Abstract Self Portrait Ideas

Abstract portraits are just magical. An abstract self portrait is basically a painting of a human face that doesn’t show most of the facial features typically found in portrait photography and painting.

It’s a form of art that encourages self-expression. The choice of colors and shapes can heavily influence the messages or emotions that the painting is attempting to convey.

Luckily, you don’t need to have pro art skills to create your own abstract self portrait. Even kids can participate in these seemingly-complicated art projects.

In this guide, we’ll explore some abstract self portrait ideas that you can try with your kids. Let’s get started right away!

1. How to Draw an Abstract Self Portrait

Our first idea is one for the kids. If you’re a parent, teacher, or caretaker, you can use this idea to get your little one to practice face drawing.

It facilitates everything, especially drawing eyes, and it makes way for kids to add their own touches.

The abstract magic happens when kids color in their drawings.

A bonus point is the abstract self portrait coloring page, which you can hand out to the younger ones.

Learn more about How to Draw an Abstract Self Portrait from artprojectsforkids.org

2. Abstract Self-Portrait – Value, Movement, Identity

Students from grade 4 to grade 9 will love this abstract self portrait. It’s a good project if you want them practicing with oil pastels.

But, more importantly, you’ll help kids express their identity and pinpoint the things that matter to them.

You can even ask them questions to help them better understand themselves.

Get the instructions for Abstract Self-Portrait – Value, Movement, Identity from crayolateachers.ca

3. Project Reader Abstract Self Portrait

You should consider this abstract idea if your kids or students are in the third grade or up.

It takes self expression to the next level, as it urges kids not only to draw themselves in an abstract style but also follow up with a story about themselves.

Additionally, the art style is simple, so they won’t find sketching themselves difficult.

Read about Project Reader Abstract Self Portrait on strathmoreartist.com

4. Another Cubism Face

Yes, cubism falls under the umbrella of abstract art.

You might think that a cubist self portrait is too tricky for kids, but the idea’s tutorial simplifies it and makes it way more fun!

The painting will feature the two-sided look of their face, framed by bold black lines. And the vibrant colors will have your kids going bonkers!

Get inspired by Another Cubism Face on artprojectsforkids.org

5. Picasso Self Portrait

We can’t possibly talk about abstract self portraits without mentioning Picasso.

In this project, kids create self-portraits in Picasso’s style. They learn about shapes and colors.

Moreover, this can be an excellent opportunity to discuss the history of Picasso with the kids.

Read more about Picasso Self Portrait on ktjoartsblogspot.com

6. Adrian Ghenie’s Self-Portrait in 1945

Are you an experienced artist? You may be interested in Adrian Ghenie’s Self-Portrait in 1945, a top piece.

The painting features Ghenie’s face combined with bits of others’ faces.

And we think the lush brush strokes and blurred features can be all the inspiration you need, whether you want to recreate his painting or create yours in the same style.

Get the details for Adrian Ghenie’s Self-Portrait in 1945 on Sothebys.com

7. Self Portrait – 5 Original Painting Made With Ink and Acrylic

Professional artists will probably appreciate Harry Simmods’ self portrait, and that’s especially true if you don’t want to make a colored self portrait.

he primarily black and white painting is one of his most reflective contemporary artworks. And we’re sure that it’ll spark some ideas for your self portrait.

Learn more about Self Portrait – 5 Original Painting Made with Ink and Acrylic on mineheart.com

8. Self-Portrait With Hat

Add a little personality (or a lot) to your self portrait with a hat!

Schmidt Rottluff painted his oil self portrait in Berlin after his discharge from the army in World War 1.

He reflected the trauma with jarring colors and geometric features.

This is a piece for artists who have some experience, but you don’t necessarily need to be professional to use it as inspiration.

It’s also one for those looking for some art therapy.

Get inspired by Self-Portrait with Hat on Clevehandart.org

9. Jean Michel Basquiat Self Portrait

Jean Michel Basquiat experienced racism all his life, as seen in his 1984 self portrait. It portrays a dual identity, evident in the contrast between the black figure and white background.

