Portrait
Paula Rego
Search for 3D
People are SO different, but then again they are not. A face is almost mathematical. For a good portrait, the distances of each part from each other are important. The eyes are in the middle, exactly between crown and chin. I therefore approach a face very technically. I look for the right dimensions. Furthermore, I divide the face into planes. Dark and light are essential. The aim is to suggest as much 3D as possible on the flat surface. Just as you draw a cube, a portrait has to be spatial. I find this control over the makeability of a portrait interesting. I never paint a photographically exact portrait, that is not the challenge for me. With a smooth, robust stroke, I search until I find the right three-dimensional form with which to bring the portrait to life. It is a quest that never gets boring.
human

Hans, oil on paper, 50x65cm, 2026

Anna, oil on board, 30x40cm, 2026

Josh, olieverf on paper, 50x60cm, 2026

Selfportrait color, oil on paper, 30x40cm, 2026










