The Irascibles
On the occasion of the exhibition in Madrid about the group of American abstract artists The Irascibles, I was commissioned to make a series of illustrations to promote the event through digital and print media.
Illustration
The approach.
I drew portraits of each artist infusing them with the group’s rebellious spirit and that of their era through the color and style of 1950s comics.
The process.
I researched the artists’ photographs and was inspired by the style of classic comic book authors, such as Will Eisner, and other contemporary retro style artists.
Vintage comic-book style!
I achieved that vintage comic book style by drawing directly on paper with brush and Indian ink, and then applying the Ben-Day dots and color digitally, using the color palette of the printed comics.
For the Jackson Pollock illustration, I also used splashes of ink on the paper to evoke his characteristic dripping style.
The result.
Eighteen portraits of artists using ink on paper and digital color. Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Adolph Gottlieb, Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, Robert Motherwell, William Baziotes, Theodoros Stamos, Ad Reinhardt, Hedda Sterne, James Brooks, Jimmy Ernst, Bradley Walker Tomlin, Richard Poussett-Dart, Fritz Bultman, Hans Hofmann and Weldon Kees.
Client: Fundación Juan March
Illustrations: Aurelio Medina
Design: Aurelio Medina