About the Artist

A painter known for following a singular path.

Frank Wagtmans is an experienced portrait painter specializing in unique, exclusive large-scale portraits on canvas.

Wagtmans is drawn to painting large portraits where all of his technical and aesthetic experiences are fully realized. For him, painting portraits is a true passion. Wagtmans experiments with different styles, materials and techniques — his constant search for innovation. The alternating use of transparent and opaque paint layers, the preference for high contrast and the fascination with rich colours: these painterly aspects are an essential part of his work. With every painting painted entirely by hand, every portrait becomes unique and exclusive. Artworks of pure workmanship, lovingly painted by hand.

Aesthetics, the use of colour and, of course, people in general are all focal points in Wagtmans' work. These three aspects are a common thread through his work. In addition to paint, Wagtmans uses other materials to give his paintings more volume, realism, and glamour. This structure is typical of his work. Wagtmans has developed his own style of acrylic painting, with which he can construct the most amazing colour compositions. The result is a perfectly composed colour spectrum, which often features colour contrasts for maximum effect. The process starts with a sketch as a way to search for the right forms. Once this sketch has been laid down on canvas, it is completed with a carefully chosen colour pattern. Using a special technique, this colour pattern emerges step-by-step, layer-by-layer. Wagtman's intensive painting process creates an artwork that is simultaneously unique and surprising. Acrylics dry very quickly, much faster than oil paints, for example. Special know-how is required to combine wet-on-wet painting with acrylics. Using large flat brushes and working at lightning speed, Wagtmans can make the various paints flow together in a distinctive way. More than ten layers may be required to achieve just the right effect. Wagtmans follows his intuition with his spontaneous painting process. A process that he refers to as, A power struggle with the material, with the paint. Materials that must be conquered. The victory is realized when the paint allows itself to come together and to be captured and immortalized under a layer of varnish.'