The artist who creates paintings using 10 brushes... all at the same time
Aleksey Laptenok
Europe;Belarus
02:12

 

An artist has come up with a unique way to create his paintings – by using 10 brushes simultaneously.

In 2011, Serge Feeleenger found changing brushes while painting a tiresome task. So he adapted his technique and now holds 10 brushes at once, which makes the colors mingle, creating his signature style. 

"At first, I attached three brushes to the fingers on my right hand and tried to paint like this. I was like, 'wow, that's cool and very convenient.' The colors mingle together right away. Then I attached the brushes to my left hand. In the end, I had 10 brushes. I made very comfortable finger stalls. so I could change the brushes," he says.

 

Using this approach, the artist from Belarus paints not with his hands but with his fingers, which makes his brain work in a different "mode." According to Feeleenger, this improves its functions significantly, contributes to building new neural connections, and activates right-brain thinking. 

He says he "feels" the canvas "feels" right from the start and the details merge together to make something beautiful. 

"I mean, there's only one personality inside each of us but it's so diverse and multifaceted that sometimes such incredible things come out. I realized that every finger has its own signature style, its own 'personality.' And when these personalities meet on canvas, you see this wonderful complex color symphony," he says.

 

Serge Feeleenger started using multiple brushes in 2011. /CGTN

Serge Feeleenger started using multiple brushes in 2011. /CGTN

 

The artist is self-taught and mastered traditional multi-layered oil painting techniques before experimenting with various styles from expressionism to hyperrealism. 

But every single piece he paints has his signature style. 

The background in his paintings is usually a beautiful star-spangled outer space, which helps to highlight the object in a painting as a "thing in itself."

 

Feeleenger has made stalls for each finger so he can easily change the brushes. /CGTN

Feeleenger has made stalls for each finger so he can easily change the brushes. /CGTN

 

Many of his works are presented at exhibitions in Germany, Italy and Poland. He was also recently asked to exhibit at the Louvre in Paris.

"I was so surprised. I mean, it's THE Louvre! Unfortunately, all my works had been sold out after the biennale. People liked them very much. So I had nothing to present at the Louvre and that's why I had to turn down their offer," he says.

Feeleenger has many inventions and even more ideas. But he cannot take out a patent either for his instruments or for his "10-brushes technique," because it is just too expensive.

Video editing: Natalia Luz