Oriol Nicolas- Lauren's Pick

Oriol Nicolas is an illustrator from Barcelona. A lot of the work in his portfolio combines text and image (however i find the ones without text to be better). In, "Dad" (acrylic on canvas) it is Nicolas's attention to subtle detail that makes it successful. The wind blown side of the man's jacket is the only real suggestion of movement. In contrast with the watery, loose brushstrokes in the background and his careful use of shadow, the styalized figure becomes lifelike.

What impresses me most about "the red ones" is the consistant accurracy of the subjects' anatomy. Even though the two men are being shown at an awkward perspective and have no background to orient the viewer, their figures appear in perfect proportion. Using white line to make shadows on orange clothing, their stances are both clearly pronounced. Nicolas uses only 3 colors of acrylic paint per piece. In this case, simplicity and understanding of design principles create the most effective work.