Inside the Studio: The Making of Gretchen Andrew’s Facetune Portraits

 In an age where digital filters and apps like Facetune dictate how we present ourselves, Gretchen Andrew turns the conversation back toward authenticity.

Inside the Studio: The Making of Gretchen Andrew’s Facetune Portraits

Her Facetune Portraits series, now part of the Whitney Museum’s permanent collection, explores what happens when the quest for digital perfection collides with the vulnerability of the painted surface.

 A behind-the-scenes look at Gretchen Andrew’s creative process for the Facetune Portraits.

But how do these works actually come to life?

Inside the studio, the process is deliberate yet experimental. Gretchen begins with digital sketches inspired by the logic of filters and self-editing. She then translates those concepts into paint, layering strokes and textures that both reveal and obscure.

Each stage mirrors the act of digitally “correcting” a face—only here, the corrections emphasize imperfection instead of erasing it.

The studio process becomes its own narrative: an unmasking of how identity is constructed, performed, and critiqued. The audience isn’t just looking at a painting; they’re looking at the residue of decisions, gestures, and revisions that expose how much we curate ourselves daily.

By sharing the behind-the-scenes steps, Gretchen opens up the question: What does it mean to be seen without a filter?