A painting about the city of Oostende
In this artwork, I set out to encapsulate the spirit of Oostende (or "Ostend" in English), not only a stunning city along the Belgian coast but also my beloved hometown :) Through whimsical doodles representing the wind and sea, I’ve woven together some of the city’s most iconic landmarks and quintessential elements.
In this blog post, I’ll share some insights into the creative process: how I approached this project, the meticulous planning it required, the landmarks that found their way on the canvas, and much more.
From Sketchpad to Canvas
First of all, starting a project like this - a painting meant to capture the very soul of a city - is incredibly daunting. Deciding where to begin feels like standing at the edge of a stormy sea and wondering how to bottle the entire ocean…
For me, painting Oostende isn’t just about replicating its outward beauty. It’s about distilling its essence, bottling its mood, and recreating what it feels like to stand in its midst.
So you probably won’t be surprised to hear that I don’t just throw paint on a canvas and hope for the best. For me, the process starts long before the brush ever touches the canvas.
The Vision
Before a single sketch was made, I first envisioned the core idea in my mind:
At the heart of this painting, I imagined a central beam - a flowing, whimsical path of doodles symbolizing the wind and the sea. This element would become the backbone of the composition, designed to guide the viewer’s eye across the canvas and tell the story of Oostende.
The details of the story weren’t fully formed at that stage, but this central concept became my compass, leading me into the next phase: sketching.
The Sketching Process
To breathe life into Oostende, I didn’t just start by drawing. It was more like assembling a puzzle. Each piece, whether a sketch or a printed photo, found its place through trial and error. I shuffled things around, resized, added, erased, all while keeping that central beam of doodles as my anchor. Slowly, it began to take shape, like a mosaic, until it felt… ‘just right’.
Achieving that ‘just right’ feeling is hard to put into words. Honestly, I can’t tell you exactly. Every element feels like it’s thought through - balance, movement, harmony - but the final call? That’s a pure gut feeling. It’s that satisfying ‘click’, this unexplainable moment when it all comes together, and I just know, ‘This is Oostende’.
With that, I’m excited to finally take you through the city that’s been captured on the canvas :)
The Iconic Features of Oostende
With Oostende’s wealth of iconic sights, it’s impossible to include everything... It’s a bit like grappling with a thousand ideas all fighting for space on the canvas. But in the end, these are city’s iconic landmarks that found their way onto the canvas:
Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
One of Ostend’s crown jewels is the majestic ‘Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul’.
Completed in 1908, this standout landmark, is not only a stunning example of Neo-Gothic architecture, it’s also known for its rich history. With its iconic twin towers and intricate stained-glass windows, it’s truly a must-see. As for all the historical details... I’ll leave that up to Wikipedia ;)
Dikke Mathille
Let’s move on to another beloved part of Ostend that I included in the painting.
Meet ‘Dikke Mathille’ (or "Fat Mathille" in English), the most famous statue in Ostend. Created by artist Georges Grard in 1954, this bronze sculpture captures the opulence and sensuality of the sea through the form of a voluptuous female figure.
Since its installation, Dikke Mathille has become more than just a beloved statue, it has evolved into a true symbol of the city.
Zeeliedenmonument
Next on the list of cherished parts of Ostend, featured in the painting: the 'Zeeliedenmonument' (Sailors' Monument)
Crafted from granite, this monument honors the sailors who tragically lost their lives at sea. Every year, on Easter Monday, a special ceremony is held at the monument to pay tribute to the countless Ostend fishermen who, throughout the centuries, set sail and never returned.
Interesting fact: The posture of the sailor figure at the bottom of the statue has inspired locals to nickname the monument ‘De Pisser’, which translates to 'The Urinator’.
Mercator
Among all the elements in the painting about the city of Ostend, the magnificent Mercator ship is the largest of them all.
Launched in 1932 as a training vessel for the Belgian merchant fleet, the Mercator also served in various scientific expeditions and represented Belgium at world fairs and sailing events over its decades of service.
In 1961, the Mercator was transformed into a floating museum, initially docked in Antwerp, before being permanently moored in Ostend in 1964, right in front of the city hall.
Lange Nelle
The final element of my painting depicting the coastal city of Ostend, is its iconic lighthouse.
Known locally as ‘Lange Nelle’, this lighthouse is not only the tallest in Belgium but also features a unique blue-and-white spiral pattern that makes it one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the country.
A Glimpse of Oostende
As I step back from the canvas and take in what I’ve captured, I realize there’s still so much of Oostende left untold. Oostende is endlessly iconic, and while I couldn’t include all the landmarks, it definitely offers a glimpse into the soul of Oostende as I see and feel it.
The Spirit of the Sea
But Oostende is more than just its landmarks - it’s also its deep connection to the sea. This connection is something I carefully considered and wove into the painting, bringing another essential facet of the city’s character to life.
First of all, when one thinks of the Belgian coastal areas, one thinks of the dominant birds to be found there: the seagull. They’re everywhere, and they’re kind of iconic to the area.
On the left side of the painting, there’s a large close-up of one of these majestic birds. But if you look closely near the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church towers, you’ll can spot three tiny, V-shaped birds in flight as well.
Then there’s the world beneath the North Sea’s waves. Beneath the waves, I included a jellyfish and a shrimp, a small nod to the incredible marine life that calls the North Sea home.
These elements don’t just tell the story of Oostende, they’re also a big contributor in bringing the painting to life. The seagulls in flight capture the energy of Oostende’s coastal winds, while the jellyfish, floating gracefully in the doodles, reflects the gentle flow of the sea. Together, they make sure the painting doesn’t feel static, but dynamic and full of movement - just like the sea and city itself.
Final Words
Creating this piece has been such a journey… and a true test of patience! :p
All the careful planning might not be visible just by looking at the final piece, but every little detail was thought through. Nothing’s there by accident. I put so much focus on things like depth, balance, and movement, trying to get everything to feel ‘just right’. It’s tricky to even explain all the little decisions that went into making it work.
The planning stage felt long, but it was nothing compared to the actual painting process. I started working on the canvas back in January 2024, and even though I wasn’t painting full-time, I only wrapped it up in June. That’s a lot of months staring at the same canvas!
Now that it’s done, though, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. It really captures the Oostende I love, and that makes all the time and effort worth it.
