Self Portrait
This is actually the oldest piece I’ve posted in here. I did this back when I was a freshmen in college nearly ten years ago.
Wow, was it really that long ago?
Seriously?
Holy crap, I’m getting old.
Anyway, this thing was absolutely huge and I went though a a WHOLE LOTTA’ pencils while drawing it.
Self Portrait belongs to the following groups:
Fine Arts, Pencil Drawing, Self Portrait and The Drawing BoardAvailable for sale as Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints

BLYTHART, 3 months ago
Some people can’t wait for the latest Harry Potter book to be published. I can’t wait for the latest Steven Novak picture to be uploaded …. wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Leslie Patton, 3 months ago
Wow great stuff, nice detail!
cheetaah, 3 months ago
What a lovely portrait, with too many details. Great work.
hahpistuff, 3 months ago
college 10 years ago? ouch…i dont feel so old now, thanks :)
pinkyjain, 3 months ago
This is totally knock my socks off awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best self portrait i have ever seen
Carrie Glenn, 3 months ago
I agree with all the comments here! It is one of the best self portraits I’ve seen too, I bet you did go through a lot of pencils and how were your hands? A bit sore? ;)
Really this is so cool, thanks for sharing it with all of us!
Sarah Moore, 3 months ago
What a different take on a self portrait! Awesome!
darkestartist, 3 months ago
nicely done! love the movie selection…..says lots about you. great attention to detail here, and i find it amusing you’re giving yourself the finger. i guess now we know you’re a righty :)
vonne, 3 months ago
AWESOME detail! Great art! Ten years out of college hell son your just a baby! lol
machandel, 3 months ago
This self-portrait is interesting even for people who know nothing else of you.
Chanel2, 3 months ago
Excellent self portrait.
mooonrocks, 3 months ago
why do you fly the bird in your description?
Karin Taylor, 3 months ago
brilliant…you do everything so well….
the talent must have always been there!
Tahnja, 3 months ago
far out!! Gee that’s impressive. Ok, am really feeling crappy with pencils now lol
butchart, 3 months ago
it’s totally how i’d picture you back then.. maybe now when you are chillin…....... good stuff…......b
sandhill, 3 months ago
Speaking of shadows and reflections…..this is amazing! Deep, real and very personal. thank you for sharing.
samedog, 3 months ago
Great stuff, am hoping Rear Window isn’t apart from the others because it’s in the discard pile?
Ria Rosa Quinto, 3 months ago
Hahaha cheeky cheeky!
Amazing work as usual!
traceyanne, 3 months ago
stunning steven super use of the Pencil
clarkey, 3 months ago
I love this to bits – it’s great and I don’t care if it is narcissistic. This is very skillfully done – the comedic elements give it a bit of extra oomph!!!! :-))
Rosalie Dale IPA, 3 months ago
Stunning! What a talent.
Helene Kippert, 3 months ago
Great work Steve – very cool!
Lumineux, 3 months ago
This tickled my funny bone…I like a man that can ‘poke’ a bit of fun at himself. Unique take on the old self portrait angle.
Michael Alesich, 3 months ago
Great sketch, the whole piece, I’m a big fan of good reflections and this one is a perfect example.
Paul Tupman, 3 months ago
Great work for an early piece.. I like the style that you used for your face.. oh and great collection of films you got there!
Steven Novak in reply to BLYTHART’s comment, 3 months ago
Spoiler Alert: Dumbledore dies in my next piece. ;) Thanks Dave!
Steven Novak in reply to Leslie Patton’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Leslie! I had so much time on my hands back then that pretty much everything I did featured crazy details. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to cheetaah’s comment, 3 months ago
Literally all I did freshman year of college was draw. I had no friends, my family was five states away, I lived at my drawing table, so everything became overly detailed. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to hahpistuff’s comment, 3 months ago
Damn you… ;)
Steven Novak in reply to pinkyjain’s comment, 3 months ago
Well, that’s quite the compliment! Thanks Pinky!
Steven Novak in reply to Carrie Glenn’s comment, 3 months ago
Over the years the fingerprint on the middle finger of my right hand has pretty much been rubbed away. I kid you not. ;) Thanks Carrie!
Steven Novak in reply to Sarah Moore’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Sarah!
