Palette knife portraitsHandmade oil painting4 designs · 9 sizes
A face is never just a sum of its features. With Soul Depth, the artist reconstructs it using a palette knife: thick splashes of color, applied in facets, sketching out a forehead, a cheek, a strand of hair, while leaving everyone free to guess the emotion hidden within. The series consists of four abstract portraits. Model A shows a face from the front in flashes of white, pink, and red under black hair; B, a female profile with coral hair sculpted in relief; C, a face entirely covered in a multicolored mosaic; D, a head dissolving into golden, plum, and teal swirls. Each canvas is a hand-painted oil painting created upon your order on a heavy canvas, in nine sizes ranging from 40 x 60 to 120 x 180 cm, and custom dimensions can be considered. A work with a strong presence for those who love for their walls to tell a story.
Four faces, four characters
Model A
A – Face in flashes
Front view, black hair, face in white, flesh, pink, and red tones, gray background.
Model B
B – Coral profile
Female profile, coral pink hair, skin in copper facets, gray-green background.
Model C
C – Mosaic
Front view, face covered with green, yellow, red, and blue strokes, white background.
Model D
D – Face in motion
Features dissolving into gold, orange, plum, and teal swirls, gray background.
All four models are offered at the same price points, from €69.90 for 40 x 60 cm to €549.90 for 120 x 180 cm. All sizes maintain the same aspect ratio, two-thirds width to height, so the portrait keeps its exact framing regardless of the size chosen.
The technique
The palette knife: the tool of texture
A palette knife is a small, flexible, trowel-shaped blade used to scoop up paint and spread, scrape, or apply it in impasto. Unlike a brush, it leaves no bristle marks: it creates clean planes, sharp edges, and overlays where one color partially covers another. In a portrait, each stroke of the blade becomes a facet, much like the facets of a cut stone.
Oil paint is ideally suited for this work: it remains malleable long enough to be pushed and blended directly on the canvas, then dries while retaining its relief. This is what gives Soul Depth its highly visible, almost sculpted texture—particularly in the hair of Model B—and an intensity of color that cannot be achieved with simple printing.
Why these portraits are captivating
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Expressiveness
A face that suggests emotion without dictating it.
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Palette knife relief
Thick facets that catch the light.
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Four palettes
From nuanced gray to vibrant mosaic.
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Human presence
A gaze that inhabits the room.
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Constant proportions
Nine sizes with the same framing.
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Conversation piece
A work that your guests will notice.
The portrait, reinvented through abstraction
The portrait is one of painting's oldest subjects, but Soul Depth approaches it with a decidedly contemporary freedom. Here, there is neither photographic resemblance nor meticulous detail: personality is born from color and gesture. A red stroke on a cheekbone, a flash of white on the forehead, hair flowing in waves of material—this is enough to create character.
In an interior, these faces bring a presence that a landscape or pure abstraction cannot offer. Our photos show them in a hallway with light gray walls near a black chair, above a console table, or on a beige wall framed by an arch. Against a neutral background, Model C and its mosaic become an explosion of color; Model A, more reserved, blends with grays and blacks.
Finding the right portrait
1
Choose the mood: nuanced with A, warm and sculpted with B, joyful and vibrant with C, poetic and moving with D.
2
Identify the existing colors in the room (cushions, rugs, objects) and prioritize the model that incorporates them.
3
Determine the size: a portrait is viewed up close; a 60 x 90 or 70 x 100 cm is often sufficient for an entryway or office.
4
Have the canvas stretched by a professional framer, then hang it at eye level for a true face-to-face experience.
Comparing the four models
| Model |
Framing |
Palette |
Mood |
| A |
Front view |
Black, white, flesh, pink, red, gray |
Intense but sober |
| B |
Profile |
Coral pink, terracotta, copper, gray-green |
Warm, sculpted |
| C |
Front view |
Green, yellow, red, blue on white background |
Vibrant, pop |
| D |
Head in motion |
Gold, orange, plum, teal, gray |
Dreamy, dynamic |
A work painted just for you: the artist creates your portrait with a palette knife once the order is placed. Because the technique is free-form, the exact placement of the facets and the intensity of certain colors will inevitably vary from the photos: your canvas will be unique. This creation time increases the shipping lead time.
