Refractions of Self (Portrait)

A modern self-portrait in oil, using bold color and fragmented shapes to explore a familiar pose, favorite details, and a new way of seeing.

Refractions of Self is my first portrait of a person, and the person I chose to begin with was myself. I did not start with a fixed plan for how it should look. Instead, I used the painting as a place to experiment with color, shape, and a more modern way of looking at a familiar face.

When I looked in the mirror, I noticed how often I sit with my hand supporting my face. That quiet, everyday pose became the center of the composition. Around it, I included the details that felt most like me: my jade bangle, the drawstrings of my hoodie, the earrings I love to wear, and my watch. Instead of drawing a watch face, I decided to place my signature on it as a creative detail.

The background grew into an arrangement of different shapes and colors, each one helping the portrait feel less like a single reflection and more like a collection of small observations. The result is playful, personal, and a little unexpected: a first attempt at painting a person, held together by the things I recognize in myself.