Self Portraits

Intro

Vincent, Pablo, Frida and many other great artists have immortalised themselves with paint. Are you ready to do the same? Self-portraits don’t necessarily have to be lifelike; they can be abstract or wildly imaginative. They can capture how you look now, or how you did once upon a time.

Since art has no rules, just put the materials out and whisper words of encouragement.

This activity is best done in a quiet, private room with a small group of around 4 or 1-on-1.

What you need

Paints and brushes
Pens and pencils
Thick art paper
Easels (if easier)

The Activity

Set up easels or seats at a table with paper, pens, pencils and paints
Invite the person or people to sit where they feel comfortable
Tell them they’ll be drawing then painting a portrait of themselves
Inspire them with some examples from other artists
Discuss whether people would like to paint themselves as they are now or as they were in the past, and talk about various styles and techniques they could use
Encourage each person to make a start
Throughout the session, visit each person and offer words of support and encouragement
If a person seems very focussed on their painting, don’t interrupt them and come back a little later
Carry on until everyone has finished
If each person wants to, they can share their art with the group
Carry on with the paintings another time, if one session isn’t quite enough time