Will von Dehl's career as a graphic designer and illustrator required adaptability, leading him to become a generalist and a student of mark-making. His work spans a broad range of styles and techniques in both traditional and digital media, a versatility reflected in his painting process.

Years of designing for print deepened his appreciation for the intricate collaboration and precision involved in production. While striving for perfection on press, he secretly came to love the imperfections—colors slightly out of register, overlooked typos, and the small, human touches that make each piece unique.

Vintage comic books embody this ephemera, with their mass-printed, pulpy pages capturing bright yet faded colors, bold heroes, and eccentric narratives. Their flaws are part of their charm—a vibrant expression of humanity.

His work reflects a love for people and the traces they leave behind. He collects worn tools from yard sales, treasures old family photos—whether they belong to his family or not—and finds beauty in timeworn objects.

For smaller works, he prefers oil; for larger pieces, acrylic. While he occasionally paints on canvas, he more often constructs his own birch and poplar panels, allowing him to build up layers of paint and carve into them with steel tools. Scraping, sanding, and repainting, he creates textures that mirror the passage of time—layers of moments, traditions, changes, and imperfections, all interwoven.