Today, November 2025, SIKOSIA is celebrating its 11th anniversary. It’s been a long time! Since I started my project in 2014, there has been a constant change in the world, and it is evident that everyone’s lives have also changed. Now I’m a little bit older and possibly a bit wiser. I have lost some important people, but new people have come into my life, providing fresh perspectives
With 11 years of experience as a portrait artist (I’m in my forties), I believe that change is the only constant in life. Nothing is stationary or immobile. Everything is changing. Our tastes change, our expectations change, our desires change, our health changes, our appearance changes… even what brings us happiness changes over time!
This final point may be the most significant. We all desire to be happy. Our lives are spent searching for the things that will make us happy: finding a job that gives us meaning, finding the ideal partner, living our dream life, etc. But what brings us happiness in our 20s may not be the same as what brings us happiness in our 40s. Let’s not think about it in our 60s! Change is evident once more.
I don’t consider myself a self-help guru or anything like that. Just I learned to appreciate the life I currently have now, in the present. My recipe, which took me years to learn, is simple: always be thankful for what you have, whether it’s a little or a lot, and avoid complaining (this is the toughest part!). Trust me, you can be happy, regardless of where you are, even in the face of constant change and sometimes hard times.
Perhaps one day we’ll meet in person and we can talk more about this or other topics with one coffee or one bourbon. Who knows! I would like to hear your point of view and experiences.
And if life permits, maybe in 2026 I’ll come back with another reflection to commemorate my 12th anniversary. Love and blessings!
‘The Psychology of Color: How Colors Act on Feelings and Reason’ by Eva Heller, one of my favorite books, has been instrumental in my understanding of color palettes when designing.
Eva Heller, a German sociologist and psychologist, has devoted her entire career to exploring the connection between colors, emotions, and human behavior. A wide range of combinations is possible with 10 base colors, each with their own variations due to more or less light and each one produce different effects. The following points are a summary of the theory formulated in this book:
1. The color is not neutral
Colors are not just aesthetics; they affect our emotions, thoughts, and decisions. Heller argues that color reactions are cultural, emotional, and psychological, and are often unconscious.
2. Color and feelings are connected
Each color generates coherent and universal emotional associations (although with cultural nuances). For example, red can represent love and passion, but also danger or aggression. Blue conveys both confidence and serenity, as well as coldness or distance.
3. Colors can have both positive and negative connotations
The meaning of a color is determined by the context and how it is combined with other colors.
Color
Positive meanings
Negative meanings
Red
Love, energy, vitality.
Danger, aggression, prohibition.
Blue
Confidence, calm, intelligence.
Coldness, melancholy.
Yellow
Joy, creativity, optimism.
Envy, jealousy, warning.
Green
Nature, hope, balance.
Poison, jealousy, decadence
Black
Elegance, power, sophistication
Death, fear, oppression
White
Purity, peace, innocence
Emptiness, coldness, sterility
Pink
Tenderness, romanticism
Weakness, sentimentality
Violet
Spirituality, creativity, nobility
Arrogance, sadness
Orange
Energy, enthusiasm, sociability
Superficiality, restlessness
Gray
Neutrality, balance
Boredom, indecision
4. Color combinations are also a means of communication
Heller emphasizes the importance of combining colors to create new meanings. For example:
Red and Black: aggressive, dominant.
Blue and White: clean, trustworthy.
Green and Yellow: natural, fresh.
Black and Gold: luxurious, elegant.
5. Color symbolism is connected to both personal and collective experiences
Meanings are formed through real-life experiences and learned associations.
Red is associated with fire and blood, which are both energy and danger.
The combination of blue with sky and water brings serenity and freshness.
Green color with nature means life and growth.
6. Colors reflect personality
Heller believes that personality traits can be reflected through one’s favorite colors.
Blue is the preference of those who seek stability and harmony.
Red is the color of choice for those who are passionate and active.
Green color is a favorite color of those who value independence.
Black color is a preference for those who seek sophistication or an expression of rebellion.
Finally the application of his color theory can be done in:
Design and branding: consistent visual identity with emotional message.
