Illustrated Girl is a vibrant, layered work that merges the rawness of contemporary tattoo culture with the elegance of classical figurative painting. The subject, a woman covered in body art, reclines confidently while gazing slightly upward, as if lost in thought or assertion. The pose is open and relaxed, but there’s an unmistakable emotional tension created by her expression — part peace, part provocation.
Her skin is adorned with an array of tattoos — floral motifs, geometric shapes, abstract swirls — rendered in deep purples and reds. These "illustrations" become an extension of her identity rather than just decoration. They're woven into the flesh through Willem’s rich brushwork, giving the impression that her story is literally etched into her being.
The background is chaotic and layered, a fragmented world of teal, ochre, yellow, and dark indigo. Broad brushstrokes and palette knife textures echo graffiti walls or urban decay, amplifying the streetwise aesthetic while contrasting with the softness of the human form. Faint symbols, scribbles and abstract line-work are embedded throughout, almost like coded messages within the visual noise.
Oil painting on canvas – 80×100 cm
Illustrated Girl is a vibrant, layered work that merges the rawness of contemporary tattoo culture with the elegance of classical figurative painting. The subject, a woman covered in body art, reclines confidently while gazing slightly upward, as if lost in thought or assertion. The pose is open and relaxed, but there’s an unmistakable emotional tension created by her expression — part peace, part provocation.
Her skin is adorned with an array of tattoos — floral motifs, geometric shapes, abstract swirls — rendered in deep purples and reds. These "illustrations" become an extension of her identity rather than just decoration. They're woven into the flesh through Willem’s rich brushwork, giving the impression that her story is literally etched into her being.
The background is chaotic and layered, a fragmented world of teal, ochre, yellow, and dark indigo. Broad brushstrokes and palette knife textures echo graffiti walls or urban decay, amplifying the streetwise aesthetic while contrasting with the softness of the human form. Faint symbols, scribbles and abstract line-work are embedded throughout, almost like coded messages within the visual noise.
Oil painting on canvas – 80×100 cm
