26 Extraordinary Figure Painters
November 21, 2019
by Kevin RR Williams
Contemporary Artists Who Paint on Canvases
The sheer volume of global creative talent is impressive, as evidenced within the Pinterest board People Still Paint. Despite trimming, it displays nearly 2k pins enjoyed by over 23k followers. Apparently there is great interest in the traditional art medium.
Artists that master hyperrealism render detail throughout the image. Expressionist painters generally capture strong emotions in a rather loose representative style that is frequently repined. Impressionist painters adopt an unorthodox rendering technique.
Contemporary Artist Biographies
Listed below are the various styles of some favorite artists in alphabetical order. Any who do not wish to be included will be removed upon request. Desktop computer users, hover below alphabetical artists’ names to view cropped sample image. They should automatically collapse. Tap image on tablets to expand. Click respective names to visit full image on Pinterest:
- , rickberrystudio.com
Berry is a mixed-media abstract figurative expressionist oil painter, which all sounds like somewhat of a contradiction. Exploiting textures, Berry manages to draw views into his images as they explore the complexity of layers.
- (American, b. 1953), margaretbowland.com
Despite being caucasian, Bowland frequently revisits the theme of an African-American girl assimilating herself in a white world (“white face”) with beautiful realistic pastel or oil paintings.
- (Italian, b. 1976), micheledelcampo.com
Impressionist paintings by Campo often depict college-age youths outdoors in bright sunlight. This produces strong shadows that sculpt his figures.
- (b. 1978), lucong.com
A comparison of Cong loose figure sketches with realistic oil paintings might suggests two different gifted artists. The paintings typically are large-eyed females gazing at the viewer in a muted pastel environment.
- , kohshinfinley.com
You can’t help but be impressed with the casual manner in which Finley paints realistic portraits interrupted by abstract brush strokes.
- , michaelfitzpatrickpainter.com
With a carrer stretching back to the 1960s, Fitzpatrick strives to infuse randomness within his beautiful figurative impressionist paintings.
- , michaelfoulkrod.blogspot.com
A fellow Los Angeles artist, most of Foulkrod subjects are proud and accomplished women wearing some type of intricate headdress. He also enjoys painting tornadoes from personal experience chasing them.
- , garmash-artist.com
This husband-and-wife dynamic duo paints beautiful figures often reposed or surrounded by floral gardens with an impressionist heavy brush technique.
- (b. 1965), danielgerhartz.com
Gerhartz has a warm and tender figurative impressionist painting style with subjects embracing, standing outdoors, or staring at the viewer.
- (American, b. 1977), victorgrasso.com
Grasso enjoys infusing surrealistic elements within his realistic oil paintings with primarily female subjects.
- , christianhook.com
As an expressionist artist, Hook adroitly uses grunge textures and abstract—sometimes double-exposures—in his figurative paintings.
- , jeromelagarrigue.com
Lagarrigue combines expressionism with impressionism to produce grunge figurative portraits.
- (American, b. 1966), josephlorussofineart.com
Also listed among our favorite portrait artists, Lorusso primarily paints orange-lit barroom scenes and frequently red-nosed reposed females in an impressionist manner.
- , redrabbit7.com
Mann borders between impressionist and expressionist as he evokes subdued emotion with a hint of realism in his oil paintings.
- , alyssamonks.com
Frequently considered a hyperrealist, Monks actually uses discreet brush strokes on large canvases that reveal her underlying figurative impressionist style.
- , rachelmoseleyart.com
Moseley is a realist who prefers to focus on a single subject, whether a portrait or standing.
- (Canadian, b. 1968), timokamura.com
Okamura migrated to New York and since has been chronicling its various peoples with stark portraiture that combines mixed media.
- (Spanish, b. 1962), gabrielpicart.com
Generally painting detailed city scenes or females in relaxed poses, Picart is a master realist whose paintings invite the viewer to enter an imaginary world.
- , leepricestudio.com
The hyperreal figurative paintings by Price frequently are arial views of females submerged in water or sweets.
- (French-Canadian), odilericher.com
Richer paints stunning realism canvases of beautiful women with satin fabrics and intricate wallpapers represented exclusively by RJD Gallery.
- , barryrosssmith.com
Smith details farm and beach-scene impressionist paintings with an observational quality that evokes memories of casual glances into everyday life.
- , sharonsprung.com
Sprung includes intricate fabric patterns in many of her figurative realistic oil paintings.
- (American, b. 1986), adriennestein.com
Primarily working with acrylics, Stein often captures flora and femininity within her figurative realism paintings.
- (Italian, b. 1953), giannistrino.it
Strino has a delicate impressionist brush style inherited by another generation—his quite capable daughter Francesca Strino (b. 1979).
Gianni Strino
Francesca Strino - (b. 1978), onejoseph.com
Viewed from a distance or with a quick glance, Todorovitch impressionist paintings appear quite realistic. But leisurely examination reveals intentionally visible stylistic brush strokes.
- (b. 1974), aaronwesterberg.com
Westerberg generally focuses on one subject within his beautiful figurative impressionist paintings, preferring to texturize the background.
This compilation is a follow-up to our prior list of contemporary portrait artists. As before, we offer the disclaimer that ClinicalPosters derives no financial compensation from such non-exhaustive editorial lists. Artist contact information is provided on their respective websites to address acquisition inquiries. Let us know in the comment section below if you would like to see additional featured artists. There are many more to explore on Pinterest.
