The art of creating an Abstract Self Portrait

Today, I'm excited to share with you a self-portrait series I've been working on. Despite the illusion that art comes effortlessly, the reality is quite different. I'll open up about the hurdles I'm facing right now, and I'd love to hear about your own struggles too. So tune in, let's chat and connect over the ups and downs of the creative journey!
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[@janbarrett2485]

Thank you Louise. You are always so open and encouraging. A tonic actually! X

[@kvadams9538]

I showed up today to my art for the first time in forever. I did a self portrait after watching your video and as I added, smudged, and somewhat subtracted paint it turned into a very young version of someone who looks nothing like i did, but it doesn’t need to as the importance of what’s appeared has been seen and recognised. Thank you Louise.

[@yopestevens1505]

There's no doubt something BIG inside of you looking for a way out. I can't imagine the introspection and life-review that must be going on while you paint. For me, it would be completely overwhelming and I would be painting thru my tears - no need for squinting, ha ha. You are a brave soul to do it, because I feel this is much more for you than the words "self-portrait" can convey. To me, each of your iterations is beautiful in it's own way, the one with a little girl at your chin (bottom right) really spoke to me. Perhaps she spoke to you as well...the next iteration had a rather angry swath of blue to cover her up! Thank you for sharing your journey, and may your sunshine soon return!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thanks so much for watching

[@amandagordon4318]

thank you for bearing your soul and showing us different aspects of you

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome Amanda ❤

[@tatianasavchenko4133]

Thank you, Louise, your video inspired me to draw the first oil pastel sketch of my self-portrait and I discovered so many signs and ideas in it. It seemed to me that your self-portrait is like an attempt to figure out what is stopping you in your creativity and an attempt to enter or return to this carefree state of childhood, when everything is created easily, joyfully and playfully.

[@patriciabroderick403]

thank you Louise. very revealing process!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you liked it Patricia. ❤

[@karenwilliams6121]

So interesting & inspiring thank you.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you think so Karen!

[@cathyfreeman4154]

Love this video for numerous reasons. Thankyou for sharing it. Cheers

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww glad you liked it! ❤

[@jeanversace6300]

Delightful, Louise.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you liked it Jean ❤

[@andeebee2530]

Incredible to see the process

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it! ❤

[@debeisenmann6162]

Great, honest reveal! Thank you!

[@bobwiegers]

thank you for sharing your process. very inspiring and helpful

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@ames550]

Thank you so much. Fabulous.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@denisegrossman3840]

Incredible progressions , it seems like a lot of deep inner work. Very moving and inspiring. Thank you for sharing. 🙏

[@keldaycreativeart]

Thank you Louise for sharing your process. I loved seeing the change in expressions throughout your work. I have never created a self portrait. You have inspired me to have a go at this. Goodness knows what will happen but I like the idea of being surprised.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome! Just give it a try. 😀

[@arlierichards9438]

Always grateful for your videos. This one in particular as I am nearing the point of painting again. I dabble now and again but finally healing enough to rejoin life and my creativity. Your videos are such an encouragement.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sandrarumfeldt8448]

I have finally begun to trust you.

[@ArtorLifeTorB]

Very nice video 👏💐Great artwork ✍️🎨💐👍

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thank you so much 😀

[@mixedmedialife7916]

This is the most interesting and inspiring self portrait vid I've ever seen 😮. I thought the last iteration was absolutely fantastic! I'm not yet brave enough to give this a go, never mind posting it online!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@jeannelutzkow2507]

I love this. Thank you for sharing ❤️. I'm going to try it.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@lcomfort8683]

I love your self portaits. Absolutely riveting!

[@annrubino6252]

Thank you, Louise for another art/life lesson. Your self portrait is amazing, so much to observe and mull over - thoroughly modern.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thank you so much!

[@kateveneroso5754]

You again have posted a exceedingly helpful video! What a useful intuitive process. I find myself always checking your work/videos, craving the inspirational content, process of a particular piece. WOW!!!! You never disappoint! I work the same way, taking a few half hours to come back to an image, so I can see the piece in a new light. Often I go and work on another image. I so like this image. You do not wish clarity as we all have a bit mystery which is part of ourselves, that part we ourself know as our mystery, which being alive makes us all encounter and go into the hidden country of self. Thank you, you are a hero of mine! Thanks again! 😊

[@ThisPaintingLife]

thanks so much for watching!

[@andreaharley4047]

Thankyou louise,its great to have a good idea of where to start as ive never done any kind of portraits,now im raring to go. ❤🙂🙂🙂

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww give it a try! You never know what may happen. 😀

[@catholictortillas777]

I have also been doing self-portraits!. I have been feeling a lot and thinking of different ages also at times. Love your ideas and paintings!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Wonderful!

[@louisea966]

i love these all so much

[@ThisPaintingLife]

thank you x

[@sarawelder1]

It is so helpful to be reminded that it doesn't come easily even when you have been painting for so long.What I took away from this is ; don't give up...persevere.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes, exactly!

