This 20 x 20 cm mixed media painting was created on a deep canvas —I prefer deep canvases to work on.

I always paint the sides to match the front so the piece can be displayed without a frame. Personally, I prefer unframed acrylic and oil paintings. Frames often feel too traditional for the kind of layered, contemporary work I create. But that is of course personal preference.

The painting began with collage elements before I started building layers of acrylic paint. I enjoy allowing fragments of paper to subtly influence the texture and rhythm of the surface.

In the final stages, I added expressive lines with Nero oil-based charcoal and touches of Neopastels to deepen contrast and create movement.

I also incorporated handmade stencils — including one based on a sketch from my 100 Day Project in 2023. Turning your own drawings into stencils is not a shortcut; it’s simply another way of translating a line into paint.

Drawing and painting are different skills. Tools belong in the process.

Now enjoy the video