Heart Exposed — Acrylic Paint & Oil Pastels on Canvas

Heart Exposed is a large anatomical heart painting created using acrylic paint and oil pastels on a deep 38mm gallery canvas.

The human heart takes centre stage, painted in rich layers of deep red, burgundy and warm earthy tones. Fine branching details travel across its surface, while highlights and changes in colour help bring out the different shapes and structures within the heart.

I chose a dark background with deep teal tones to create a strong contrast around the subject. Rather than presenting the heart as something purely anatomical, I wanted it to feel raw, exposed and almost suspended within the darkness.

Acrylic paint has been combined with oil pastels throughout the piece, allowing me to build up areas of colour and texture while adding stronger drawn details across the surface of the heart.

At 3ft × 2ft, Heart Exposed is one of my larger pieces. The scale of the canvas gives the anatomical heart a strong presence, while the 38mm gallery depth makes it particularly suited to being displayed as a statement piece.

Title: Heart Exposed
Medium: Acrylic Paint & Oil Pastels
Canvas: 38mm gallery canvas
Size: 3ft × 2ft
Orientation: Portrait