Really lovely Julian! It's been a while since you've done a self-portrait.
Pat Masarachia
Fire in your eye, intense concentration, so very expressive...the brush strokes sculpt flesh and bone... I love the contrast of bright light wash from the left - I always love your high contrast compositions... the glasses, as much a part of you, make an interesting composition, slashing horizontally across that long skull. Thank you, Julian!
How great to see YOU again....I've moved recently so it's wonderful to see (really see) an old friend. Do I finally realize you have red hair? Or is it the light? Or the russet colored jacket?
Thanks, Julian.
Wonderful to see the pen pal. Very fine work. You are often compared to Sargent though your choice of subject is seldom portraiture . Now I do indeed see the strokes that make it a good comparison. Well done.
Elaine Culbert
Not knowing what you look like, Julian, I can't comment of course, on whether you captured "the subject" or not, but I greatly admire the way you seem to sculpt the facial planes with paint. Love the lens of the glasses, so realistic, yet again, loosely done.
Wonderful job! Thank you for sharing your talents with the world.
Evelyn
Great portrait! I was wondering when you were going to do another one. It is masterful, Julian.
Gabrielle
A portrait, must be your another year wiser. Move over Rembrandt. Cheers!
Patricia hibberd
Well done Julian. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us.
Tricia
Julian, this is a truly wonderful painting and I'm
sure the desire of all your commentators.
Shear brilliance.
Well done.
Anna Howard
Dear Julian, it was such a surprise seeing your portrait appear on the screen, only because I expected a lemon or some other object! Technically it's superb,the glint in the eye, the light hitting the left side of the face etc. but you have long since conquered reflections and colour harmonies. As I see it, there is so much more to it than that. I see a man still searching and never sitting back on his laurels. Still looking at his finished work with a critical eye.In other words, a true painter, who, possibly, in the gloomy winter months is longing for the buzzing of the bees and the smell of the lavender fields!
Your prolific output at such a consistently high standard(of course there are standards)is a wonder to me.
Anna.
Di
I look forward to this annual 'review' each year. Must be intriguing for you - and Ruth - to see the whole series. Or do you not look back? As a previous commenter said, I love that this man is always searching, striving, seeking...
You haven't changed since the last one! Am loving the winter work, Julian! Love to Ruth, Louis and you. Jessie
lisa
I, too, look forward to the self portraits. The intensity of your eyes reveals your never-ending search for the relationships between shape, light, color... always fresh and of that unique, precious moment. Such a treat that you share it with us. Very inspiring....
There is something quite spooky about a self portrait when you have no idea who it is. No name on the blog or title. Other than that it's fabulous. (finally found a teeny tiny name at the end below the comments). Hi Julian.
Jeanne Arno
Greatly admire your painting technique overall; a few brushstrokes achieve form, light and shade etc
But you can also apply those same skills to portraiture and whilst producing what I assume to be a good likeness, going much further in revealing character.
Alain
The ear, in particular, is a breathtaking bravura piece.It becomes a "true" ear when we squint.Soutine,De Kooning too were able to structure ears like that.
The conversation
Thoughts on this painting
22 comments
Really lovely Julian! It's been a while since you've done a self-portrait.
Fire in your eye, intense concentration, so very expressive...the brush strokes sculpt flesh and bone... I love the contrast of bright light wash from the left - I always love your high contrast compositions... the glasses, as much a part of you, make an interesting composition, slashing horizontally across that long skull. Thank you, Julian!
you have not changed a bit...must be the wine, but probably Ruth!
I love the "annual reviews." (That's Amurikun punctuation.) The selfies are my very, very favorites.
a great self portrait.
Very 'old master'.
I particularly like the hint of reflection on the left lens.
How great to see YOU again....I've moved recently so it's wonderful to see (really see) an old friend. Do I finally realize you have red hair? Or is it the light? Or the russet colored jacket?
Thanks, Julian.
I so love your selfies!
Wonderful to see the pen pal. Very fine work. You are often compared to Sargent though your choice of subject is seldom portraiture . Now I do indeed see the strokes that make it a good comparison. Well done.
Not knowing what you look like, Julian, I can't comment of course, on whether you captured "the subject" or not, but I greatly admire the way you seem to sculpt the facial planes with paint. Love the lens of the glasses, so realistic, yet again, loosely done.
Wonderful job! Thank you for sharing your talents with the world.
Great portrait! I was wondering when you were going to do another one. It is masterful, Julian.
A portrait, must be your another year wiser. Move over Rembrandt. Cheers!
Well done Julian. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us.
Tricia
Excellent work .
Julian, this is a truly wonderful painting and I'm
sure the desire of all your commentators.
Shear brilliance.
Well done.
Dear Julian, it was such a surprise seeing your portrait appear on the screen, only because I expected a lemon or some other object! Technically it's superb,the glint in the eye, the light hitting the left side of the face etc. but you have long since conquered reflections and colour harmonies. As I see it, there is so much more to it than that. I see a man still searching and never sitting back on his laurels. Still looking at his finished work with a critical eye.In other words, a true painter, who, possibly, in the gloomy winter months is longing for the buzzing of the bees and the smell of the lavender fields!
Your prolific output at such a consistently high standard(of course there are standards)is a wonder to me.
Anna.
I look forward to this annual 'review' each year. Must be intriguing for you - and Ruth - to see the whole series. Or do you not look back? As a previous commenter said, I love that this man is always searching, striving, seeking...
You haven't changed since the last one! Am loving the winter work, Julian! Love to Ruth, Louis and you. Jessie
I, too, look forward to the self portraits. The intensity of your eyes reveals your never-ending search for the relationships between shape, light, color... always fresh and of that unique, precious moment. Such a treat that you share it with us. Very inspiring....
There is something quite spooky about a self portrait when you have no idea who it is. No name on the blog or title. Other than that it's fabulous. (finally found a teeny tiny name at the end below the comments). Hi Julian.
Greatly admire your painting technique overall; a few brushstrokes achieve form, light and shade etc
But you can also apply those same skills to portraiture and whilst producing what I assume to be a good likeness, going much further in revealing character.
The ear, in particular, is a breathtaking bravura piece.It becomes a "true" ear when we squint.Soutine,De Kooning too were able to structure ears like that.
Brilliant, thank you again