Steven Novak in reply to darkestartist’s comment, 3 months ago
One of the ways you can tell this was made quite some time ago is the fact that all of the movies are VHS! ;)
Steven Novak in reply to vonne’s comment, 3 months ago
One person calls me old, one calls me a baby…whew…I’m back to square one. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to machandel’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks!
Steven Novak in reply to Chanel2’s comment, 3 months ago
Thank you much!
Steven Novak in reply to mooonrocks’s comment, 3 months ago
I was a very angry young man. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Karin Taylor’s comment, 3 months ago
Actually no. I still have some drawings and such that I did when I was four or five…no talent whatsoever. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Tahnja’s comment, 3 months ago
For years I avoided even picking up a paint brush because I was the “pencil guy.” (Which is kind of a lame nickname) ;)
Steven Novak in reply to butchart’s comment, 3 months ago
I still often times flip myself off in a mirror. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to butchart’s comment, 3 months ago
I still often times flip myself off in a mirror. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to sandhill’s comment, 3 months ago
You have no idea how long it took me to set up all those mirrors. ;) Thanks!
Steven Novak in reply to samedog’s comment, 3 months ago
It’s apart because it’s the best of the bunch. Love that movie.
Steven Novak in reply to Ria Rosa Quinto’s comment, 3 months ago
So I’m guessing you think it’s cheeky? ;) Thanks Ria!
Steven Novak in reply to traceyanne’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Tracey!
Steven Novak in reply to clarkey’s comment, 3 months ago
That monkey head on the left was actually carved into a coconut. (I have no idea where in the world I got that thing, or why I kept it) ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Rosalie Dale IPA’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Rosalie!
Steven Novak in reply to Helene Kippert’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks again Helene!
Steven Novak in reply to Lumineux’s comment, 3 months ago
I can do more than simply poke fun at myself, actually I very rarely never take myself seriously. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Michael Alesich’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Michael. I had to scan this thing in like seventeen pieces and put it together, but if you look really, really closely you can see my roommate in bed in the background. He’s annoyed that I have the lights on at 3AM and am drawing. ;)
vonne, 3 months ago
Balance = ) Gotta love that! Something I know little about lol
Steven Novak in reply to Paul Tupman’s comment, 3 months ago
I very nearly went to film school instead of art school. BUt I got a big scholarship and thought I could make more money doing art….HA! (I wasn’t that bright) ;)
Micki Ferguson, 3 months ago
oh I love this!
I love the reflection and the toes and the expression. :)
I actually do a toe series and love the way you did this ART and all!!
Nikki Trexel, 3 months ago
wow, amazing. lots of detail and meaning (i’m guessing). great work!!
Steven Novak in reply to Micki Ferguson’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Micki!
Steven Novak in reply to Nikki Trexel’s comment, 3 months ago
There is surprisingly little meaning. Maybe. ;)
Micki Ferguson, 3 months ago
oh I beg to differ, you were telling us that BACK in college you liked to watch movies and tell people to….
well you liked to watch movies. HA HA HA
:)
Nikki Trexel, 3 months ago
lol, you can’t win in this area! if you say you don’t think there’s meaning, you’re insulting. if you think there is, you’re probably seeing stuff and then you sound stupid. :)
Angel312, 3 months ago
Wow! There’s a lot to drink in here! Yes, you were an angry young man, but at who? I thought it was a prerequisite to be angry as a college freshmen, even a HS freshmen!(yes I can still think back that far!) Really, this is a great piece to pass on to your children and their children, etc. (after they’ve grown) Sometimes it’s nice to look at simplistic drawings and sometimes it’s nice to look at detailed drawings, and oh BTW you are a baby. Thanks for sharing this relic with us, it’s great really.
Gail(angel312)
jean-michel ma..., 3 months ago
very good drawing….i like your work….
Steven Novak in reply to Nikki Trexel’s comment, 3 months ago
Such is the way in all aspects of life, no? Which is why I don’t talk all that much. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Angel312’s comment, 3 months ago
A baby huh? Then why does my back hurt all of the time? ;) Actually my wife (who has ten years on me) was excited when I turned thirty. dating someone in their 20’s is HOT, marrying them is weird. ;) Thanks Gail!
