Painting Self-Portraits

Self-portraiture is a remarkably rich and varied genre, acting for centuries as a means for artists to explore their inner and outer selves. This book looks deeper into the motives and thoughts that lie behind the creative process. It also balances the goals of technical proficiency and emotional authenticity so the artist is better equipped to make a compelling self-portrait. Written by identical twins, it offers a personalized, practical, and theoretical guide to this most powerful of art forms. This book looks at the whole creative process involved in making a self-portrait, with extended step-by-step demonstrations following three differing approaches to self-portraiture. With an emphasis on the use of good observational skills, expressive paint use, and a highly practical and critical self-analysis, this guide also offers a thorough cultural and theoretical review of the history and categorization of the self-portrait, as well as an analysis of two master self-portraits.