Black, white and a face. I am certainly not stopping here. Who will be next?

At the start of the summer holidays, I shared something with you that was a little different again in my work.

No delicate pencil shading. No colours, layers of acrylic or long searches for just the right shade.

This time, just black, white and a face.

And although I did not yet know where this path would take me, there is one thing I now know for certain.

I am certainly not stopping here. Quite the opposite.

When black and white are all you need

What I enjoy about this way of working is its simplicity.

At first glance, at least.

Because in reality, black and white are unforgiving.

You do not have dozens of shades at your disposal to gradually model the portrait. There is not much room for “I will just touch that up a little”.

Every line, every area of black and every space I leave completely white determines the result.

And perhaps that is exactly why I enjoy it so much.

A face gradually begins to emerge from a few bold strokes. Suddenly there are eyes, an expression, hair, a beard… and someone you recognise, even though so much is actually absent from the canvas.

Sometimes you do not need to paint everything for everything that matters to be visible.

From the first portrait to the next

When I shared the first portrait created this way at the start of the summer holidays, I saw it as something of an experiment.

I wanted to try something new. To let go of detail, colour and the traditional way I usually build up a portrait.

But I did not stop at one.

More faces gradually followed, and with each one I enjoyed this style even more.

Every portrait works in a completely different way. In some, the eyes are decisive; in others, it is a distinctive hairstyle, a beard, the lips or a single strong shadow.

And for me, that is exactly where the magic of the whole series lies.

A Posca in hand and no rubber

These paintings also owe a great deal to POSCA markers, which I use directly on the canvas.

And this is where the fun begins.

You can rub out pencil. Sometimes you can paint over paint.

But when you draw a bold black line across a white canvas, you simply have to trust it. 😄

Perhaps that is also why this work has a completely different energy from my usual portraits.

It is faster, bolder and rawer. It makes me look at a face differently and seek out only what truly defines it.

It is not a replacement. It is another path.

It does not mean I am leaving my other paintings behind.

Quite the opposite.

I still love pencil. I will still paint in acrylics, create portraits, experiment and try new things.

I have never wanted to be confined to one style simply because it is the one people recognise me by.

Creating is most enjoyable for me when I can keep developing.

And this black-and-white series has simply found its place alongside my other work.

It is a little cheeky.

It is a little minimalist.

And it is very much me.

Now there is just one thing I want to know…

When I look at the portraits I have already created, my thoughts automatically turn to the next face.

Who would be perfect for this style?

Someone with striking eyes? Distinctive features? An iconic hairstyle? A beard? Or someone I would never have expected to portray this way?

Of course, I already have a few names in mind.

But this time I would like to hear your thoughts too.

So I am certainly not stopping here. If anything, I feel I am only just beginning.

And the final question is really very simple:

Who will be next? 🤎