Hanging tip: a portrait is best placed where you will meet its gaze, such as facing an entrance door, aligned with a hallway, or above a console table. Grazing light from the side will accentuate the relief of the palette knife strokes.
Technical characteristics
| Work |
Soul Depth |
| Subject |
Abstract portraits |
| Models |
A, B, C, D |
| Technique |
Palette knife oil painting, handmade |
| Support |
Heavy canvas |
| Finish |
Impasto and relief facets |
| Sizes |
9 sizes from 40 x 60 to 120 x 180 cm |
| Proportion |
2:3 on all sizes |
| Custom |
Available upon request |
| Frame and stretcher |
Not included |
| Creation |
Made to order |
Good to know before ordering: the black frames seen in some photos are for display purposes only. The canvas is delivered unframed and without a stretcher. Because the palette knife paint zones are thick, avoid folding the canvas and do not place anything on its painted surface before taking it to a professional framer.
A gift that won't go unnoticed
For a friend passionate about contemporary art, a couple who loves bold interiors, or a colleague inaugurating their office, Soul Depth is a present with real character. Model C, colorful and joyful, is particularly appreciated by lovers of vivid colors; Model A appeals to those who prefer a more understated interior.
To further explore the collection, browse more canvases in Wall Decor, tabletop items in Decoration, and our ideas for The Home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the portraits depict real people?
No, these are imaginary faces. The artist does not seek likeness but expression: the general shape of a head, the direction of a gaze, a hairstyle, and then color and texture do the rest. This is precisely what makes these canvases so easy to live with day-to-day; everyone can project their own interpretation, an emotion, a memory, or simply the pleasure of colors. The series title, Soul Depth, is an invitation to look beyond the features to what the painter's gesture suggests.
What is the difference between models A, B, C, and D?
Model A features a front-facing face, under black hair, built with flashes of white, flesh, pink, and red on a gray background. Model B shows a woman's profile with voluminous coral pink hair and skin made of terracotta and copper facets. Model C is a front-facing face covered in a mosaic of green, yellow, red, and blue strokes on a white background. Finally, Model D allows the face to dissolve into golden, orange, plum, and teal swirls, as if caught in the wind.
What does it mean to be painted with a palette knife?
A palette knife is a flexible blade that replaces the brush to apply paint in thick layers. It produces clean flat areas, edges, and overlaps that provide true relief to the surface. Up close, you can distinguish every stroke of the blade; from a distance, these facets come together to form the face. This technique requires a confident hand, as the paint is not reworked stroke by stroke as it would be with a fine brush. It is what gives this series its characteristic texture, which is impossible to replicate with a print.
What size should I choose for a portrait?
A portrait creates a face-to-face relationship: it doesn't need to be huge to be impactful. In an entryway, office, or bedroom, a 60 x 90 or 70 x 100 cm already offers a wonderful presence. Above a sofa or in a large living room, the 100 x 150 to 120 x 180 cm sizes transform the face into a true centerpiece. Small formats of 40 x 60 and 50 x 75 cm are suitable for a wall composition with other frames. All sizes keep the same proportions, so the framing does not change.
Does the canvas arrive ready to hang?
Not quite. Soul Depth is delivered without a frame or stretcher: the frames seen in some photos are for display only. Upon receipt, you will need to have the canvas stretched onto a wooden stretcher, which any professional framer can do quickly. You can then hang it as is, which highlights the material even on the edges, or add a frame. For these highly colorful portraits, a thin black frame or a simple floater frame avoids competing with the painting.
Can I order a different dimension?
Yes, a custom size can be requested, for example for a specific location or a narrower format. Send us the desired dimensions and the chosen model, and we will get back to you regarding feasibility and pricing. Please note that changing the proportions requires the artist to re-crop the face: on a more elongated or squarer format, the space around the head will evolve. If you wish to keep the framing of the photos exactly as it is, stick to one of the nine proposed sizes, which all follow the same width-to-height ratio.
How do I care for a heavily textured painting?
The impasto creates small reliefs where dust can settle. Dust the canvas occasionally with a soft, dry brush, following the relief without pressing. Avoid water, damp cloths, and any cleaning products. To preserve the vibrancy of the colors, avoid exposing it to direct sunlight for long hours and do not hang it directly above a radiator. A room with stable temperature and moderate humidity is the ideal environment for an oil painting to last for years without losing its vividness.
