If you’ve ever seen Frank’s works in person, you’ll know that special moment: you step closer, the light reflects on the surface, the colors seem to glow from within – and suddenly the painting reveals a 3D depth you could never experience on canvas.
But what’s really behind it? Why does Frank Krüger love working with aluminum so much – and how does a cool metal plate turn into a vibrant piece of art?
Aluminum – Modern Material, Strong Impact
Aluminum is no random choice for Frank’s art – it’s a statement. The cool metal brings light into play, reflects colors, and adds a wow-factor that canvas often cannot match.
Where does the material come from?
Frank sources his rolled aluminum panels from specialized industrial suppliers in Valencia. For him, standard plates with a thickness of 3 mm are ideal – sturdy enough to give structure and depth, yet still light enough for large formats and complex installations.
The lightly brushed surface allows a perfect interaction with light – providing a base that makes form and color shine in entirely new ways.
Why Aluminum?
These silvery, reflective surfaces enhance the depth of color, almost like a hidden extra source of light. From modern interiors with glass and concrete to Mediterranean stone walls – an aluminum painting becomes a glowing accent: elegant, timeless, radiating both calm and presence.
Unlike the softness of canvas, the hardness of metal creates tension: technical precision meets emotional painting. And it is exactly this combination that makes Frank’s works so striking and unique.
Step by Step to the Painting
A work of art on aluminum doesn’t happen overnight. Before the first color is applied, intensive preparation is needed.
The panel is carefully cleaned, roughened, primed – only then does the painting process truly begin:
- Preparing the plate – Every surface must be treated so it can accept paint.
- Composition & sketching – Rough lines divide the image into shapes and fields.
- Oil on metal – Layer by layer, Frank applies the paint. Each layer dries differently, sometimes creating fascinating effects through the contrast of gloss and matte.
- Finishing & protection – Finally, each piece is sealed to preserve the colors and make the artwork weather-resistant – even if displayed outdoors.
👉 For those who want to hear Frank explain it himself, you can watch this video.
One Secret Remains
There’s one thing Frank won’t reveal: how he manages to make oil paint work on aluminum.
Because in fact, it shouldn’t. Oil requires a rough, absorbent surface – and aluminum is the opposite. But maybe that’s the magic in Frank’s work: the perfect blend of technical knowledge, artistic experimentation, and just a touch of mystery.
Where Technique Meets Emotion
As technical as all this may sound – in the end, it’s all about emotion. That moment when someone stands in front of a painting, holds their breath and feels: this speaks to me.
And perhaps it’s precisely this contrast that makes Frank’s aluminum paintings so special: from a cool, hard material emerges something warm, emotional, alive.
👉 A peek inside Frank’s studio!
By the way: ever wanted to see Frank’s creative space? In this video, Frank opens the doors of his studio for the very first time:
