I pause and recognize that this art may disturb many. How the cross can be a thing of beauty is strange to those that are not its adherents. Those of the Faith view the suffering and death as Divine love and mercy for all humanity. Indeed, it is a terrible beauty, an immense paradox.
For the most part, in this country we tend to make Christ look like he was a man out of European culture, or sometimes African American. I like the idea of Christ looking more like a Jewish man, side locks and all. I did it that way because I have never seen him depicted on a cross in a manner that authentically indicates that he was a Jew. His hair has the hint of "ruddy" so as to suggest that he is from the line of King David, like the scriptures tell that Messiah would be.
http://www.thouforsaken.blogspot.com/
My pencil drawing and some details about the art are at the site, as well as some ideas behind the art and things that I needed to get off my chest. If you are not into talking about religion, politics, and racism, just check out the art.
The art encapsulates the written ideas that are there anyway. My art is a mixed media sandwich made up of many, many layers of digital painting with my pencil drawing being the meat in the middle.
What about the sparks, keep them or not?
Peace.
