The idea here in this version has been to play around with the colours and to see if the image might appear more fresh and contemporary as a result. 

Here is an idea for a t-shirt using a Pop Art style version of the image.

After so many years of trying to get to a satisfactory image, the latest set of images are, at last, something that appears to appeal to a wide audience (….judging by 1000's of Likes on FBook). So, the process from this point on is to establish the below as a base image and then to produce multi-coloured variations and design-types from that base image.

The windows to the soul. After many requests to produce an image with the Eyes of Christ, I eventually set about that task. It is not easy, the questions that arise are around things such as the colours and levels of intensity, along with considerations about the degree to which the eyes are open or heavy-lidded, etc.

​Herewith the eventual resolution.

Two versions here that use a softer base of pastel colour shades. These have proven to be popular in terms of attracting enquiries from folks wishing to obtain prints. The prints are available on the following Art website link:   https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jonathan-byrne.html

The New Year saw more and wider spread of the images across Social Media and it seems that Christianity is, indeed, made up of many churches. Different coloured images and different styles of images attract different responses according to, what I think, are largely ethnic groupings.  So, in line with this, I went ahead with a Celtic version.

These images are a manipulation of the base images to produce a softening of the defining lines, a digitally-enabled liquid-like drift of the shading and colour that simulates the  watercolouring process.

This new image is a re-working of several elements. Over time, the idea of cloth lightly covering the eyes had become lines of light and sometimes these worked but they added a celestial sense that detracts from the basic image. So, the latest re-working has seen the forehead shaded and the eyes being given more definition.... whilst remaining closed. The loose lines of hair falling on either side have been added in order to deliver some distance from the Shroud of Turin image. The reason for this is that the Turin image attracts controversy as to its authenticity and any discussion of the image tends to get entangled on that subject.

A better definition of the objective for the images is to produce an iconic image that might have a broad appeal. As the sense of Church as Community seems to be on the wane across Europe there may be a  new  wave of popularity around Contemplative Christianity, interspersing elements of Eastern Zen and Western Celtic so as to form a platform for Meditation.  I think the image can have some relevance in a Meditative context.

This image did not attract many Likes on Facebook, probably only 50 or so.  But its probably the closest I have come to delivering an iconic image that might yet have broad appeal.  The plan is to derive more images from this base and to test out reactions. Here's hoping that by persisting the outcome  may eventually be more favourable.