Its primitive style is something from which artists of different levels can draw inspiration. And it’s also a change for black artists to paint their experiences and traumas.

Read more about Jean Michel Basquiat Self Portrait from kingandmcgaw.com

10. Inspired Portraits in Oil

These self portraits are suitable for first and second graders. Show them Sandra Silberzweig’s portraits, and let their imagination run wild!

You can also use this project as an opportunity to acquaint them with the artist and her biography (in brief).

As for the final product, each kid’s piece will be utterly beautiful and unique.

Get the instructions for Inspired Portraits in Oil on mrsbakersartclass.blogspot.com

11. Painting Inspired by Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin created her painting as part of her 30 self portraits in the spring of 2015.

The abstract acrylic painting features the artist and the inscription “I made up a rule” at the top and “Let’s try not to figure out everything at once” at the bottom.

This quotation is a needed reminder that although a self portrait can help you better understand yourself and the world, you don’t have to rush the journey of self exploration.

Learn more about Painting Inspired by Tracey Emin on saatchiart.com

12. Paintings 1980s

We can’t talk about self portraits without referring to Francis Bacon. His passion for self portraits left us with many paintings in the 1980s that you’ll find peculiar.

And you might want to try incorporating his abstract perspective lines and space frames into your self portrait, creating a Francis Bacon-inspired self portrait.

Get inspiration from Paintings 1980s from francis-bacon.com

13. Self Portrait Doodle

Do you find drawing features intimidating?

If so, you can trade them for doodles! The artwork features a silhouette portrait filled with symbols and doodles. This is a project that kids can work on.

hey get to learn about abstraction, symbolism, and color schemes.

Aside from the self portrait, the questionnaire should help them come up with elements to doodle.

Get the instructions for Self Portrait Doodle on nchsartelmore.blogspot.com

14. Faceless Art

Joseph Lee’s art typically depicts faces and emotions. His signature segmented brush strokes are genuinely stunning, somehow creating a coherent painting.

is self portrait is no exception, and it’s full of expression despite the absence of features.

Learn more about Faceless Art on boredpanda.com

15. Nikos Gyftakis Liquid Friends Self Portraits

Nikos Gyftakis’s energetic self portraits are indeed a work of art. The Greek artist’s oil paintings are marked by curved and circular lines.

And the swirling lines give the overall impression of the facial features.

So, if you’re looking to experiment with different art styles, you’ve got to create your own psychedelic portrait.

Read about Nikos Gyftakis Liquid Friends Self Portraits on mymodernmet.com

16. Paintings 1970s

We’ve discussed Francis Bacon’s 1980s self portraits, but the seventies is when it started.

The aging artist painted them as a means of staring his mortality in the face, which is sometimes reflected in a wristwatch (symbolizing the passage of time).

The paintings are also highly abstracted with space frames.

Learn about Paintings 1970s on francis-bacon.com

17. Jean Michel Basquiat

Another self portrait Jean Michel Basquiat created was that of 1982. Like the former one, the piece is socially conscious.

And if you want to delve into neo-expressionism and street art styles, you can try your hands at this abstract self portrait.

Read about Jean Michel Basquiat self portrait on mymodernmet.com

18. Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh’s Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear is one of his most famous pieces. This is the painting featuring his bandaged wound after he cut off his ear.

Also, it’s in the post-impressionist style of abstract art. So, it’s undoubtedly an interesting painting to recreate or get inspired by.

Learn more about Vincent Van Gogh portrait from mymodernmet.com

19. Salvador DalÃ

Are you looking to create a surrealist, abstract self portrait? Salvador DalÃ is your guy.

His Soft Self-Portrait With Grilled Bacon painting in 1941 is one of a kind.

It portrays a bacon slice and an unidentified shape with a human face and his signature mustache. DalÃ breaks all the rules, and you can, as well.

How would you paint yourself in a surrealist portrait?

