I would also say there are quite a few artists which were not self-obsessed, like Klee or Moser for example from what I read about them.
All depends tho on how you interpret the term "self-obsessed". Is painting a self portrait already self-obsession or can it also be just a way of reflecting upon yourself.
Yeah. To the uninitiated for example, Klimt is just a narcissist (and Dali just a fraud) but things are more complicated, yes. Also for example, I've been told I am in love with myself too for the number of self-portraits I've done, and I don't even enjoy drawing myself really, I just find things there.
Dali liked to toot his own horn and he was a consummate showman, neither of which makes him particularly pretentious in my eyes.
Dali liked to pretend a lot, though. I do suggest reading a biography of his or Bunuel's perhaps (who was the surrealist 'straight man' as far as personality goes, in my opinion) to see the why and the how. He overdid it on purpose, it was his surrealist experiment.
On the art: the newest edit by Adarias: a talk of pixel art mathemagic. Wouldn't you say that on the pants directly vertical outlines do not deserve the black color? I'd say you should make the vertical line purple, and then the minus degrees outline below the knee with a black outline where there's even less light. And I'd lose the red single pixels on the shoes. Generally, it's slowly dawning on me a profound truth (hehe, take this with a grain of salt) on the strength and weakness of the 'single pixel'. Do not use single pixels generally unless you're trying to convey a sharp specular. The power of the single pixel is that it stands out like a motherfucker. It stands out way more than two same pixels in a row. So if you're going to colormix the red on the shoes, either do more of it, or don't do it at all. Single pixels just burn holes through the shoes. Granted, they sorta melt into the closeby dark purple lines, but they do not melt in a good way, they burn. Just an idea. I am thinking about the single pixel a lot, lately.