How to Paint a Self-Portrait: Tips and Techniques with Helen Van Wyk

In this lesson, Helen Van Wyk invites you into her studio for an in-depth exploration of self-portrait painting. With her signature warmth and expertise, Helen demonstrates how to sketch a self-portrait. She highlights the advantages of using oneself as a model, such as the convenience and lack of distractions, and mentions a previous self-portrait she completed.

00:00 INTRO GRAPHICS AND MUSIC

00:52 SETTING UP THE SELF-PORTRAIT

Helen sets up a mirror to view her reflection and begins the process of sketching her portrait. She emphasizes the importance of getting the right placement and proportions, using the brush handle to measure and align key features like the chin, mouth, and shoulder lines.

01:33 FINDING THE BASIC PROPORTIONS

Helen continues to refine the basic proportions of her face, making adjustments based on her reflection. She shares insights into the challenges of working with live models, compared to the freedom of working on a self-portrait. She also discusses the importance of understanding the overall silhouette of the head.

05:29 BUILDING THE SILHOUETTE

The process of building the portrait begins with a focus on large shapes and basic structures. Helen uses a large brush to block in the general shapes of her face, explaining the concept of "putting up the scaffolding" to establish a foundation before working on finer details.

07:17 FOCUSING ON LIGHTING AND SHADOWS

Helen explains how the lighting setup in her studio affects the shadows on her face. She emphasizes the importance of capturing the basic structure of the face—such as the forehead, cheeks, and chin—before moving on to more detailed features like the eyes, nose, and mouth.

07:45 REFINING THE PORTRAIT

As the portrait progresses, Helen discusses the challenges of achieving a likeness, noting that the expression and final look should be developed gradually. She also shares a useful color mixture for creating the background and emphasizes the importance of capturing the "lost line" to add depth and dimension to the hair.

11:41 OVERCOMING ARTISTIC FEARS

Helen reflects on the fears that often hold back artistic development, encouraging artists to push through their uncertainties and continue refining their skills. She continues to work on the portrait, adjusting tones and shapes to bring the image to life.

12:36 BEGINNING STAGE SUMMARY

Helen goes over the steps she's taken during the beginning stage of the portrait. She reviews the dimensions of her face. Comparing them to what is on canvas , indicating it's a time corrections could be made.

13:42 OFF CAMERA ADVANCEMENT

A portrait take hours and hours to complete and the portrait's basic shapes are advanced for convenience.

14:00 THE SECOND SITTING

There are two sittings with the model when painting a portrait. The initial sitting, the portrait advancement without the model and the second and final sitting with the model.

14:31 HOW TO PAINT THE EYES

The all important painting in of the eyes is shown starting with the eye sockets. Helen explains you must paint both eyes at the same time to prevent a funny looking face.

17:54 WORKING FROM THE TOP DOWN

Painting the critical shape of the eyes continues.

23:15 OFF CAMERA ADVANCEMENT

A portrait takes hours and hours to complete and the portrait's basic shapes are advanced for convenience.

23:28 FINAL DETAILS OF THE EYES

Helen shows how to bring the portrait to life by painting in the sparkle of the eyes.


Join Helen in this engaging and informative session as she not only paints a self-portrait but also imparts the wisdom that has made her a beloved instructor for generations of artists.

Subscribe now and join Helen on a journey to refine your artistic techniques and discover the satisfaction of understanding and using the basic principles in your paintings, ensuring you experience the fulfillment that comes from applying Helen's teachings.