Architecture and decoration are spaces that influence mood.
In advertising and marketing, colors are used to attract or build trust.
Fashion is a way to express identity and mood through colors and design.
The relationship between color and personality is what interests me the most and is addressed in my portraits. This point will be briefly summarized below.
Colors and Personality
Eva Heller’s work is captivating because it connects the psychology of color to self-expression and personality traits. Heller contends that the colors that are most appealing to someone reveal stable aspects of their character, values, and way of relating to the world.
A favorite color is a way of feeling, thinking, and acting, not just a matter of aesthetic taste. I will explain the relationship between color and personality below:
Blue, stability and confidence
Personality:
Calm, rational, and loyal people.
They seek balance, harmony, and truth.
They tend to be introspective and trustworthy.
They dislike conflict or improvisation.
Emotional motivation:
Their desire is for order, serenity, and security.
They are of the opinion that things should be done well rather than quickly.
Application in design, branding & art:
Blue connects with trust, which is ideal for conveying professionalism and reliability (which is why banks and technology companies use it).
Red, energy and passion
Personality:
Impulsive, lively, intense.
Loves action, risk, and challenges.
Individuals who are emotionally invested and aim to leave their mark.
They have the potential to be temperamental and dominant.
Emotional motivation:
Their desire is to live intensely and feel powerful.
The color red symbolizes desire, conquest, and life force.
Application in design, branding & art:
It creates a feeling of dynamism, urgency, passion, or danger. It is used to draw immediate attention.
Green, independence and balance
Personality:
Self-confident people who value freedom and authenticity.
They enjoy nature, natural things, and simplicity.
They seek inner stability and emotional balance.
They have empathy, but they don’t let themselves be dominated.
Emotional motivation:
Their needs include autonomy, coherence, and serenity.
Green represents self-affirmation and personal harmony.
Application in design, branding & art:
Sustainability, health, and growth are all represented by it.
Yellow, optimism and curiosity
Personality:
Cheerful, imaginative, and communicative people.
They love ideas and intellectual challenges.
They are spontaneous, sociable, and enthusiastic, although sometimes inconsistent.
Emotional motivation:
Their desire is for happiness, creativity, and recognition.
Yellow is associated with quick thinking and a sense of humor.
Application in design, branding & art:
Yellow represents the combination of youth, innovation, and mental energy.
Black, power and introspection
Personality:
Deep, reserved, and perfectionist people.
They seek control, authority, and elegance.
They tend toward critical thinking and emotional independence.
At times, they wear black to protect their vulnerability.
Emotional motivation:
Their autonomy, respect, and own space are essential for them.
Black is a color that conveys sophistication and inner strength.
Application in design, branding & art:
Black represents luxury, exclusivity, and mystery.
White, purity and order
Personality:
Meticulous, ethical people with high ideals.
They love clarity, cleanliness, and sincerity.
They seek perfection and spiritual balance.
Emotional motivation:
Their desires are for peace, transparency, and simplicity.
Beginning, neutrality, and renewal are all represented by the color white.
Application in design, branding & art:
White represents minimalism, clarity and honesty.
Violet, spirituality and creativity
Personality:
Dreamers, sensitive, and artistic.
They have a strong inner life and a developed aesthetic perception.
They seek meaning, beauty, and emotional depth.
They may appear reserved or melancholic.
Emotional motivation:
They want to transcend common reality by connecting the emotional with the intellectual.
Application in design, branding & art:
Violet represents luxury, wisdom, mystery and spirituality.
Orange, sociability and vitality
Personality:
Extroverted, active, and optimistic.
They love to share, motivate, and celebrate.
They have great energy, but can be impulsive.
Emotional motivation:
Pleasure, recognition, and companionship are the things they yearn for.
The energy of red and the joy of yellow are combined in orange.
There is more to good portraits than just drawing of people. The best portraits are interpretations of personality. Instead of just recording what the sitter looks like, the best ones reveal what is unique about them and perhaps what they are feeling. It’s more difficult to create a successful portrait of someone you don’t know.
It’s crucial to quickly acquire a basic understanding of character. You must choose a color palette that matches your subject. And then you must find a pose that is telling and which at the same time makes the person feel good about themselves and comfortable.
