Phoebe Currier's Jack Nickelson.

In Jack Nicholson's portrait, Phoebe used charcoal on a white canvas. This drawing reflects a deep study of the human face features as well expressions. Knowing that charcoal portraits are not easy at all, my first impression of this portrait was positive. Overall, the drawing looks very realistic and is executed in a detailed manner that shows well the three dimensional form. It is a highly stylized black and white portrait.

The lighting and the extreme contrast between white and black reveal the features of the face. The highly graphical outlines of the face convey a sense of rigidness and voidness of life and emotion. In contrast, the curvy lines of the lip, cheeks and the eyes are full of life and energy that overcomes the idea of lifelessness. Despite the variety of lines incorporated, the surface is unified and harmonious, mainly because balancing black and white colors is achieved. There are many details that demonstrate the three dimensional quality of the piece; the fine texture of the hair, as well as the symmetry of the face. In addition, in some places, we see scars and deep lines that suggest facial wrinkles.

 In terms of composition, I think it is working really well. The fact that the background is left white helps reduce distractions and draw attention to the portrait itself. Interestingly, for me, the focal point of this piece is the entire face. The detailed eyes, mouth and hair draw my attention back and forth, that I cannot decide which part stands out the most. Proportion wise, I have the sense that the face might be a little too broad, but this could be attributed to the fact that the piece is on a big scale. On a different not, the shadows could be pushed a little bit further to accentuate the depth of the forms and add volume to the piece. However, the shadows employed are enough to make the image look vivid. I also wish if more tones were added to the cheeks and forehead area to emphasize depth.

Overall, I think this is compositionally and contextually a successful portrait especially that the figure drawn is recognizable, and the likeness is striking.