“Hearts Are Given, Not Kept”

A fractured clown extends a bleeding heart toward the viewer—an offering rather than a performance. Painted in decay, splatter, and rusted colour, the figure embodies the contradiction of joy and suffering, generosity and loss. The heart, cracked and leaking, becomes a symbol of vulnerability: love that is shared at personal cost.

The work explores emotional labour, the masks we wear to survive, and the quiet truth that what is most valuable is never meant to be held back. This is not a portrait of madness, but of courage—giving despite the damage.

Print Size – What’s Safe Without Ruining It

Image resolution:

1024 × 1536 pixels (portrait)

Best quality (sharp, gallery standard – 300 DPI)

• Max size: ~8.5 × 5 inches (A5-ish)
• Use for: small fine-art prints, books, premium postcards

Very good quality (240 DPI)

• Max size: ~10.5 × 6.5 inches
• Use for: framed desk / wall pieces

Acceptable for wall art (200 DPI)

• Max size: ~12 × 8 inches (A4-ish)
• Still looks good at normal viewing distance

Stylised / art print (150 DPI – texture helps here)

• Max size: ~16 × 11 inches (approaching A3)
• This image actually benefits from lower DPI because of:
• painterly texture
• intentional distressing
• grunge / splatter effects