Delicate Art Nouveau Drawings by Paul McDougall

The Gentle Power of Line: Paul McDougall’s Art Nouveau Drawings and Life Story

In a digital world overflowing with overstimulation, Paul McDougall’s art feels like a breath of calm.

I came across his work not long ago—and it stopped me in my scroll. His delicate, almost whisper-thin lines bring to life a timeless elegance that instantly pulls you in.

Rooted in the Art Nouveau tradition, Paul’s drawings are more than pretty pictures—they carry emotion, movement, and intention.

Each piece may seem simple at first glance, but look closer.

The confidence in his hand, the way the curves echo natural forms, and the tenderness in each portrait—there’s a quiet intensity there. You feel it.

As someone who’s been watching the revival of Art Nouveau across the art scene (hello, fluid lines, organic themes, and romantic nostalgia), Paul’s work is right in line with what collectors and galleries are leaning into.

There’s a growing desire for art that feels human again—and Paul’s drawings speak that language fluently.

Meet the Artist: Paul McDougall

Paul was kind enough to share his story with me—and honestly, I don’t want to filter or over-explain.

His journey, both in life and in art, is deeply personal and inspiring.

Sometimes the best way to understand an artist’s work is simply to listen to them speak and see what their hands create.

So instead of overanalyzing, I invite you to slow down, take a breath, and spend a moment with his drawings.

Let them speak for themselves. They do it well.

Art Nouveau Story of Paul McDougall

Paul McDougall:

When you hand a small child a piece of paper and some crayons, they will happily draw you a picture.

But as the older, most children will stop drawing pictures. I never did. I never stopped drawing and still haven’t.

I am 46 years old and grew up and am still living in the same industrial city of Hamilton, Ontario Canada.

I am married and have two teenage children. I was brought up in a working-class family in a working-class neighborhood.

As a child, I lived on a street that ended in railroad tracks and steel factory walls.

Like my family and all those, I grew up around. I also now work in the steel industry, working straight night shift as a punch press operator.

As a kid, I remember always wondering what was beyond those green factory walls.

Far beyond them. I found an escape in art. I was fascinated by the fantasy artists of the time.

I would go into the bookstores and often by fantasy and science fiction books not to read them, but just to own the cover.

Record album art was also incredible to me. I would spend hours in my bedroom listening to music and drawing.

So 30 years later, not much has changed. I still listen to music and draw.

 

Every chance I get. But in that 30 years, I have been exposed to much more.

I love art deco and art nouveau and have incorporated aspects of that into my drawings.

Women have largely become the main subject in my drawings. I’m not even really sure why that is. I

don’t question that myself.

I just draw what I think and hope will look beautiful. Hopefully, I’m getting it right.

I threw away any idea of making a living from art some time ago.

I did try my hand at doing some commission work but found myself very unhappy with that and stopped doing it.

I found that it was taking something that I had always loved and was turning it into a tedious job like any other.

Work for pay and nothing more. My whole life has always been about coming up with money so I suppose I wanted to keep my artistic side away from that.

Free of deadlines and specifications.

A little world of my own where I was in control.

If it meant never really getting anywhere in the arts, then so be it.

Or it could be that I am a fool about it, which is entirely possible.

My only real aspiration right now and for the future is to finish as many drawings as I possibly can.

To draw and draw and draw. I am running in a race as fast as I can that has no finish line. Only an inevitable sudden end.

But I hope at that time people will see that I had an impressive run. If that makes any sense!

I have often been asked why I draw so many nude women. And that is a good question.

Simply, I try not to draw women as objects but to try and show the deeper aspects of the beauty that I see.

Strength, courage, independence, and compassion are beautiful qualities to me and they are what I hope to show.

And also sadness, as that is a part of our lives as well.

More Art Nouveau Drawings by Paul

Read this interesting story about Miniature Objects and 3 Dimensional Art by Phillip Nuveen.