# Setting up for Self Portrait

**URL:** <https://www.smartermarx.com/t/setting-up-for-self-portrait/580>\
**Category:** Portrait & Figure\
**Created:** [December 10, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/setting-up-for-self-portrait/580 "2017-12-10T18:51:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![amanda1573215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@amanda1573215](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/amanda1573215)\
**Post date:** [December 10, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/setting-up-for-self-portrait/580/1 "2017-12-10T18:51:24Z")

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This question may be stupid, but no one has ever taught me this. How do you set up for a self portrait from life? Are there any tips, tricks, or preferences? I want to practice more portrait/figure painting from life but don’t have anyone patient or cheap enough to sit with me for hours so I was going to practice on myself.

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**Author:** ![AWaichulis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/awaichulis/32/2859_2.png) [@AWaichulis](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/AWaichulis)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/setting-up-for-self-portrait/580/2 "2017-12-12T14:18:47Z")

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What a great question Amanda! I haven’t done many self-portraits in my career but a few of my students did practice with them often. Most just set up a mirror on an adjacent easel and that was it.

Here’s a few online walk-throughs and tips that might be helpful:

> **[4 Essential Tips for Drawing a Self-Portrait](https://www.mybluprint.com/article/essential-tips-for-drawing-a-self-portrait)**
>
> When it comes to drawing portraits, we starving artists know that in a pinch, we always have access to one model absolutely free of charge: ourselves!

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UL4TqQV7r4A/hqdefault.jpg "Draw a Self Portrait looking at the mirror (time lapse)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL4TqQV7r4A)

> **[Tips for Painting a Self-Portrait](https://www.liveabout.com/self-portrait-techniques-4038862)**
>
> Try the Bitmoji App and these self-portrait tips to inspire you to look at facial features and proportions and paint your own self-portrait.