British artist Benjamin Shine “paints” expressive portraits with a quite unexpected material which is no other than tulle.
With a technique very demanding in precision Shine first folds and then irons the fabric in order to create the necessary pleating that eventually will turn out to be the detailed features of every face. The portraits even if they are only one-colored, they have a unique depth thanks to the shades created by the multiple layering.
Shine says about his art work: “The idea of ‘painting with fabric’ led to the development of this technique where the portrait image is created through the intricate pleating and pressing of a single length of tulle fabric. The technique aims to utilize the translucent qualities of the tulle fabric to generate various gradients, tones and textures”
