picasso: He made self portraits throughout his life in many different styles, from realistic to very abstract and crazy! The Museo Picasso Málaga explores his evolution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What’s the difference between a self portrait and a selfie?
A: Both are pictures of yourself! A self portrait is usually made with artistic tools like paint, pencil, or charcoal. The artist spends time thinking about light, composition, and meaning. A selfie is a quick photo taken with a phone camera, often to share a moment with friends. A selfie can be a self portrait if the photographer puts artistic thought into it. The Tate Museum offers a cool perspective on this.
Q: Who made the first self portrait?
A: It’s hard to know for sure, but one of the most famous early self portraits was made by the German artist Albrecht Dürer in 1500. In it, he paints himself looking straight ahead, which was a style usually used for paintings of Jesus. It was a very bold and confident statement.
Q: Are self portraits always realistic?
A: Not at all! Many artists use abstract or crazy styles. They might use wild colors, change their features, or add impossible elements to express an idea or feeling. The goal isn’t always to look exactly like a photograph. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has examples of abstract self-portraits.
Q: I get frustrated drawing my face. What should I do?
A: Every artist feels this way! Faces are hard to draw. Be patient with yourself. Remember, you are practicing a skill, and skills get better with time. Try drawing just one part of your face, like your eye or your smile, instead of the whole thing. Most importantly, keep trying! Art educator Drawspace has lessons for all levels.
Q: Can a self portrait be of something other than my face?
A: Yes! A self portrait can be about your feelings, your hobbies, or your memories. You could draw your hands holding your favorite book, or your shadow, or a collection of objects that are important to you. It’s about expressing who you are. The National Portrait Gallery discusses what makes a portrait.
Conclusion: Your Story is Waiting
Artist self portraits are more than just pictures. They are stories, lessons, and feelings frozen in time. From the grand paintings in museums to the sketch in your notebook, every self portrait is a brave act of saying, “I am here, and this is my view of the world.”
So, grab a mirror and a pencil. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just tell your story. You might be surprised by the amazing artist you find looking back at you. For more inspiration, you can explore thousands of artworks from museums worldwide at Google Arts & Culture.
