Gallery: Artist Draws 8,628 Self-Portraits Under the Influence of Love and Other Drugs
01normal-face
*This self-portrait by Bryan Lewis Saunders shows his "normal face," but the other 8,000-plus images he's created over the past 16 years go into some pretty strange territory.*
02drugs-psilocybin-mushrooms
Drugs: Psilocybin Mushrooms --------------------------- *"I wanted to see how drugs changed my self-perception," Saunders said. "So I drew myself under the influence of a wide variety of them."*
03drugs-bath-salts
Drugs: Bath Salts ----------------- *A self-portrait of Saunders after taking [bath salts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts_(drug)).*
04third-ear-experiment-2
Third Ear Experiment*, No. 2* ----------------------------- *Another self-portrait from the* Third Ear Experiment *series.*
05third-ear-experiment-1
Third Ear Experiment*, No. 1* ----------------------------- *"For 28 days I blocked up my external ears and attached a copper funnel to my mouth in an effort to connect my Eustachian tubes to my pineal gland by physically rerouting the way in which sound entered my body," Saunders said of the* Third Ear Experiment *series.*
06im-all-out-of-hair-im-so-lost-without-you-1
I'm All Out Of Hair, I'm So Lost Without You*, No. 1* ----------------------------------------------------- *"I shaved my body hair and used it in my self-portraits to make e-cards letting people know how much I missed them." Saunders said.*
07im-all-out-of-hair-im-so-lost-without-you
I'm All Out Of Hair, I'm So Lost Without You*, No. 2* ----------------------------------------------------- *Another body-hair-inspired piece.*
08died-great-aunt
Died: Great Aunt ---------------- *Saunders describes his* Died *series as capturing "the difference between when a stranger or family member dies." This image was inspired by the death of his great aunt.*
09died-neighbor
Died: Neighbor -------------- *Another self-portrait in the*Died *series, this time inspired by a deceased neighbor.*
10naked-yoga-casa-setu-bandha-sarvangasana
Naked Yoga: Casa Setu Bandha Sarvangasana ----------------------------------------- *"I tried to do yoga and was using art as an incentive, but I think I waited too late in life to start," Saunders said of his* Naked Yoga *series.*
11imperfect-face-1
My Drawings Aren't Messed Up, It's the Symmetry of My Face*, No. 1* -------------------------------------------------------------------- *"Using the [golden ratio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio) and other ideas from geometry, I was trying to locate the precise imperfections of my face," Saunders said.*
12imperfect-face-2
My Drawings Aren't Messed Up, It's the Symmetry of My Face*, No. 2* -------------------------------------------------------------------- *Another self-portrait Saunders did based on the proportions of his face.*
13facing-fear-heights
Facing Fear: Heights -------------------- *"I wanted to use art to overcome some of my fears, so I drew myself while facing them," Saunders said of the portraits he did about confronting his fears. "A sort of 'exposure therapy.'"*
14facing-fears-trains
Facing Fear: Trains ------------------- *Saunders facing his fear of trains.*
15popular-toys-1
Popular Toys*, No. 1* --------------------- *"From time to time I use art to revitalize myself," said Saunders of his* Popular Toys *series, in which he uses iconic playthings "to help bring out my inner child." This one is the artist as Mr. Potato Head.*
16popular-toys-2
Popular Toys*, No. 2* --------------------- *This image in the* Popular Toys *series depicts a My Little Pony toy.*
17psycho-anatomy-1
Psycho-Anatomy*, No. 1* ----------------------- *"Finding and connecting the similarities between different organs in the body," Saunders said of his* Psycho-Anatomy *series. This image depicts the digestive system.*
18psycho-anatomy-2
Psycho-Anatomy*, No. 2* ----------------------- *This image in Saunders'* Psycho-Anatomy *series depicts the brain.*
19quitting-smoking-1
Quitting Smoking*, No. 1* ------------------------- *"I wanted to see how quitting smoking changed my self-perception," Saunders said of the* Quitting Smoking *series. "I think I lasted a month before I started again."*
20quitting-smoking-2
Quitting Smoking*, No. 2* ------------------------- *Another self-portrait from the* Quitting Smoking *series.*
21sensation-ear-nibbles
Sensation Drawings: Ear Nibbles ------------------------------- *"\[This is\] A project I did with my girlfriend to see how different and similar we felt the same physical sensations in or on our bodies," Saunders said of his* Sensation Drawings *series.*
22sensation-tummy-caresses
Sensation Drawings: Tummy Caresses ---------------------------------- *A self-portrait from Saunders'* Sensation Drawings *series based on the feeling of a stomach caress.*