Steven Novak in reply to jean-michel macias’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks! I appreciate the compliment.
JaneAParis, 3 months ago
I love your taste in reading! And the bizarre little creatures on your desk! And the one naked foot for an SP. You definitely are true artistic stock and this old pencil drawing just proves it. How many pencils did you use? I won’t tell. How super creative and entertaining. Smiles from Jane:-)
Imber, 3 months ago
wow.. excellent.
Rhana Griffin, 3 months ago
Ohhhhhhhhh….. the psychoanalyst in me is salviating. What wonderful mind fodder!
Cherie Dirksen, 3 months ago
Great stuff!
dimarie, 3 months ago
this is one of the best drawings i’ve seen! nice one!
Renate Dartois, 3 months ago
Amazing self-portrait lots of datails looking back what your mind set was at the time-very awesome interesting drawing….
Steven Novak in reply to JaneAParis’s comment, 3 months ago
I’m not sure the specific amount of pencils used, but it was a lot. Plus I was a poor college student and because of that I actually had so steal some from my roommate. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Imber’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Imber!
Steven Novak in reply to Rhana Griffin’s comment, 3 months ago
There’s no psychoanalyst in you. You just have a foot fetish. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to Cherie Dirksen’s comment, 3 months ago
Thanks Cherie!
Steven Novak in reply to dimarie’s comment, 3 months ago
Well thanks, I appreciate that!
Steven Novak in reply to Renate Dartois’s comment, 3 months ago
My mind at the time was pretty much drawdrawdrawdrawdrawdraw. ;)
Julia Thomas, 3 months ago
absolutely fantastic – love the composition with the mirror and everything very cool!
dairygirl08, 3 months ago
superb
Vickie Fisher, 3 months ago
ummmm, self portrait….which one is you? I think it is the little guy….LOL. I have been pencil girl all my life, I just changed over to painting about 10 yrs ago. I still love pencil and ink the best. This is great! So much detail…one of the best here on RB!!
Steven Novak in reply to Julia Thomas’s comment, 2 months ago
Thanks Julia! I was much cooler in college. ;)
Steven Novak in reply to dairygirl08’s comment, 2 months ago
Thank you much!
Steven Novak in reply to Vickie Fisher’s comment, 2 months ago
Thanks Vickie! Though…did you just call me a troll? WHYIOUGHTTA!!! ;)
Julia Thomas, 2 months ago
weren’t we all ;)
Mariaan Krog, 2 months ago
Incredible detail in this drawing! Well done, I love it! Isn’t it amazing how all university and/or college students have the same kind of room, with the same kind of stuff – no matter in which part of the world you are? BTW, I like the hand gesture, it is the pith of the image for me!!!! ((;~D))
gypsycaster, 2 months ago
LOL!! Well you’re not that old if you still remember college!
Really cool piece!
Steven Novak in reply to Mariaan Krog’s comment, 2 months ago
It’s weird how a middle finger can tie a piece together, isn’t it? ;)
Steven Novak in reply to gypsycaster’s comment, 2 months ago
To be fair, I don’t remember much of it. ;)
Maria Murphy, about 1 month ago
AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steven Novak in reply to Maria Murphy’s comment, about 1 month ago
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I like exclamation points too) ;)
Mui-Ling Teh, about 1 month ago
Very well drawn SP, and interesting that you did it in a mirror too showing two different perspectives of your leg and two different dimensions; the real world and the mirror world. I had fun reading through the comments; oh your poor roommate :P. If it were me I would have done it in the school; we have computerized keys so we can access it 24/7; we need it anyhow. Well AS IF I can find the time to do such a detailed picture! I’m busy as hell during a school semestre working until 6am, and when deadline comes it can become all nighters; “good night” becomes “good morning”...
Steven Novak, 14 days ago
Ahh yes, I remember the good night becoming the good morning, especially since it still happens to this very day! It’s my wife that gets annoyed by the hours these days though. ;)
LisaG, 14 days ago
This is truly brilliant; so detailed that I’m unsure whether to study the books, or look closer at the photo stuck in the mirror? Was the mug just emptied….and what is with the ghoul toy thingies?
Wow….I can’t take this much brilliance…hehe