Reading Blog - Selfies vs Self Portraits

The contrast between a selfie being a quick process both in the taking of the image and the planning process and the thoughtful self portrait is important to me. In my experience both are made to communicate the " Inner world" of the creator, but in the long term engagement and discipline of painting the creator is forced to spend larger amounts of time reflecting both on the visual shapes of their own form and the meanings behind why they see themselves as they do. The artist may need to revise the image if they mishandle the depiction of insecurities, for example painting a chin larger or smaller than reality; whereas the selfie artist begins with a totally accurate image and then must decide if they wish to reframe that reality via lighting/ angle to address that chin. Both must address their own likeness and may decide how proud or shameful they feel about their own form.

I also see the selfie as a crucial starting point in modern self portraiture, as it can be assumed many artists including myself have better access to a cell phone camera than a readily mobile quality mirror. In this regard the selfie sees some of the larger attention that the painting will receive depending on the artists composition intentions. It also may be common for artists to reference selfies takes for fun from previous times in life to depict the passage of personal time/ or pictures taken at events/ moments that carry a significance that can further fuel the inner message being curated.