The image is a pencil drawing of a person, depicting only their head and the upper part of their torso. The person is facing forward, slightly turned to the side, engaging directly with the viewer through their gaze. They have short, neatly styled hair and wear large, round glasses that frame their face. The facial features are finely detailed, with the eyes being prominent and expressive. They are wearing a collared shirt, the outline of which is faintly indicated. The background of the drawing is a plain, light-colored surface. The lower right corner of the drawing is signed with "Self-portrait 1971 M. Karnes."