Layer 1

This week I pulled out some paintings from last semester that I planned to rework and I really wanted to talk about the self-portrait I did in my painting class. It’s very different from other self -portraits I’ve done in the past. When I was tasked with creating a self-portrait in high school, my first thought was to create something as realistic as I could. Looking at them now, I think they’re boring; they don’t have any type of personality. So for this portrait I decided to go in with a different mindset. I set up a mirror and mixed up some colors. I started with some blues and purples but then mixed in orange and pink. The colors were real murky in my initial phases, but I kept going to see what would happen.

Layer 2

In the next layer, I began adding more vibrant colors on top of my base layer. Here, I started to find the colors I was looking for. I did not want realistic colors, but rather more expressive, fun colors. Instead of rendering realistic details, I focused on making shapes. I looked for other ways to make the portrait look like me without creating detail.

I continued adding more layers and different colors. I added a really nice deep blue that I liked and eventually I put in a bright real color as well. In this layer, the portrait really started to come together. It felt like me even without all the details I was used to.

After that, I put in some final touches before I felt happy with it. Looking at it now, I want to put in some more different blues and see what happens. But overall, I am very happy with the way it came out. It doesn’t feel as rigid as other portraits I’ve created. It feels fun and it was fun to make!

Until next week!

~Jordan

Finished Painting