Today’s art therapy challenge invites you to look inward and express who you are—not through physical likeness, but through symbolic representation. This is not a traditional self-portrait. Instead of focusing on facial features or proportions, you’ll be using shapes, symbols, and colors to capture your essence, your journey, and your truth.
I think you could approach this a number of ways depending on how you're feeling. For me, I felt the need to start with a little bit of recognisable features. I'[m not very confident in portraits (it's been a while since I spent a lot of them. Again, the internal struggle with my ability to let go is very present. So, I felt the right process for me was to start with the recognisable as the base, then build it out from there.
t this point it is still a pencil sketch. The truth is I was really enjoying this process and I just didn't want to rush it at all! I want to take my time, to stew on things, and then give it some life with watercolours. I will share the finished piece once it's done.
Prompt:
Create a self-portrait that represents your inner self using symbols and colors instead of realistic features.
Instructions:
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Choose your medium—pencil, paint, markers, digital tools, or even collage. Anything that feels right for you today. I started with pencils to sketch out my ideas, but will move on to watercolour once I feel I've included enough detail
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Begin with the idea of a “self-portrait,” but think beyond literal appearance. You’re creating a symbolic reflection of your inner world. Think about this a little before you start, then go with the flow. There are reasons you might feel comfortable starting with the eyes, or the nose, or the hair.
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Use imagery and symbols to represent key parts of yourself:
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🌊 A wave might reflect emotional depth or change
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🌳 A tree could symbolize growth, resilience, or rootedness
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🕊️ A bird might stand for freedom or hope
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🔒 A lock could express guardedness or unresolved pain
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Consider how color plays a role. What colors represent your mood, energy, or personality today? Warm hues for passion or connection, cool tones for calm or introspection?
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There’s no “right” way to do this. Focus on how you feel rather than how it looks. Let your intuition guide the process. For me, it all started with the hair. I began drawing a tree of life to represent family and growth. You might also spot the candle with 2 wicks to represent the grief of losing my parents, the flame and phoenix to represent the painful process and my rebirth, forever changed by that process. The flames spew clouds of smoke, with a rainbow emerging to represent my baby and dark turning to light. There is a starry sky as I'm a dreamer, the lovers for my partner and spiritual nature. There is sun on my cheek for my sunny disposition and music in my eyebrows, my ear is an artists palate and my eyes are full of love. This is what I have so far, and hopefully you can see why I want to take my time on it.
How This Helps:
Symbolic self-portraits allow for deep self-reflection in a safe, creative format. This exercise encourages you to acknowledge and express who you are beneath the surface—your hopes, struggles, strengths, and identity. The act of putting those inner experiences into visual form can:
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Increase self-awareness and acceptance
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Highlight personal growth and emotional patterns
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Promote healing by giving voice to unspoken feelings
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Boost self-esteem by honoring your unique story
As with all art therapy, the goal is expression, not perfection. What matters most is what the image means to you.
I have to say, I felt a little rushed with the time I had for this one, but it has been a wonderful process so far and I'm really happy with it. I've stepped away and come back to it a few times and the ideas keep coming, so I'd like to see how much I can do with it. Really get some good detail in there, and take my time layering up some watercolours. I will update this post with the finished piece once it's done. I'd love to see how you do.
Follow-Up Resources:
📘 Art Is a Way of Knowing by Pat Allen – A profound exploration of art as a path to emotional and spiritual understanding.
🎧 Podcast: “Art Therapy Sessions” – Real conversations around creativity and healing.
📚 Skillshare: Creative Self-Discovery – An online course focused on using art to explore your identity and inner world.
Allow yourself to be seen—not in a mirror, but through your own creative lens. Take your time, take pleasure in the process, and reconnect to yourself by shining a light on yourself in a way you can enjoy.
7 Day Art Therapy Challenge - Day 3: Symbol Self-Portrait
This post is a collaborative effort between AI and myself in order to provide the most up to date information.
