The Still Life Self Portrait

STILL LIFE SELF PORTRAIT

STILL LIFE SELF-PORTRAIT
This will be your first big project of the year, and it is designed to show both your technical skills (your ability to draw, shade, and handle your chosen medium) and your creative thinking (the meaning, ideas, and choices behind your work).

Instead of making a traditional portrait of yourself, you’ll create a Still Life Self-Portrait. That means you will gather and arrange objects that represent you,. Think about your personality, interests, habits, fears, or passions. The objects you choose should say something about who you are, almost like clues in a puzzle that only you could put together.

1. Choosing Your Objects

• You must include at least 4 objects in your still life.
• Each object should have personal meaning to you—something that connects to your character, hobbies, or experiences.
• Think about variety: include objects with different surface textures (something shiny, rough, soft, patterned, etc.) so your drawing feels more alive and challenging.
  
  

2. Arranging the Still Life

• Place your objects in an arrangement that feels intentional—not random. Think about composition (where things are placed) and balance (how your eye moves across the arrangement).
• Use dramatic lighting (like a lamp, flashlight, or sunlight from one side) so there are strong highlights and shadows. This will make your drawing more expressive and powerful.
• Before you start drawing, take photographs of your still life. These photos will serve as references while you work, so you don’t have to keep the setup in place for days.
  
  

3. Creating Your Artwork

• You may work on any surface (paper, cardboard, wood, etc.) but it must be at least 11 x 14 inches in size. I will provide paper for this, but you may use your own surface if desired. 
• Focus on both the realism of your drawing/painting and the story your objects tell about you.
  
  

4. The Goal
By the end of this project, you should have a still life that not only looks strong technically (realistic shading, proportion, detail, texture, etc.) but also speaks to who you are as a person. This artwork will act as a self-portrait without ever showing your face.