Introspective, Expressive Self Portrait

What is a self portrait? Mary Cassatt Vincent Van Gogh Jacob Lawrence

Vivian Maier Annie Leibovitz

How did people take or create self portraits? Mirrors or reflective surfaces Shutter Release Cables or Self-Timers

The Selfie. What is a selfie? What is the difference between a selfie and a self portrait?

Selfies are disposable. Selfies are taken with a smart phone. Selfies don’t make history.

A self portrait is thought out. Planned out. It has details carefully chosen by the artist. A self portrait contains information about the artist that is more than what they look like. .

You can “read” a lot about an artist though a self portrait

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) Frida Kahlo, Mexico's greatest female artist, painted brutally honest self portraits that reveal her psychological response to adversity.

The Two Fridas was created around the time of Kahlo’s divorce to Diego Rivera and it is believed it portrays her loss. It is a double self-portrait. Frida on the left is wearing a white European style dress with her heart torn and bleeding while Frida on the right is wearing a traditional Mexican dress with her heart still whole. Kahlo remarried Rivera a year later and although their second marriage was as troubled as the first, it lasted till her death. The Two Fridas, 1939

Portrayal of Kahlo’s physical and psychological wounds through her self-portraits. Kahlo is wearing a thorn necklace and blood can be seen tricking from the wounds made on her neck by the thorns. A black monkey and a black cat are present on left and right side of her. Hummingbird, a symbol of freedom, is hanging lifelessly from the thorn necklace. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940

Many of Kahlo’s works depict the trauma and injuries she suffered in a bus accident and this work is the most conspicuous portrayal of her suffering. In this masterpiece Kahlo’s body is opened up and a crumbling stone column replaces the spine of Kahlo, symbolizing the consequences of the accident. Nails are stuck into her face and body and tears can be seen on her face but she looks straight at the viewer. The Broken Column, 1944

The Wounded Deer, 1946 Kahlo used her own pet deer “Granizo” as a model for this painting of herself as a stag pierced by multiple arrows. Perhaps the deer, which is an ancient Aztec symbol for the right foot, refers to Kahlo’s right foot which had been crushed in the accident.

Family Tree was created when Hitler and Nazi Germany were on the rise Family Tree was created when Hitler and Nazi Germany were on the rise. Through this artwork Kahlo proudly represents her mixed heritage at a time when Hitler outlawed interracial marriages. Frida stands in the middle with her Mexican mother and German born, supposedly Jewish, father behind her. She has also depicted herself in her mother’s womb. Her maternal grandparents are on the left above the mountainous Mexican landscape while she painted her paternal grandparents above the ocean, indicating their European origins. My Grandparents, My Parents, and I (Family Tree), 1936

What MORE do you want to say about yourself Frida Kahlo’s self portraits told us a lot about her emotional, physical, and psychological state. What MORE do you want to say about yourself through your own self portrait?

In Class: Brainstorm lists and images Homework: Take several self portrait photographs

Example of brainstorm web with categories: People (parents, husband, sisters, children) Material things (frye boots, elbowless jacket, glasses, bird clip) Animals (honeybee, cats) Nature (daffodils, oak tree) Home (xmas lights, food/dishes, lamp lighting, music) List 3-5 things per category Draw 1-2 thumbnail sketches per category Draw 3 Thumbnails combining elements from web above with your self portrait

contemporary portraits (Photos or Designs) tell us about the artists? What do the following contemporary portraits (Photos or Designs) tell us about the artists?

Your own self portrait will: Include a photo of yourself (that you have taken) Merged with a photo of a plant, animal or material item. These must be either: YOUR PHOTOS Your drawings Or site the original source of the photo and only use as 40% or less of your design

Engage the audience in more than your own narcissism

Did you know we have a greenhouse at the high school?

Perhaps you have an interesting and exotic pet at home to photograph?

If you are using an image from the internet, you MUST: -site your source – include name of photographer and the website where you found it -only use as 40% or less of your overall design -may not be in shows/competition -use a good source! “Rainbow Antlers” by Gillian missquitecontrary on Etsy.com https://www.etsy.com/listing/90260315/surreal-woodland-photo-rainbow-antlers

What NOT to do: This is not a self portrait.

This doesn’t make sense. And it’s bad photography.

This is not your image. It is copyrighted.

This looks very interesting compositionally, but what does it say about the artist?

Now what? Finish your 3 thumbnails (where you combine image of yourself with a plant, animal, or material item from your brainstorming web Refine ONE of those thumbnails and develop the idea Upload your self portrait images to your computer TOMORROW: Learn some new tools in Photoshop to help you “merge” these images together