By Paint and Sip LIVE

05/26/2021 It’s easy to get a self-portrait wrong. Self-portraits are notoriously difficult, and many artists give up after one or two failed attempts.
Fortunately, there are easy ways to get better at painting a self-portrait. With basic tips and tricks, you can paint a better self-portrait and put your best face forward.
Here are some of the tips and tricks experts recommend for creating effective self-portraits.
Keep the Palette Simple: It’s easy to overdo the palette on your first self-portrait attempt. Instead, simplify your palette – especially if you’re new to painting. Too many colors can make the palette confusing. Start with an effective skin tone, then build your self-portrait from there.
Don’t Try to Create a Perfect Image of Yourself: If you wanted a perfect image of yourself, you would create a selfie. Instead of creating a perfect image of yourself, create a likeness of yourself. Emphasize your most noticeable traits. A painting is not a photograph. That’s not the point of a self-portrait.
Use a Mirror and Photo: Most self-portrait artists use a mirror and photo to create their portraits. By using both tools, you can create an effective image of yourself without losing your position. A mirror helps you analyze your face from all angles, while a photo gives you a single reference from which to work.
Follow Basic Rules of Human Face Proportions: Human face proportions are easy to get wrong. If you get them wrong, your self-portrait can start looking very silly. Look up basic rules of human proportion. The space between the eyes should be the length of one eye, for example, and the pupil of your eye should align with the edge of your mouth.

Trace or Draw an Outline: We’re not judging. Consider tracing or drawing an outline of your subject (yourself) before you begin. Otherwise, it can be easy to lose your place – especially if you’re moving around in the mirror.