French illustrator Thomas Ehretsmann began his career as a comics artist. As an illustrator, his clients include numerous European magazines and publishers as well as clients in the U.S.
In 2009, Ehretsmann had the opportunity to study with the well known Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.
Ehretsmann works primarily in acrylic on paper, utilizing that medium’s versitility in allowing both thin watercolor-like transparency and thickly opaque passages. There is a description of his process, with preliminary images, on the site of his artists representative, Richard Solomon.
You will also find preliminary images, works in progress and personal projects on Ehretsmann’s blog.
Much of Ehretsmann’s work involves portraiture. Even those images that are not direct portraits convey a feeling that the artist has captured a portrait of his models in the course of creating the image.
I particularly enjoy his use of chiaroscuro and theatrical shadow effects. Even in his most simple and straightforward compositions, Ehretsmann conveys a feeling of drama and a sense of impending events about to unfold.