Get inspired by Salvador DalÃ painting from mymodernmet.com

20. Peter Keil Self Portrait Painting

One of the top German contemporary painters, Peter Keil, depicted himself as “the Wild Man of Berlin” he came to be known as in his self portrait.

And we think it has just the abstract style you might be looking for if you want to learn about energetic art and expressionist styles.

You can use it as inspiration and get your kids to join, as they’ll love its bright colors.

Learn more about Peter Keil Self Portrait Painting on missinglinknyc.com

Ultimately, abstract art is so broad and accessible that it encompasses many possibilities, opening the doors to self exploration. And we hope our abstract self portrait ideas are the first step in a fruitful and rewarding experience.

21. Lichtenstein Comics Self Portrait

If you’re familiar with Roy Lichtenstein’s old-school comic strips, you’ll definitely like this Lichtenstein Comics self portrait. The American pop artist popularized this art technique in the 1960s with other artists.

All you have to do is print a single image of your face, trace the outline of your face with tracing paper, and color it with watercolor paints and dots.

Check out the detailed Lichtenstein Comics self portrait coloring guide on littlebinsforlittlehands.com.

22. Playdough Portrait

Kids will love this one. It’s so funny and silly to make a face with a playdough portrait, but don’t let its light-hearted nature fool you. This project can potentially enhance your kids’ motor skills and make them more creative.

Get the step-by-step playdough painting instructions on littlebinsforlittlehands.com.

23. LEGO Self Portrait

Kids go crazy over LEGO crafts, and this creative LEGO self portrait will make them fall in love with art projects.

It’s all about arranging colorful LEGO pieces to form an abstract face. There are multiple ways to make this self portrait come to life, so don’t hesitate to let your kids create it the way they want.

Get the step-by-step LEGO self portrait guide from littlebinsbricks.com.

24. Basquiat Self Portrait #1

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a master of his trade. His self portraits are colorful and funky, so they’ll definitely appeal to the little ones.

This self portrait can be crafted using art paper and oil pastels.

Get the in-depth Basquiat self portrait guide from littlebinsbricks.com.

25. Basquiat Self Portrait #2

Another masterpiece from Jean-Michel Basquiat, this self portrait features tape and paint. Its abstract nature makes it very easy to create, and with the colorful background, kids will be encouraged to replicate it.

Learn how to paint a Basquiat self portrait on littlebinsbricks.com.

26. Silhouette Selfie

Silhouettes add a touch of mystery to any painting. A portrait silhouette is just a solid shape that looks like a human’s face. To create this portrait, trace the outline of any image of your face and use black paint to fill it.

Get the full silhouette selfie tutorial from littlebinsbricks.com.

27. Single Line Self Portrait

This is one of the easiest self portraits. It’s so simple that it can take just a few minutes to create.

All it takes is to draw an abstract portrait of your face with a single-line pencil. In other words, you can’t lift the pencil off the paper if you really want to do it right.

You can either leave it like that or add colors for extra depth. You can also use watercolors or acrylic paints to paint it. You might want to paint the background, too.

Learn how to draw a single line self portrait at littlebinsbricks.com.

28. Abstract Self Portrait Ideas for Kids

Many kids often draw tiny eyes when making self portraits. In this abstract self portrait for kids, drawing eyes larger than the normal is intentional so that the end result will be much better than with a typical painting.

You might consider using paper with gridlines that divide the canvas into 4 equal parts to make it easier for the kids to follow up with the tutorial.

Get the step-by-step abstract self portrait craft for kids tutorial from artprojectsforkids.org.

29. Picasso-style Self Portrait Ideas

This Picasso-style abstract self portrait idea is so creative, and it marks a true representation of the artist’s identity and personality.

The project is an excellent opportunity to teach kids about colors and shapes. On top of that, they get to learn about Picasso and his long-lasting art history and legacy.

Check out the Picasso-style self portrait video tutorial at youtube.com/c/DrawingsByMeUAE.

Project Reader Abstract Self Portrait Ideas

This portrait painting can be a fun craft for the little ones. It allows kids to express themselves with self portraiture and even write a story about themselves.