Portrait drawing requires a process of collaboration between the portraitist and the model. If someone agrees to pose for a portrait, ensure that you both agree that you will work together to achieve a good result from the beginning. Many people have a private liking for the idea of a skilled Artist taking photos of them and then turning them into a unique design.
It’s very important to get people relax before taking the first picture, which is the first step towards drawing the portrait. Communication between the artist and the model is the key to success. Let compliments flow freely. For example, if your model is frowning, encourage them to change their pose. As soon as one becomes involved and feels things are going well, the frown will naturally disappear.
For me, these are the most important points to bear in mind when building a portrait:
Closing in.
Capturing Faces.
Interpreting Personality.
1. Closing in
Portraits that are tightly cropped, similar to a close-up shot with only one face, convey limited information about a person, but have a compensating effect and intimacy. It is especially true when these portraits are displayed in large prints that display the person’s features in life-size.
2. Capturing Faces
Each face is distinct. A good portraitist capitalises on the sitter’s individuality by scrutinising their features and then considering how best to present them. Portraits that are successful are not always flattering, but an image that emphasises negative features and hides positive ones is not a good representation of the model.
The tension in someone’s eyes or mouth can be a sign of nervousness when they’re in front of a camera or front of a portraitist. The result may be a strained, tight smile or a hypnotic stare, both of which can ruin the most carefully composed portrait. Again, the key is to relax.
3. Interpreting personality
It’s not easy to get to the core of someone’s personality, as each person has a public image that protects their true self. In order to form a clear impression of what you want the portrait to show, it’s important to establish rapport with the model.
It’s crucial to identify the visual cues – in expression, manner, gesture, and dress – that reinforce the impression you want in the portrait about the personality of the model.
In a future post about ‘ Building Portraits Part 2’ , I will provide more tips on this. It’s worth noting that I can work with you to create your own portrait. If you’re interested, send me a message here.
What are some helpful tips for taking close-up headshots? The Professional photographer @chrisbaileyheadshots reveals his four tops tips for capturing headshots using only natural light. There are:
Background.
Find the direction of light.
Shadows are your friend.
Background separation and Bokeh.
1. Background
When selecting a background for your headshots, bear in mind that our eyes are drawn to the brightest part of an image. Try not to choose a background with too much highlight as it takes attention away from the face. You ideally want the face to be the brightest part of your image.
2. Find the direction of light
The beauty of working with daylight is that it’s one of the best qualities of light available and it’s free! You don’t need to invest in expensive studio lights – those studio strobes just try to imitate daylight. When the sun is high, the light is harder and produces strong shadows, but when the sun is low, the light is softer and produces more even results. Placing your subject in relation to the sun is crucial.
3. Shadows are your friend
Creating shadows on the face adds character, shape and dimension. You can completely change the look of a person’s face by where you allow the shadows and highlights to fall. Try placing the side of your subject’s face near a wall and watch their face gently fall into shadow.
4. Background separation and Bokeh
Bokeh is a term photographers use to describe the softness of a background white the foreground stays sharp in a focus. Bokeh is achieved by using a low f-stop such as f/2.8 or f/4 to help make your headshot ‘pop’ from the image and separate your subject from the background. After all, we are trying to make a two-dimensional image looks as three dimensional as possible.
Remember, If you want to work with me to create your own custom portrait, like the ones in this post, just send me a message here.
One of the most challenging parts of drawing a portrait is mastering posing, which requires constant critical observation and savvy adaptation. It’s challenging to make someone look amazing or perfect from head to toe, especially when it’s a woman (who tend to value details more than men and are more critical).
For inspiration and guidance, I offer 12 diverse female portraits. Pick something you like, then adjust it to fit your preferences if you want one in the future or you want give it away (it will be easier to find inspiration).
The portraits show the posture (reclining, seated, standing, etc.) and, in some instances, distinct traits (like the use of props, leaning positions, etc.). Enjoy!