[@eileengabellini6935]

Love your sharing your process.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@fergiemax1829]

What a wonderful video!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@berniesteadman7676]

It's so interesting to watch your process and progress. Thank you!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww thank you bernie. ❤

[@paulinechorlton4381]

I love watching you work, seeing how adventurous you are painting and over painting. So interesting, thank you for sharing your process and talking us through as you reflect on the work. I really love the last one you created, it does actually look like you too 😃 x

[@tudsemor]

Your portraits are so interesting ❤

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thank you so much 😀

[@karencook732]

I love the process and the iterations! Thanks for the reminder when looking at finished pieces that I don’t know how long it took, the struggle and how many times the artist may have put it aside and come back to it

[@siskonaerhi7159]

😮❤❤😊

[@artmix700]

Thanking for sharing your process in such a clear way, it’s super inspiring watching your work progress through each phase🙏🏼

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@dianecharest8365]

I love those. Why don't you find pictures of yourself and do them in a sequence of younger to older. Those are great!

[@lizyoung1882]

Thank you for sharing your interesting process. Enjoy your trip.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@shaunnalyons4436]

Thanks so much for sharing this Louise. It’s so true, I always think someone else made it super quick and easy. And what is wrong with me laboring over each one for a long time. Super helpful reminder that is rarely the case. I adored all the images you showed of the finished ones. This is a powerful series. I want every one of them and I’m jealous you’re doing it. Ha ha. That’s usually a sign I really want to be doing it deep down. I loved figure drawing and especially the blind studies. Hmmm as ever you leave me much to think about. Thanks again for sharing your process. ❤😊😊😊

[@googleuser9888]

Fascinating to see your process; the stages, evolutions and permutations, and how the image shifts with your feelings as time moves on. I learned a lot from this about continuing and not judging, and how you can change parts, experiment and move intuitively to the next moment. Thank you so much for sharing this, Louise, and so glad you took the plunge and took up the invitation to visit California!

[@cantocant2346]

LOVE watching your portraits as they change! They are beautiful. Thank you for another great video.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You are so welcome!

[@philippaking1732]

Fantastic! Thank you, Louise. 💛💚💙

[@ThisPaintingLife]

You're so welcome!

[@kristih2825]

I love your self portraits, Louise! Thanks for sharing your process. I can't wait to try it out!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@Mo-hl6oh]

Every change brought out something I really liked. I hoped. you wouldn't change it anymore. But when you did, I liked it as well. Mad skills!

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww thank you so much for your kind words.

[@veena108]

Love the last iteration on this video. Clarity of features in an abstract , especially with your talent is a joy to look at, exhausting though it may be to create. Ihope you finish it at some point, I’m sure it will be worth it. My favorite of your work so far 🙏

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@deniselini1366]

So fabulous Louise!! They are my fav of your works🫶🫶

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Aww thank you Denise! ❤

[@Samahra01]

Wonderful!❤

[@BeverlyMcanulty]

I understand that you were drawing blindly, but when you added the paint did you look at what you had done or was this done blindly also? I love these. I want to thank you for sharing Art2Life which I joined this year.

[@PinoyAbstractArtist]

Love it

[@PinoyAbstractArtist]

Amazing Talent

[@juliebabb3365]

thanks for another self-portrait video; they are fascinating. your blind drawings have great character & look increasingly more like you. i have trouble placing the mirror & drawing paper so the angle is the same. maybe i should hang the mirror & hold the drawing pad! glad your trip to CA was fun.

[@bonniejoberg388]

So interesting to see the progression and the change in expression. I think the last time I attempted a self-portrait was with colored pencil in my art journal, the result cracked me up. It did resemble me but it was somehow hilarious as well.

[@ThisPaintingLife]

They can definitely be difficult but I love the challenge!

[@lindas5964]

I used to paint & draw as a child but somewhere along the way it became difficult for me to do so. Even if we’re not doing a self portrait, I seem to be confronting myself somehow. I believe you are quite brave to do this as I would be terribly overwhelmed. Maybe that’s why I need to do it lol.

[@betsyglass3921]

I enjoy seeing and hearing about your process. I hope you’ll continue to show us how the work is going on this very meaningful project. BTW, What kind of paper are you working on here? The weight and type? Thanks so much for all your insights and wisdom! Betsy

[@christinao942]

Wow! This was really interesting, the expression changing again and again. Did I understand you correctly that you continue to paint "blind" while watching yourself in the mirror? Thank you so much for all the inspiration and teachings 💕

[@ThisPaintingLife]

Yes, correct

[@dianefallon8471]

Thanks Louise for this video. I have been thinking about attempting an abstract self-portrait for a while. Do you start with a photo of yourself or a mirror?

[@ThisPaintingLife]

It really depends on the day. This time was just a mirror.