The whole project is very easy, and most kids won’t find it that hard.

Check out the detailed project reader abstract self portrait tutorial on strathmoreartist.com

30. Adrian Ghenie’s 1945 Self Portrait Ideas

This is one of the more advanced abstract self portraits. It’s a replication of Adrian Ghenie’s famous 1945 self portrait that combines his face with the faces of other people.

It features blurred elements and lush brush strokes, so it has all the abstract magic you need in a self portrait painting.

Follow the detailed 1945 Adrian Ghenie self portrait guide on Sothebys.com.

31. Joseph Lee Faceless Abstract Art

Joseph Lee is known for his tendency to express emotions when he draws faces. He does this with his remarkable segmented brush strokes that are just pure genius.

There are very few features in Lee’s self-portraits, but at the same time, they’re full of depiction.

Check out how to paint a Joseph Lee faceless art portrait on boredpanda.com.

32. 1980s Paintings

Francis Bacon’s 1980s self portraits have been the primary source of inspiration for young artists in the past few decades. Bacon was so passionate about self portaits that included space frames and perspective lines.

If you want to follow his artistic guidelines, you should definitely include these elements in your next self portrait art project.

Learn how to paint a self portrait in Francis Bacon’s way on francis-bacon.com.

33. 1970s Paintings

Francis Bacon’s 1970s self portraits were just as inspiring as his 1980s works of art. He wanted to showcase his morality in the face, the same way it’s visible in a watch that symbolizes how time goes by so fast.

And just like his 1980s paintings, the 1970s portraits also included space frames.

Find out how to mimic Francis Bacon’s 1970s self portraits on francis-bacon.com.

34. Vincent Van Gogh Self Portrait

Vincent Van Gogh’s post-impressionist bandaged ear self-portrait is a cultural symbol. He created the abstract self portrait painting after he cut off his ear.

You can get inspiration from this self portrait for your next painting, and we’re pretty sure that the end result will be fascinating.

Get the Vincent Van Gogh abstract self portrait tutorial from mymodernmet.com.

35. Peter Keil Self Portrait Painting

When it comes to famous abstract portrait painters, Peter Kail’s name has to be mentioned. He is a world-renowned German contemporary artist known for his unique abstract style that’s full of expressionism and energy.

This self portrait can be a fun painting to work on with your kids; they’ll undoubtedly love it!

Learn more about the Wild Man of Berlin’s self portrait painting on missinglinknyc.com

36. Schmidt Rottluff Self-Portrait With Hat

This Schmidt Rottluff self-portrait features a hat that adds character to the painting. Rottluff painted the original oil self-portrait with the hat when he was discharged from the armed forces in The Great War in Berlin.

The war left him traumatized, so he used the painting’s geometric features and colors to narrate his experience in his very own way.

Learn how to paint Schmidt Rottluff’s self portrait with the hat on clevelandart.org.

37. Cubism

Some people don’t classify cubism as abstract art, but we do think that it belongs there.

This cubist self portrait is super easy to follow, even for kids. Basically, you’ll paint a two-sided view of your face with bright colors, boxed in bold black lines.

Check out the in-depth cubism tutorial on artprojectsforkids.org

38. Self Portrait Doodle

Complex features and details can make your artwork look overwhelming. In that case, you can use doodles instead.

This self-portrait idea is all about drawing a silhouette portrait with doodles and symbols, making it a fun craft for kids interested in learning about symbolism, abstraction, and other art concepts.

Check out the detailed self portrait doodle instructions on nchsartelmore.blogspot.com.

39. Inspired Portraits in Oil

Looking for an easy-to-follow self portrait tutorial for first and second graders? These inspired portraits in oil are exactly what you’re searching for.

They’re inspired by Sandra Silberzweig’s unique self portraits. If you want to improve their imagination, let them see the artist’s self portraits and allow them to paint whatever they want after reading the tutorial.

Not only will they know how to paint astonishing self portraits but also get to learn about the artist’s works.

Get the detailed inspired self portraits in oil guide from mrsbakersartclass.blogspot.com.