Artist Drew Self-Portraits While High On 50+ Different Drugs

Do drugs and art somehow cross paths? Well, if we are to refer to the generations of psychonauts who sought the aid of psychoactive substances (among others) to explore their own minds… then yes.

In fact, artist and poet Bryan Lewis Saunders experimented with different substances to see their effects on him and his artworks. His one-of-a-kind collection of trippy self-portraits is a thought-provoking testament to the issue/risks of drug abuse.

Abilify / Xanax / Ativan (dosage unknown in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits - Abilify, Ativan, and Xanax

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Adderall

Trippy Self-Portraits - Adderall

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ativan / Haloperidol (dosage unknown in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits - Ativan

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Bath Salts

Trippy Self-Portraits - bath salts

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1/2 gram Cocaine

Trippy Self-Portraits - cocaine

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2 Bottles of Cough Syrup

Trippy Self-Portraits - Cough syrup

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Morphine IV (dosage unknown)

Trippy Self-Portraits - IV morphine

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Huffing Lighter Fluid

Trippy Self-Portraits - Huffing lighter fluid

Bryan Lewis Saunders

DMT (during and after)

Trippy Self-Portraits - DMT

Bryan Lewis Saunders

In his website, Saunders wrote: “After experiencing drastic changes in my environment, I looked for other experiences that might profoundly affect my perception of self. So I devised another experiment where everyday I took a different drug or intoxicant and drew myself under the influence.”

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Huffing Gas (during and after)

Trippy Self-Portraits - huffing gas

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 “Bump” of Crystal Meth

Trippy Self-Portraits - crystal meth

Bryan Lewis Saunders

7.5mg Hydrocodone / 7.5mg Oxycodone / 3mg Xanax

Trippy Self-Portraits - Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, and Xanax

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Valium IV (Albuterol, Saline & Oxygen mixture)

Trippy Self-Portraits - IV valium

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Khat (chew and tea)

Trippy Self-Portraits - Khat

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Marijuana (Kine Bud)

Trippy Self-Portraits - marijuana

Bryan Lewis Saunders

PCP

Trippy Self-Portraits - PCP

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 Glass of Pruno

Trippy Self-Portraits - prison wine

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Salvia Divinorum (before and right after)

Trippy Self-Portraits - salvia

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2mg Nicotine Gum (after quitting smoking for 2 months)

Trippy Self-Portraits -2mg nicotine gum

Bryan Lewis Saunders

3mg Klonopin

Trippy Self-Portraits -3mg Klonopin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4mg Dilaudid

Trippy Self-Portraits -4mg Dilaudid

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4mg Risperdol

Trippy Self-Portraits -4mg Risperdal

Bryan Lewis Saunders

90mg Abilify (after 3 months usage 3x maximum dose)

Trippy Self-Portraits -90 mg Abilify

Bryan Lewis Saunders

250mg Cephalexin (painted w/ watercolor pencil, water and cephalexin)

Trippy Self-Portraits -250mg cephalexin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Ambien

Trippy Self-Portraits -Ambien

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ativan / Haloperidol (dosage unknown in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Ativan

Bryan Lewis Saunders

15mg Buspar (snorted)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Buspar

Bryan Lewis Saunders

4 Butalbitals (dosage unknown)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Butalbital

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Butane Honey Oil

Trippy Self-Portraits -Butane honey oil

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Computer Duster (2 squirts)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Computer duster, huffed

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 shot of Dilaudid / 3 shots of Morphine (In the ER with kidney stones)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Dilaudid

Bryan Lewis Saunders

G13 Marijuana

Trippy Self-Portraits -G-13 marijuana

Bryan Lewis Saunders

60mg Geodon

Trippy Self-Portraits -Geodon

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Hash

Trippy Self-Portraits -Hash

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Heroin (Snorted)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Heroin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Valium I.V. (dosage unknown in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits -IV valium

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Lortab

Trippy Self-Portraits -Lortab

Bryan Lewis Saunders

1 sm Glass of Absinth

Trippy Self-Portraits -Real absinth

Bryan Lewis Saunders

20mg Valium

Trippy Self-Portraits -Valium

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Marijuana Resin

Trippy Self-Portraits -Marijuana resin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Ritilin (dosage unknown – snorted)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Ritalin

Bryan Lewis Saunders

10mg Zyprexa (after 2 weeks in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Zyprexa

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Nitrous Oxide / Valium I.V. (dosage unknown in hospital)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Nitrous + Valium

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Within weeks of taking different substances, Saunders claimed that he became lethargic and that he suffered mild brain damage that luckily was not irreparable.

“I am still conducting this experiment but over greater lapses of time and I only take drugs that are given to me.”

Nitrous Oxide

Trippy Self-Portraits -Nitrous

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Tramadol

Trippy Self-Portraits -Tramadol

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Trazadone

Trippy Self-Portraits -Trazodone

Bryan Lewis Saunders

7.5mg Percocet

Trippy Self-Portraits -Percocet

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2 Pot Brownies

Trippy Self-Portraits -Pot brownies

Bryan Lewis Saunders

25I-NBOMe

Trippy Self-Portraits -Research chemical 251-NBOMe

Bryan Lewis Saunders

100mg Seroquel

Trippy Self-Portraits -Seroquel

Bryan Lewis Saunders

2mg Xanax

Trippy Self-Portraits -Xanax

Bryan Lewis Saunders

50mg Zoloft (after 2 weeks)

Trippy Self-Portraits -Zoloft

Bryan Lewis Saunders

Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders