Self-Portraiture



Concept
I was inspired to start a self-portrait that has a strong linear component and a unique shape running through it.  The purpose of superimposing shapes over organic forms is to show movement of energy around a person, thoughts we share.  I wanted to depict this energy as rings of foreign languages, which is why I began to paint a ring of Egyptian hieroglyphs in the center.

 Initially, the drawing underneath my face was of my skull. I drew the underlying features in pencil and then fine-point marker.  I then painted over that in watercolor, and next solidified certain areas with acrylic paint.  One challenge was that the entire intended composition, including rings of text, is too detailed to finish in a short period of time, so for the purpose of this portrait, I only painted my face.  



Inspiration & a visit to Museums across the world, powered by Google.


In the way many post-impressionist painters, such as Van Gogh, created a sense of motion in the air around the subject, I intend to accomplish that with this portrait.
The first painting I referenced was this, Self-Portrait, and oil painting by Vincent Van Gogh.
I believe we may have a similar facial structure, so it was important to see how this artist gave structure to his features.
I explored the Musée d'Orsay using Google's Arts and Culture Collection tool, which was a fun, interactive way of viewing art from far across the globe (see screenshot below, source: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris)





The daguerreotype approach to portraiture is probably my favorite from history. Compared to other methods of photography that came after, it was far ahead of its time.
For instance, the below print of Henry David Thoreau, from 1856. While this piece is not a self-portrait, it is held in the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. The clarity and resolution of the daguerreotype is particularly astounding. 


Another artist whose work has been recently added to the ranks of the Smithsonian Art Collection is Android Jones, of Boulder, CO. This contemporary graphic animator is known for rendering highly realistic depictions of human beings, and integrating geometric forms that emphasize the unique patterns in nature. 

I chose this self-portrait from 2013, which was created in Photoshop and the software called Painter.


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