Mixed media, mainly pencil on paper then finalized digitally. Completed in really high definition for the launch of the online store. Check it out, it’s live now! 16 x 20″ signed prints on 100% cotton rag archival paper available.

Pencil on paper.

I started this piece as an acrylic-oil painting and brought it to the pixel world with the intent to experiment on the textures, but ended up taking it to a state that seemed finalized. There are actually 2 canvas siting side by side on my easel, sharing the same colors and subject. The second one will remain a physical painting.

Owl - Oil on canvas

I went for a walk outside this morning and found myself totally captivated by the heavy atmosphere that was forming on the horizon. A storm was coming and it felt privileging to observe the energizing phenomenon. It was not a simple rainy day, but the transition from a typical sunny sky to something completely surreal. We’ve all witnessed this kind of weather at some point, but I paid extra attention to its details as I recognized that being outside in these specific conditions isn’t something most of us experience too frequently.

Even though it is often the premise to natural disasters, there is definitely something charming about storms and their development. It feels like you are trapped in the zone between which two magnetic poles apply their forces against each others or as if you were walking through a thick wall of ghosts feeling in the opposite direction.

I was so inspired after it occurred that I dug through my archive of artwork looking for this oil painting I made in 2006 or 2007. If I was asked to describe what I see in this image, it would probably sound a lot like what I experienced this morning. Unfortunately, the quality of the photograph isn’t the most favorable. I will replace the file if I ever get a better version.

After a photo shoot involving this ravishing lady, who would later become my wife, I gathered everything I could find at her house that had the capability of generating colour. Being an amazing artist herself, she actually owned more art supplies than I did. Despite trying several compositions, outfits and contexts, I was not entirely satisfied with the quality of the digital photographs. At the time, we were not equipped with any professional photography gear other than the camera itself. In order to accomplish the rich in texture, grainy and tangible look I was after, a multimedia illustration seemed to be the best vehicle.

November 2005 - Ink, water color, color pencil, dry pastel, gouache, acrylic on bond.

The image in progress, surrounded by all its pigments.

This is a concept that was longing to hatch because of the nature of it’s exposed anatomy (referring to the arms, not the nudity). While it could have opened many doors to the theme, I tried to avoid making a gore image. I could also have opted for a more abstract and graphical approach, but my priority was to give a personality to this improbable case of crossed radius and ulna. And now that the bones have found a face, I might explore the aforementioned ideas for future illustrations.

Pencil on paper.

She appeared on the surface of the paper as if she was waiting for someone to free her from the frosted whiteness of the sheet, allowing her some opacity. No sketches, references, not even thoughts were necessary. It simply shaped up naturally through the span of a few hours. I was then facing the challenging coloring process, which was going nowhere, when finally, a familiar feminine voice suggested that it should be called The Diamond Sea. Subsequently, the song could be heard from the speaker surrounding my work area and gave it its final touch.

Pencil on paper.

“Look into his eyes and you will see
That men are not alone on the diamond sea
Sail into the heart of a lonely storm
And tell her that you’ll love her eternally

Look into his eyes and you shall see
Why everything is quiet and nothing’s free
I wonder how he’s gonna make her smile
When love is running wild on the diamond sea”

Thurston Moore
The Diamond Sea (1995)

Poison Ivy as in Rhus toxicodendron the plant, not as in the villain created by Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff for Batman. Though it would be interesting to see this kind of approach for a future Batman movie, I’m not familiar enough with the original comic to determine if she would be suitable. Her name justifies her dangerous crimson stare and the botanical nature of her garment. Finished in Photoshop.

Pencil on paper, fully improvised on a day off Monday evening.

Ink strikes again! As soon as I finished Love Bone, I started this piece. The technique seems a little clumsy to me since I hadn’t handle a brush in many months prior to creating these illustrations. Nonetheless, it was more than satisfying to dive back into creation, armed with brand new tools, just before summer stared as I was anticipating the colororfulness and vivid energy the season was about to bring.

Thank you for your generous response to the launch of the blog. There is much more to come!

Created using the ink kit I recently received as a gift from my mother. Last time I used ink was back in 2005, and it’s something I was missing a lot. I couldn’t wait for a concept to come up nor I was in a mood for improvisation, so I decided to replicate a drawing I had just finished. This way I could focus on the medium and appreciate the physicality of the process, rather than concentrate on the creative aspect.

This pencil drawing was done just a few days prior to acquiring the ink. It feels much more profound to me than the water color version, due to its rich details and spontaneity, absent from the second version. Even though they utilize the same subject, they reflect different sentiments. In this case, the water colors truly spread a tone of happiness to the melancholy present in each of them.

A sudden inspirational hour from yesterday night, excited about the recent completion of my blog. As I was deploying the first few lines, I could picture what would be the result of a genetically combined bird, rat, horse, giraffe and lizard. Photoshop.

The sketch, while loose and simplified, remains faithful to the final outcome. There are those few rare and precious days when you sit down and it just works.