J.C. Sparks

New Self Portrait

I feel like I’ve done a lot of self portraits, so I wasn’t too keen on the idea of doing another one. However, Julie was pressing me to do a new one and I really needed to have one that was up to the same level of the work that I’ve been doing lately. Here’s a new self portrait; which I have, somewhat arrogantly, entitled Melancholia. As always, any feedback would be graciously appreciated.

Self Portrait - Melancholia

It’s 26″ x 20″ pencil on Rives BFK Paper, which was a real pleasure to work with. It has been really nice to be able to finish drawings like this lately, but I feel that I really need to get back into the paint. So I’m planning on starting a new painting this week.

– Jeremy

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One response to “New Self Portrait”

  1. Helen South Avatar
    Helen South

    Nice work, Jeremy. I like the solid, massive feel of the figure (helped by the triangular, enclosed composition). The only thing I find (certainly looking at the small pic here) is that the right elbow (ie the one on my left) seems to be being held up – because the stable is insubstantial apart from that one corner, I’m not getting a sense of it being grounded, and so there’s this sense of suspension, rather than the heavily downward, weighted feel that ‘melancholy’ ought to have. I feel you might want to consider rendering the lower part of the drawing a little more just do give it that anchor.

    Aside from that small point (made as a critic – my own drawings aren’t a patch on this!) – its lovely – I like the folds of the shirt, the fine texture. Nice.

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