Hidden Figures in My Paintings: Why Hidden Forms Appear in My Art
- Marina Syntelis
- Sep 13
- 4 min read
Why Hidden Forms Appear in My Art
Hidden figures in my paintings have been appearing for years, often without me realizing it at first. Faces, silhouettes, or even full human forms seem to rise out of the brushstrokes, the gestures and the layers of paint. These hidden forms are not something I plan, yet they keep surfacing in my work.
Over time, I became aware of them thanks to the careful eyes of others. Friends, collectors and fellow artists would point out what they saw and once they showed me, I could never unsee it. This experience made me wonder whether these shapes were created only by chance, by my way of painting or maybe by something even deeper.
Hidden Figures That Viewers Discovered
One moment I will never forget happened a few years ago when I was showing a painting to a collector. We were looking at the piece together when I noticed a strong emotional reaction.
At first, I did not understand what was wrong, but then it was explained to me: it was because of a human figure that had appeared in the work.
This was surprising, because the painting had been hanging on my studio wall for months.
I had looked at it every day and never noticed the form that was so clear to her.
For me, it was both shocking and moving. It showed me how art sometimes reveals itself differently depending on who is looking.
Hidden Mermaids and Other Sea Figures
The sea is the main subject of my work and it seems that hidden figures often choose to live there.
Once, when I shared a process reel on social media, people quickly noticed the shape of a mermaid rising from a crashing wave. Until that moment, I had not seen it myself. Thankfully, I was shown before giving the painting a title, and the work eventually became Nymphe.
Another example happened while I was working on Echoes of Mneme. For some time, the lower part of the painting felt unresolved to me. One day, when I stepped back, I realized that human faces were appearing from the dark depths of the ocean.
In the final version, I decided to keep only one of them visible. The others disappeared under glazes of paint, but I know they are still there. Even if invisible to the viewer, they remain part of the painting’s story.
Do Artists Always Control Hidden Figures?
The question I ask myself often is: do I control these hidden forms in my art? The honest answer is no. I do not set out to paint them. Sometimes I start to define them more clearly when I see them, but they are never part of the original plan.
Could it be just the way I use the brush? Or the layering of paint that creates shapes the eye can later identify? Maybe it is the muse herself, guiding the gesture. Or maybe it is the sharp eyes of others, who notice what I miss.
For me, it feels very similar to the game children play with clouds, when they look up to the sky and find shapes that their subconscious identifies.
The Role of Hidden Forms in Paintings
What makes these hidden forms so powerful is the way they bring new depth to a painting. They invite the viewer to look longer, to search and to discover. A painting that holds hidden figures becomes more than what it first appears to be.
These figures also carry emotion. For the collector who once saw a lady I had never noticed, the painting took on a deeply personal meaning. For the people who spotted the mermaid in the wave, it became a special, almost mythical moment. In every case, the discovery adds a story that even the artist could not have predicted.
This is what I love about them. They remind me that art is alive. It is not something I fully control. Once the paint is on the surface, it has a life of its own.
Why I Embrace the Unexpected
At first, I was surprised and even a little unsettled by these forms. But over the years, I have learned to accept and welcome them. They have become part of the mystery of my work and part of the dialogue between me, the painting and the viewer.
Some figures are visible; others are invisible, buried under layers of paint, but still real to me. They remain like quiet companions inside the work. Whether seen or unseen, they carry a kind of hidden energy.
Hidden shapes in paintings are not something I can plan, but they are something I appreciate. They bring stories, emotions and interpretations that I could never create on my own. And that, to me, is the magic of painting.
Gratitude for What Others See
I want to thank all those who have helped me notice these figures over time. Without their observations, I might have overlooked an important part of my own work. It is a reminder that art is not only about what the artist puts into it but also about what the viewer sees.
In the end, these hidden forms belong both to me and to those who discover them. They are reminders that painting is not only about control but also about mystery. They show that sometimes the most powerful parts of a work are the ones that appear unexpectedly, waiting for the right eyes to see them.
If you’d like to see more, I invite you to visit my Gallery Page and explore my paintings yourself. Take your time and see if you can discover any hidden figures waiting there. I would love to hear what you notice, so please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
Thank you for spending this time with me and my art.
Until next tide🌊
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