A some times ago, I found these ideas reading one of my fav photography magazine, Amateur Photographer. I use them and they work very good. Also, when I receive photographs that include some of these tips, I find it easier to draw portraits (people and pets).
Try these six ideas with your smartphone next time you’re giving portraits a go. Here are the six tips:
Use portrait mode for non-human subjects.
But don’t just use the dedicated portrait mode.
Try different lighting and blur effects.
Give burst mode a go.
Consider accessories.
Treat the smartphone like any other camera.
1. Use portrait mode for non-human subjects
Remember that portrait mode can generally be used for non-human subjects. This is great for photographing pets to really bring our their character.
2. But don’t just use the dedicated portrait mode
Rather than just portrait mode. This way you can achieve other things, such as shooting in Raw Mode for example (captures details better).
3. Try different lighting and blur effects
Lots of Portrait modes have effects that you can experiment with, including different levels of blur, different types of blur / bokeh and various lighting effects. It’s worth getting to know all of these.
4. Give burst mode a go
When photographing fast-moving people (such as children or sometimes pets), activating a burst mode can be a good way to get a candid portrait that occurs in a split second. Most modern smartphones will even automatically choose the best result for you.
5. Consider accessories
There are some useful portrait accessories that can work very well with smartphones, including reflectors – to bounce light (including of different tones) back at your subject for more even coverage which work particularly well for selfies.
6. Treat the smartphone like any other camera
Remember it’s you that makes the pictures and approach a portrait just as you would with anything else, remembering composition, direction, and even costumes and make-up.
Stefan (JOSM Magazine) reached out to me a few months ago and asked me to participate in their magazine by answering a 10-question quiz. It was entertaining. I am presenting it to you below for your viewing enjoyment. If you’re interested in examining the full contents of the magazine, you can go HERE
Hello Pablo, welcome to JOSM Magazine. First of all, how are you? Tell us something about you and your art!
Hello to you and everyone who reads our posts. For 11 years, I have been a portrait artist of cool people, and my name is Pablo Sikosia. My drawings are a form of digital art that is made by hand. In addition to people, I’ve also been learning how to draw animals recently.
How everything started and where did you get?
I have worked in design and advertising for many years. In 2013, I decided to combine my work experience and my passion for drawing people, which resulted in the creation of my portrait project.
Despite being a complete stranger, I started distributing my portraits across numerous platforms on the internet. There is no one who is interested. Suddenly, I managed to work with a digital male blog in Spain called ‘Soy Barbudo’ on a weekly basis. From that point forward, my work began to become more well-known.
You collaborated with a lot of cool personalities, have you some funny or particular stories about one of them?
I recall one that wasn’t with someone famous; it was somebody who was interested in my work and was willing to pay for a portrait. I don’t know why but I wanted to communicate in his native language, so I utilized Google Translate or a similar tool. I caused a disaster by telling him that he was ugly, that I didn’t like his face, and other silly things Lol.
After that, I am limited to communicating in either English.
Which role have AI in your life now? How you see it? Like a threat or an helpful tool for your art?
To tell the truth, I don’t rely on AI for creating on a daily basis. I am of the old-school generation and everything is manual / analog. In terms of assisting with specific tasks and processes, I find AI to be a useful tool. IA like Chat GPT can provide you with tremendous benefits if you ask the right questions. I don’t believe it’s a danger yet.
Your best memory?
My memories take me back to the snowy mountains in winter, where I feel peaceful while sipping hot coffee with calm. I have a professional memory of Instagram promoting me on their blog for a month as a content creator who was worth knowing.
Your next steps? Tell us more about your future goals!
My goal is to continue to portray individuals for many more years! Currently, I have about 2,800 portraits and I want to complete 3,000, but I am unsure of the amount of time it will take.
Which music do you listen to?
I have a variety of musical tastes; I don’t listen to just one particular style. My playlist includes Sonny Rollins, Chopin, Lightning Hopkins, or Temples, The Black Keys, etc.
Thank you for your precious time, it’s been an honor talking with you. There’s something you would like to say to our readers?
The soul is soothed by art in all its forms (music, photography, painting, etc.). Take pleasure in it, let yourself go, and have peace and tranquility in your life.
