Commissions
Get your portrait drawn
Soft pastel portraits of you, someone you love or your pet, drawn by hand from your own photos.
A3 500 AED · A2 1,000 AED · Ships worldwide
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Work
145 works in 12 collections. Open a collection to see every piece, and tap any work to view it full screen.
Horses
11 works
Horses at full gallop, at rest and on the lead, painted in oil.
Classical oil paintings
15 works
Scenes in the classical manner: caravans in the dunes, souks, courtyards and merchants.
Landscapes
12 works
Harbours, streets, the Corniche, still lifes and people at work, painted on canvas.
Pastels
9 works
Soft pastel on toned paper.
Ochre
5 works
Dense ink figures set on a flat ochre ground.
Line and colour
8 works
Flat colour and strong outline: workers, wrestlers, crowds, rooftops and textiles.
Figures
28 works
Layered figure paintings in red, black and grey, built from transfers and scratched lines.
Newsketch
27 works
Figures drawn and transferred onto Arabic newspaper pages, then worked over with paint, ink and charcoal.
Calligraphy
3 works
Arabic letterforms broken into bold black shapes on grey and white canvas.
Chalk
6 works
White chalk line drawings on black: tables crowded with people, fish, fruit and bottles.
Sketchbook
17 works
Pen and pencil drawings from cafés, markets and the street, made on the spot.
Installations
4 works
Painted glass panels, a light box and a light sculpture.
Exhibitions
Shown in catalogue
La vie dans la nuit, triptych
- Medium
- Acrylic and powder on canvas
- Size
- 180 × 60 cm
Commissions
Your portrait, drawn by hand
Soft pastel portraits of you, someone you love or your favourite pet, made from your own photos and sent to your door. Every piece is one of a kind and drawn by hand.
A3 from 500 AED · A2 1,000 AED · Ships worldwide
Portraits
15 pieces
People, couples and children, drawn in soft pastel from your photos.
Pets
8 pieces
Cats and dogs, fur and whiskers in soft pastel.
Group caricatures
3 pieces
Illustrated teams and offices, for gifts and company events.
Every piece, drawn live
Oliver films each drawing from blank paper to finished portrait and posts it on TikTok. Here are a few: the photo he worked from, the finished pastel, and the drawing as it happened.
How a commission works
- Send your photos
A few clear, well-lit photos of the person or pet. More angles help capture the likeness.
- Choose the size
Pick A3 or A2 and how many people or pets you want in the picture. Oliver confirms the best photo to use.
- Approve the sketch
You get a rough sketch before the final work starts, so the composition and likeness are right first.
- Receive your portrait
The finished piece is photographed, then shipped flat and protected, or collected in Dubai.
The studio
Every portrait is drawn here, at a desk set up both for the work and for filming it live. The wall behind fills up with finished commissions as they are framed, so it doubles as a gallery of past clients' pieces.
Prices
One price per size, whether it's a person, a pet, or both together.
Soft pastel portrait, full detail on the face and the fur or hair.
500 AEDLarger format, soft pastel, with room for background detail.
1,000 AEDIllustrated teams and offices, for gifts and events.
Ask for a quoteStart a commission
Tell Oliver a little about who or what you'd like drawn. He replies to every request with next steps and a firm quote.
- Currently booking 3–4 weeks ahead
- 50% deposit before sketching begins
- Ships worldwide, tracked and insured
About
Oliver Abi Rached is a painter and mixed-media artist based in Dubai.
His work moves between observed painting and layered pieces built on newspaper pages, where drawn and transferred figures sit over the day's headlines.
Alongside the studio work he paints commissioned pastel portraits and draws live at events. Since 2023 he has been art director at Rasmah Gallery in Dubai.
Painter and art director · Lebanese, based in Dubai · Arabic · French · English
Experience
- 2023 – presentArt Director, Rasmah Gallery, Dubai
- 2010 – 2023Art Director, Via Artis, DubaiFine-art projects, interior design coordination, live portrait and caricature drawing, and art education.
- 2000 – presentIndependent artistPainting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking, from landscapes to portraits.
- 2007 – 2010Assistant Art Director, Unocci, Ras Al KhaimahSupervised illustrators, photographers and designers, and reviewed freelance portfolios.
- 2002 – 2004Artist, Gallery “Is it Art”, BeirutHand-made works for sale and exhibition (welding, weaving, pottery, needlecraft), and teaching.
- 2000 – 2005Freelance graphic designer, LebanonSaatchi, Gam-Darcy, 3M Production, children’s books and murals.
- OngoingPrivate art teacherCourses tailored to each student, including students with special needs.
Education
- 2006Master of Arts, Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA), LebanonThesis: Confusion, supervised by Dr. Joseph Abou Rizk. Painting and printmaking (serigraphy, lithography, engraving), plus trompe-l’œil, animation and video art.
- 1998Diplôme d’Études Supérieures in Painting, Institut National des Beaux-Arts, LebanonThesis: Vermeer, supervised by Dr. Fouzy Abd El Sater.
- 1994Degree in Interior Design, Institut National des Beaux-Arts, Lebanon
- Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Sculpture, Institute of Fine Arts, Lebanese University
Exhibitions
- 1996 – 2005Salon d’Automne, Sursock Museum, Beirut1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005.
Live art and events
- UAEEmirates Palace (Abu Dhabi), Al Bateen Palace (private events), Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Mina A’Salam
- LebanonCentre Culturel Français, Le Méridien, Sursock, Hamra Festival, Souk el Barghout, Souk el Zouk, the old souk of Byblos, Festival des Attractions at Nahr el Kalb
Press
Also
- Interior design, jewellery design, and Photoshop and MS Office
Get in touch
Ask about a work, a commission or a live drawing at your event. Oliver replies on WhatsApp.
Message on WhatsApp+971 50 598 4629