Please contact me for portraits in commission.
Painting portraits inspires me because human faces are so distinct, and there is a whole world to read in them: strength, pain, joy, love and much more.
I describe my style as ‘Human Realism’. Expressive portraits with a soul. I aim to catch the person’s soul and try to convey in the portrait both the strength and the vulnerability, capturing their ‘being’, and eternalizing the person. I want the viewer to perceive real people, real characters.
When the portrait comes to life something magical happens, something that gives me the feeling that the person in the painting is looking back at me; almost having a silent conversation with me. In that very moment I feel I have come to the essence.
I prefer to work in oil paint on Belgium linen canvas. Like many of the ‘old masters’, I first apply a background in ochre, and set the contour with the pencil. Then I start the portrait in ‘imprimatura’ namely using earth tones, which will allow light falling onto the painting to reflect through the paint layers. Then I proceed applying colours, layer upon layer, with transparent paint strokes from dark to light to reach real expressions. My colour palette is very small and focused; I mix all colours into different values. I also use glazing as a technique to get even more depth in the work.
bastiaen art 