Tom French began making his own “Vanitas” art series in charcoal, and in recent years has moved on to using oil paint instead. Clearly basing his work from past artists like Charles Allan Gilbert and Salvador Dali, French creates a modern version of the illusional portrait and keeps it in black-and-white like the 1892 “All is Vanity.” Paint drips and heavy brushstrokes give a dramatic and expressive feel to each face. Now these faces have skin but before the artist focused solely on skulls; since he has grasped the key elements to making effective illusions, it has become easier for him to do other variations.

Images © Tom French.