"I wish I'd done this"

A creative genius whose work consistently inspires and impresses me is Diego Fernandez, a digital artist from Argentina. His work almost exclusively consists of portraits of women; beautiful imagined characters ethereally rendered and often materialising from negative space, as if dream-like apparitions. Each piece is sophisticated in it's detail and arrangement, despite the elegant minimalism that forms the foundations of his work. I could have essentially chosen any of his drawings or paintings to write about, and much of what I will say about this piece could apply to all of it, but here is one that serves to represent everything of his that make me think "I wish I'd done this"...

'In Fashion'

http://diegofernandez.daportfolio.com/

One of the subjects I enjoy attempting in illustration is portraits- this stems from both the sense of achievement that comes from successfully depicting a recognisable and/or realistic image, and also my interest in faces / masks and the related themes of persona and identity. The face depicted by Diego here is an idealised take on realism, despite the surreal elements of subject matter frequently featured. I believe that another gauge of quality in portraiture is the ability to depict and evoke emotions, which this woman's face certainly does, with captivating subtlety.

The inclusion of the bird is something that makes what would still be an otherwise creative portrait into something a little different, and this is a trademark theme running through various works of his; reality-defying flora and fauna decorating and accentuating the characters. Nature has always been a huge fascination of mine, and a constant personal influence.

The detailing of the drawing is very fine and intricate, from the soft shading and gentle highlights of her face, to the rich tones of the painstakingly-rendered hair that gives the illusion of shine. Diego often uses the hair of the subjects to transform natural into the surreal and give interesting dynamics to the pictures, like the flow and motion that is lent to the composition here.

As with this piece, many of Diego's works are either monochromatic or of a limited colour palette, an aesthetic I personally prefer as evidenced across my blog- even in my photography, in many instances. The blue tinge combined with the look of the woman creates a slightly melancholic feel, that may inspire contemplation within the viewer, a quality I admire. The piece doesn't even have to contain any provocative imagery to elicit an emotional response, it does so without being obvious. 

Another reason this portrait impresses me is that it showcases the height of traditional media in my eyes, and it was with pen and pencil drawings and concept sketches that I found my obsession with art. However, the look of this piece is deceiving; it is in fact digitally drawn. This is a skill I currently lack, but I would like to learn it, and greatly respect it- especially to replicate pen and pencil as subtly and successfully as it does, certainly a formidable achievement. The style of traditional art with the versatility of digital is in my opinion 'the best of both worlds', giving a classic look to a very modern process- and it certainly caught me out upon first finding these works.

A feature I like in Diego's work is the varying degrees of complex arrangement and interaction of elements, looking natural, like in the instance of the hair in this piece and how it appears as if it could be conceivably arranged in real life. Complexity and simplicity are paradoxically both very applicable, which in itself is enviable- this, combined with perfectly-drawn imagery, is why "I wish I'd done this".