I’m Niels, the artist behind Tirynski. My work brings together a lifelong curiosity for images, emotion, and human connection.
My story didn’t start in a studio, but at a small desk when I was eight years old. I spent my days drawing comic books that were heavily influenced by popular TV and movie culture of the late 70s and 80s. It may seem impossible to mix Star Wars influences with Inspector Gadget vibes while adding X-Or and Tintin to the mix, but in my mind it all felt logical. It was my first lesson in connecting different worlds to create something entirely new.
That same curiosity drew me to technology in the early 90s. A “match made in heaven” for a creative soul. While others saw a computer as a tool for math and word processing, I saw a canvas. At fourteen, I was doodling on an AT386, and by sixteen, I took on the “challenge accepted” task of mastering Autodesk Animator Pro and started creating 2D animations. That eventually sparked my interest in 3D animation too. Those early nights of 2D/3D animation fueled a dream that eventually led me to the RITCS in Brussels, where I graduated as a Master in Audiovisual Arts.
“I’ve had many projects. Some won awards, like my short film Fluex, while others stayed 'in the fridge' until the right time appeared.”
From digital pixels to something tangible
For over two decades, as a graphic designer, I’ve navigated the professional world of visual design and 2D/3D motion design for international companies. But as any true creator knows, the mind doesn’t have an “off” switch. Between the deadlines and the technical precision of my day job, there has always been an unstoppable urge to bring my own personal visions to life.
I’ve had many projects. Some won awards, like my short film Fluex, while others stayed ‘in the fridge’ until the right time appeared. But every single one of them has taught me something about the soul of creation.
That is how Tirynski was born. Tirynski (and the Ynski project) is the part of me that needs to share the connections I’ve gathered between 2000 and 2020. Tirynski is about emotion. I don’t start with a rational plan, I start with a feeling, letting it grow and evolve until it takes physical form.
“I’m always looking to connect with people and fellow enthusiasts who believe that a space is more than its walls.”
The boyish wonder
I live and work in Aalst, and I’m always looking to connect with people and fellow enthusiasts who believe that a space is more than its walls. I see an atmosphere waiting to tell its story.
Whether I am drawing on my boyish wonder from the 80s or the technical mastery of my career, my goal remains the same: to create something that isn’t just seen, but felt.
Let’s see what we can create together.
About The Project
Insight into a life, a different life
Twenty years went by just like that. For this to happen truly nothing was required. No effort, no strength, no preparation, nor any form of mastery.
Two decades sounds like a long time. But they weren’t like that. They passed by in the blink of an eye, as if time didn’t exist at all. Yet, looking back, the past is full of so many memories of people and their stories.
“There have been conversations that were remarkable, with statements and stories that managed to touch deeply, connect, or surprise.”
The realization only came recently that over the past 20 years I talked a lot with different people and listened just as much. Some conversations have stayed with me almost word for word, while for others only the feeling they gave me remained.
My memory has been remarkably selective in this regard, without me seemingly having had any control over it. There have been conversations that were remarkable, with statements and stories that managed to touch deeply, connect, or surprise. They provided insight into a life, a different life.
It all just needed time
In the past, I looked for myself in others, just as others looked for themselves in me. But to be honest, somehow I think it all just needed time. Life unfolds in chapters, a human journey simply requires that.
The artwork represents one such chapter, at least, that’s how it has always felt to me. Somehow, I look back on this past period in time in order to close it.
“In the construction of their lives, many were struggling. Especially in the part where they were looking for stability but had a hard time finding it.”
Often the same connecting and universal stories emerged. People struggled with life on a large scale, everyone did so in their own way. Searching, stumbling, and falling, resulting in bumps and bruises. In some cases, even worse.
Sometimes I felt that someone was on the edge and could no longer find the answers. I could only hope that he or she would discover the strength to carry on.
Not all conversations were equally dark or heavy. In many cases, the words came with a smile and managed to surprise me in a positive way. But in the construction of their lives, many were struggling. Especially in the part where they were looking for stability but had a hard time finding it.
Hope they are doing well
I don’t know exactly what has become of all the people I’ve met. Some I knew only briefly, for just a few weeks or months. With others, I maintained contact for years, until, in most cases, that contact unintentionally and uncontrollably faded away. There have also been people who are still in my life now and with whom I have developed a lasting friendship.
Sometimes, a certain trigger takes me back to a specific moment. To a conversation or a person who once gave me more than I had expected. During such moments, as I let my memory travel back in time, one thought always remains: I hope they are doing well.
“The most striking statements and stories that I encountered during this period were used as a source of inspiration.”
Artwork
In my creative process, I was inspired by the conversations I’ve had over the past twenty years. The most striking statements and stories that I encountered during this period were used as a source of inspiration. Each artwork is connected to a quote and an accompanying story that reveals more about the background of the conversation I had with that person. This unique combination we call an ‘Ynski.’
Why DIASEC®?
Uncompromising Quality: The Diasec® Standard
Every Tirynski artwork begins as a digital creation. To transform these digital artworks into high-end physical art, I use the patented Diasec® process. By combining state-of-the-art printing with these museum-grade materials, I create pieces designed for exceptional depth, brilliance, and a lifetime of preservation.
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The Paper: Hahnemühle Ultra Smooth 305gsm
Every artwork begins with the selection of the finest fine art paper. I use Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Ultra Smooth 305gsm, a 100% cotton, museum-grade paper that is widely regarded as the gold standard for fine art printing.
This premium paper is acid- and lignin-free, meeting the highest standards for age resistance. Its silky-soft surface allows for extraordinary detail and a striking sense of depth. Beyond its quality, the paper’s premium inkjet coating ensures impressive color reproduction and deep, rich blacks, providing a level of unmatched clarity.
02
The Print: High-Quality 12-Color Archival Pigment Inks
To translate digital visions into physical reality, I utilize a state-of-the-art, large-format printing system. This process employs an advanced 12-color archival pigment ink set.
These high-density pigment inks are engineered to ensure that the colors remain as vibrant as the day they were printed, preserving the artwork for generations to come.
03
The Mounting: Dibond® Aluminum
To provide a perfectly flat and rigid foundation, the prints are professionally mounted onto Dibond. This is a high-end composite material consisting of two thin sheets of aluminum thermally bonded to a solid polyethylene core. It is incredibly lightweight yet remarkably strong.
04
The Finish: Diasec® Glossy Plexiglass
The final, most critical layer of the artwork is the Diasec® finish. Diasec is a patented process used worldwide that face-mounts the image directly behind high-quality, glossy Plexiglass (acrylic glass) using a special fluid glue.
This adhesive contains built-in ultraviolet light filters and is entirely free of plasticizers, ensuring the artwork remains chemically stable and resistant to yellowing over time.
Beyond its protective qualities, the Diasec process allows for optimal light penetration and refraction of the clear acrylic, which significantly enhances image definition. This results in brilliant colors and fine, detailed image rendering. Because the image is perfectly sealed, it gains an almost three-dimensional depth, representing the ultimate standard of museum-quality finishing.
A Legacy of Durability
For me, sustainability is synonymous with longevity. I believe that true art should be a lifelong investment. By combining acid-free cotton papers, archival-grade pigment inks, and the protective Diasec® mounting system, these artworks are built to endure.
The materials used are specifically chosen for their archival properties, protecting the image from environmental factors such as UV radiation. By investing in these high-quality components, I ensure that each digital artwork can be passed down through generations without losing its original brilliance or structural form.
