Iguana — 01 / 04
Every painting starts with structure. Clean lines map out the form — eye socket, jaw, claw, scale pattern — before a single drop of color is placed.
Iguana — 02 / 04
Flat tones block in the overall palette. Light direction and shadow planes start to emerge. The reptile begins to have a body, not just an outline.
Iguana — 03 / 04
Layer by layer, every scale is drawn individually. The iridescent dewlap. The grip of the claws. Each texture is built rather than painted over.
Iguana — 04 / 04
The painting finds its world. Grass, sky, atmosphere — the iguana is no longer a study. It lives somewhere. The piece is complete.
Lion — 01 / 03
The mane takes shape. The gaze is set. Early strokes commit to the lion's energy — power held in stillness, authority without aggression.
Lion — 02 / 03
Light defines the coat. Every hair is individual, layered in direction. Color starts to glow. The lion begins to breathe.
Lion — 03 / 03
A single eye contains more than a whole body. This is where a painting becomes a portrait — when you can see what something is thinking.
Eve — 01 / 06
A face mapped in line. Proportions, expression, attitude — all committed to before any color is mixed. The sketch decides everything that follows.
Eve — 02 / 06
Flat color blocks the face into light and shadow. No detail yet — just establishing where the light hits and where it doesn't. Feeling out the palette.
Eve — 03 / 06
Sculpting with color. The cheekbone catches light. The jaw takes shape. The face stops being flat and starts having weight, depth, dimension.
Eve — 04 / 06
The skin gets its complexity — warm undertones, cool shadows, the subtle blush of life. Texture is added stroke by stroke. It takes patience.
Eve — 05 / 06
The eyes are last. Every other decision in the portrait is made in service of this moment — the point of contact, the thing that makes it real.
Eve — 06 / 06
Done. Not just a likeness — a presence. A moment in someone's life made permanent in digital paint. This is what a commission becomes.
About
I'm Arie Rattan — born in Israel, raised in Milan, trained in combat, and now finding my voice through art and technology.
At 13 I moved to Italy with my family, attending a British school in Milan where I became fluent in English and Italian. At 19 I returned to Israel alone to serve in the military, joining the Orev Givati unit from 1999 to 2002, with reserve service continuing until 2020.
My art is driven by my journey with PTSD following military service. Drawing and painting became the language I use to process what words can't reach — raw, visceral, and deeply personal. Every piece carries weight from a life lived fully.
In parallel, I'm building a career in high-tech — certified in Microsoft Azure, studying cybersecurity and ethical hacking, and pursuing Product Management. The same discipline forged in uniform drives everything I build.
Portraits
Each portrait is a study of presence — capturing what a photo cannot. Available as commissions.
Commission a Portrait
A commissioned portrait by Ari Rattan is a hand-drawn, hand-painted original — made with the same intensity and craft you see throughout this gallery.
Each piece is unique. Delivery within 3–6 weeks. Portraits of people, animals, or scenes.
Get in Touch
Beyond the Canvas
The same discipline forged in uniform now powers a tech career — building toward Product Management and cybersecurity.
AZ-900 certified. Building foundational cloud skills with a focus on real-world architecture and scalable solutions.
Studying SC-900, ethical hacking, and penetration testing fundamentals. Approaching security with a soldier's mindset.
Pursuing PM skills — roadmapping, user research, and cross-functional delivery. Bridging creative vision with execution.
3 years active service (Orev Givati), 18 years reserves. The clarity, focus, and resilience that only combat trains into you.