Lex Tintel mainly paints portraits. As opposed to what many people may expect, his art is quite different from the traditional art of painting portraits. To him, the essence of a portrait is not so much captured by the identical resemblance of the real-life , as it is by the expression of personality. While painting a portrait, he tries to let character and personality surface through the use of the paint. Inner impression and striking features in the human face are more important than physical similarities. Character building is often realised by emphasizing notable traits in the eyes, features and chin.

He uses colours that are sober and he tends to consciously eliminate features that are too flattering. As a result, the paintings leave a somewhat obscure and gloomy impression. He explores the human face as one would explore the landscape of the moon; in all its beauty, but also with all its craters and hidden dark places.

While creating the paintings lex Tintel rarely makes use of the traditional paint-brush that can produce fine lines and miniscule accuracy. Instead of trying to achieve precision, he prefers painting with a firm hand, often literally pressing big daubs of paint on the canvas. It may be more appropriate to compare him to a sculptor, who applies paint on the canvas to create rough contours that often suggest more than they reveal. Because of the thick layers of paint, a dynamic structure arises. The liveliness of his portraits is realized by the contrast between light and shadow, depth and height, the precise and indefiniteness, and his paintings thus often leave the observer with a dramatic aftertaste.