There are many different ways to make a self-portrait – it doesn’t have to be a traditional drawing or painting of your face. In this
section you can see some examples of the different methods used in the portraits submitted
to the 2002/03 and 2003/04 Self Portrait UK campaigns.
What will your self-portrait say about you? Making a self-portrait is a great way to express and explore
your identity. It’s not about what your parents, friends, teachers, brothers or sisters
think you should be. It’s about who you think you are.
Ideas to get you started Think of the things that make you what you are:
the clothes you wear and the way you look
the music you listen to and the music you make
the words you write and the images you create
what you've been through and how you feel now
where you live and where you belong
the things you love and the things you hate
your passions, politics and beliefs
your family and friends
the things that make you laugh and the things that make
you cry
the places you like and the places you fear
the people you admire and the people you trust
the messages you write and the messages you receive
You might think that your bedroom, your clothes, your diary
or even some of your favourite objects, photographs or documents say more about you than
any mirror image could describe.
In your self-portrait you need to be the real you.
BBC Teens: Snapped! The BBC Teens website is running something similar: you can submit a photo of yourself to their online gallery.
