Selfie Portrait
Art Subjects | Creative Explorations of Oneself
The beauty of you.
OVERVIEW
This two-hour beginner's class focuses on painting the self-portrait, a subject that has remained incredibly popular throughout art history because it serves as the ultimate tool for self-examination and psychological expression.
In this Painterly class, students will learn foundational techniques for proportion and placement of facial features while exploring how artists like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Frida Kahlo used the genre to convey complex identity and mood. We will focus on interpreting rather than just copying, utilizing color and expressive brushwork to translate internal emotional states onto the canvas, ultimately turning the canvas into a powerful mirror of the inner self.
(Please note: Due to the technical difficulty of self-portraits, students will be asked to share one selfie prior to class, which will be used as the foundation of their work. This selfie will be overlaid and adhered to the canvas to aid students with the rendering and painting process.)
Painterly Original works will be provided to fuel the creative process and stoke the imagination. No experience or artistic skill required!
PRICING
All classes are $120 per canvas with a ten (10) student class minimum.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to counteract the age of disposable experiences by teaching genuine creative skills. Painterly’s framework promotes the creation of keepsake artwork that carries lasting personal value, rather than becoming clutter. In a world where art is often mass-produced or prohibitively expensive, we offer an affordable and intentional pathway for our students to create their own meaningful, display-worthy creations rooted in solid artistic foundations.
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Before there were selfies, there were plenty of self-portraits. While much more painstaking to create, artists paint self-portraits to explore their identity, express emotions, practice technique, and leave a personal mark in their work. It's a way to reflect on themselves both psychologically and artistically.
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Self-portraiture has long been a powerful tool for self-exploration and artistic legacy. Artists known for painting self-portraits include:
Frida Kahlo – Used self-portraits to express pain, identity, and personal symbolism
Vincent van Gogh – Created many self-portraits reflecting his emotional and mental states
Rembrandt van Rijn – Painted over 80 self-portraits, documenting his aging and evolving style
Albrecht Dürer – Early master of the self-portrait in the Renaissance era
Egon Schiele – Known for raw, expressive self-portraits with distorted forms
Lucian Freud – Painted intense, unflinching self-portraits over decades
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Guided group demonstration
Personalized instruction
Premium 12 x 16 gallery wrap canvas
Workshop guide
Shared class supplies (brushes, paints, etc.)
Fresh, frameable art compositions
Deeper understanding of art history
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AGES | All ages welcome but 13+ is recommended to benefit the most from instruction.
PREREQUISITE | None. No prior artistic skill required, either.
ARRIVAL | Please allow an extra 15-30 minutes for mingling to ensure you are settled when instruction begins.
ATTIRE | Heavy-duty canvas aprons are provided for class, but because accidents happen sometimes, we do recommend wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting a tad messy.
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TO BOOK | Click below to book a painting event at the location of your choice. Once your booking is confirmed, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your event.
RESCHEDULING | Hosts may request a one-time calendar postponement by contacting us at events@painterly.co at least seven (7) full days prior to the event. Approved transfers are subject to a $150 administrative rescheduling fee, and the new date must fall within six months of the original block, subject to calendar availability.
CANCELLATION POLICY | To create an exceptional experience for your group, we begin preparing for your event the moment it’s booked. Because our experiences require dedicated artist scheduling, custom material procurement, and precise regional travel logistics, the initial 50% deposit is non-refundable.
If your event needs to be cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled date (after the final balance has been settled), please note that all processed fees are non-refundable. This helps us ensure our working artists and local vendors are still compensated for the time and materials already dedicated to your event.
