Kristina Varaksina is a Russian-born, New York–based artist known for soft-hued portraits conveying the quiet-yet-complex inner worlds of her subjects. We featured her work in the past—specifically, ethereal photographs of a red-haired model—but recently, Varaksina has shared “Anonymous,” a series referencing 20th-century surrealism. As the title suggests, these images are about identity and “the unease […]
Category: Digital
Dreamy Personifications of Ceremony and Myth: Art by Katrina Taule
Katrina Taule (working under the handle artbytau) is an illustrator based in Quezon City, Philippines. Seeking to show how a single word can invoke a world of meaning (such as “devour,” “guardian,” and “infuse”) two of her current projects—“Enchantment” and “The Tea Project”—portray colourful personifications of mythological deities and ceremonial acts. The subject matter centers […]
Time-Honored Artistic Practice With a Modern Twist by Andrey Surnov
In the education of an artist, live figure painting is often part of the curriculum. The nude human form holds a rich tradition in art, with statues and paintings of it that date back thousands of years. Moscow-based artist Andrey Surnov carries on this practice with his portraits of women. The images feature tall, plus-size […]
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Merge in Jakub Rebelka’s Colorful Worlds
Jakub Rebelka is a freelance illustrator and concept artist from Poland creating surreal worlds using traditional and digital mediums. Each image is like a comic book frame that has been expanded into an entire story. Rebelka finds inspiration in a variety of artists, including the French comic artist Moebius and the celebrated fantasy artist Peter […]
Katharsis: Powerful, Purifying Portraits by Anemites
Anemites (Luciana Rodriguez) is a multidisciplinary designer and artist living in Cordoba, Argentina. Most of her powerful images are self-portraits. Featured here is “Katharsis,” a conceptual series that incorporates evocative poses and surreal elements (such as fire, multiplicity, and bodily dissolution) to convey moments of great psychological pain. The power and drama of these images […]
Dystopian Illustrations with an M.C. Escher Twist by Rune Fisker
Danish illustrator Rune Fisker draws chaotic scenes that feel like a single moment out of a larger story. The figures often occupy these compelling-yet-confusing spaces with the distinct feeling that they’re being watched. Part dystopian novel with an M.C. Esher-like approach to composition, we can’t help but wonder what Fisker is trying to say about […]
Sleep Elevations: Peaceful Surrealism by Maia Flore
Maia Flore is a Paris-based photographer whose thought-provoking images explore the “coincidences between reality and her imagination.” Featured here is a selection for her first series, titled “Sleep Elevations,” which was inspired by the artist’s childhood memories. Blending soft, feminine imagery with surrealism, the sleeping women are gently lifted across peaceful landscapes, their bodies light […]
Alluring Modern Fairies by Fate Troppo Belle
In Italian folklore, the fate are magical beings (like fairies) who disguise themselves as humans to play dangerous tricks on people. This is the mythology that inspires the work of Fate Troppo Belle (Alina Akhmatova), a digital artist based in Milan. Using nature imagery and unusual objects, the fate she envisions are modern tricksters, often […]
Experimental Remixes by Anxo Vizcaino Create Alternate Worlds
Welcome to the pristine dream-visions of Anxo Vizcaino, an artist based in Lugo, Spain. After working as a graphic designer and illustrator for many years, he switched gears to embark on a more artistic journey. His recent personal creations involve experimental remixes that allow him to focus his “concerns and passions related to reality, outer […]
Pop Culture Dystopias: Digital Art by Filip Hodas
Filip Hodas is a 3D artist from Prague who uses computer software to render stunning, hypermodern landscapes (he was part of our “Amazingly Complex 3D Art” feature). In this new series, using Substance Painter and Illustrator/Photoshop, Hodas has been producing incredible pop culture dystopias; from Coca-Cola to Pac Man, big-name brands and recognizable cartoon characters […]