--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From underneath my hair, I study him. I…" description: "\"“From underneath my hair, I study him. I know from doing portraits that you have to look at someone a really long time to see what they’re covering up,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/jandy-nelson-1913_long-time_from-underneath-my-hair-i-study-him-i-kn_3037338.png" --- # From underneath my hair, I study him. I know from doing… ![“From underneath my hair, I study him. I know from doing portraits that you have to look at someone a really long time to see what they’re covering up, to see their inside face, and when you do see it and get it down, that’s the thing that makes people freak out about how much a drawing looks like…” quote by Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/jandy-nelson-1913_long-time_from-underneath-my-hair-i-study-him-i-kn_3037338.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/jandy-nelson-1913_long-time_from-underneath-my-hair-i-study-him-i-kn_3037338.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/jandy-nelson-1913_long-time_from-underneath-my-hair-i-study-him-i-kn_3037338.png) > ““From underneath my hair, I study him. I know from doing portraits that you have to look at someone a really long time to see what they’re covering up, to see their inside face, and when you do see it and get it down, that’s the thing that makes people freak out about how much a drawing looks like them.”” [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense observation reveals hidden inner truths, making art feel personal and unsettling. **In simple terms:** Look deeply to see true selves. Key Takeaway Practice sustained, empathetic observation. Themes art identity empathy Mood introspective uneasy Type artistic psychological When to use this quote - visual arts - therapy - relationship building Key Concepts portraiture psychology self‑revelation Questions to Reflect On - How does long gaze affect subjects? - When does observation become invasive? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑interpretation or intrusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I love doing portraits, its just now I want to take it to the next level and start making better and more interesting compositions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-von-d/i-love-doing-portraits-its-just-now-i-want-to-take-it-to-the-next/) [Kat Von D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-von-d/) > [I really like doing portraits, but I like taking pictures of things that are natural, like scenery, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-may-jagger/i-really-like-doing-portraits-but-i-like-taking-pictures-of-things/) [Georgia May Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-may-jagger/) > [Fashion is where I make my living. I'm not knocking it; it's a pleasure to make a living that way. 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The money is in photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mapplethorpe/people-don-t-have-time-to-wait-for-somebody-to-paint-their-portraits/) [Robert Mapplethorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mapplethorpe/) > [Many times I see you as a portrait of torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/many-times-i-see-you-as-a-portrait-of-torture/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [In a portrait, you always leave part of yourself behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/in-a-portrait-you-always-leave-part-of-yourself-behind/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [In 1984, I was contacted by Michael Taylor, who had won a commission from a sponsor and decided he would like to paint a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/in-1984-i-was-contacted-by-michael-taylor-who-had-won-a-commission/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) ## More by Jandy Nelson > [And then he smiles, and in all the places around the globe where it's night, day breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/and-then-he-smiles-and-in-all-the-places-around-the-globe-where-it-s/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Or maybe a person is just made up of a lot of peopleMaybe we’re accumulating these new selves all the time. 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Then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/he-murmers-into-my-hair-forget-what-i-said-earlier-let-s-stick-with/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“Listen to me. It takes a lot of courage to be true to yourself, true to your heart. You always have been very brave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/listen-to-me-it-takes-a-lot-of-courage-to-be-true-to-yourself-true-to/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [Sometimes you think you know things, know things very deeply, only to realize you don't know a damn thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/sometimes-you-think-you-know-things-know-things-very-deeply-only-to/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [I have an impulse to write all over the orange walls- I need an alphabet of endings ripped out of books, of hands pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/i-have-an-impulse-to-write-all-over-the-orange-walls-i-need-an/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“I'd been making desicions for days. I picked out the dress Bailey would wear forever- a black slinky one- innapropriate- that she loved. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) Browse all 9,064 Long time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“From underneath my hair, I study him. 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