THE LEGACY NARRATIVES - VOL. IV

Creative trajectory

1. You are recognized as one of the best realist painters in the world. How did your trajectory in realism begin, and what initially attracted you to this style? My trajectory in realism began with a focus on drawing, often working with live models, which allowed me to develop a solid foundation for realistic representation. Each new work represented a challenge: on the one hand, understanding how that idea of reality is constructed; on the other, experiencing the emotion that painting provokes.

2. Was there a moment when you realized that realism would be your primary form of artistic expression? It was a process that began during my training period and solidified into a daily habit, a way of constructing reality. Although I occasionally tried to create non-representational painting, I found it difficult to work without a solid reference. I feel deeply connected to the sensibility of the real, and that emotion allows me to observe indefinitely, making me feel fulfilled and conscious.

3. What artists or movements have influenced your work over the years? During my initial training, when the internet did not yet exist, my references came from direct contacts. First, from the commercial landscape painting that was done in my environment. Then, from my teachers, both in high school and university, where realism predominated, influenced by artists like Antonio López. Later, I was attracted to painters like Claudio Bravo, and also by the post-impressionism of Sorolla or Singer Sargent. Observing works live, such as those by Edward Hopper, Gabriel Morcillo, or Velázquez, profoundly marked me. With the arrival of the internet, the influences multiplied, from samples of photorealism to styles where the materiality and expressiveness of the brushstroke are highlighted. I also found inspiration in the Baroque, especially in its handling of light, although I do not fully subscribe to that style.

4. How has your style evolved from your earliest works to today? My perspective as a photographer leads me to observe color and light, while as a painter I focus on representing three-dimensionality and volumetrics. Although photorealism is popularly appealing, I have learned to modulate my brushstroke, making it more expressive and loose when I deem it necessary. My first works were more linked to classical and Baroque painting, but over time my technique has evolved towards greater meticulousness and detail, approaching photographic realism.

Artistic process

5. Your works stand out for their precision and detail. How do you describe your process from the first sketch to the final work? My process begins with an idea, generally focused on representing a body or a face and turning it into something exciting, with all the ambiguity this may imply. It is a kind of adoration of the flesh and corporeality, and of the accessory elements that situate the scene in a timeless time and space. The sketch is the photograph, where I make quick decisions guided by my intuition. After establishing the compositions and compositional adjustments, the execution follows a mechanical process, albeit with varying results. I start with a wash of basic colors, and in the following layers, the paint becomes more opaque, reaching the desired tone and color. At that moment, I decide whether to emphasize the expressive brushstroke or the minute detail.

6. Do you use photographs, live models, or other references to create your works? I mainly use photography, since working with a live model imposes time limitations. Although the perception of color and tone is ideal with a live model, the conditions for doing so are complex. Historically, artists spent years studying the human body and environments, but over time those works tend to look contrived or mannerist. In the end, all human productions are an interpretation, a way of creating fiction.

7. What specific techniques do you use to achieve such detailed realism in your works? I use techniques derived from different artistic periods, from the Renaissance to the present day. I concentrate on approximating the exact color, applying the paint without excessive impasto, directing the brushstroke correctly, and contrasting tones to create the sensation of volume. I also use the depth of field blur from photography, which, being culturally accepted as truthful, allows me to create an overlap of objects and planes, adding depth to the scene.

8. What is the most challenging part of your creative process? Although I usually have clarity when visualizing and composing the image, what challenges me the most is creating a narrative around the work that does not fall into surrealism or obviousness. I seek to transmit something significant without resorting to strange symbols or forced interpretations; I want the work to stand on its own.

9. How do you decide when a work is complete? Unlike other artists who work on the entire piece uniformly, I resolve each area in specific sessions. A work is complete when all areas have a coherent treatment and the focal points are duly resolved.

Philosophy and themes

10. Realism often requires a deep connection with the subject. What do you seek to transmit through your paintings? I seek to transmit emotions and reflections. While the abstract can lead to reflections on spatial or metaphysical concepts, realism, I believe, is more focused on emotions through concepts, stories, myths, and symbols that develop in the culture in which we live. My figures usually unfold in warm environments, conducive to being enjoyed, with tactile qualities that evoke spiritual beauty through formal beauty. This beauty is not limited to ideal proportions but includes maturity and expressiveness.

11. How do you select the themes and models for your works? I am very interested in the environment, natural or artificial, where I place the figure. I also focus on the subject itself, analyzing how to present it in the most impactful way. Finally, I pay attention to how I dress it or how I support it in the composition. Regarding the model, I select aspects such as their beauty, youth, strength (in the case of young men), marked features (in older people), and the way they adopt the pose.

12. In an era where abstraction predominates in many spaces, how do you see the place of realism in contemporary art? Realism can also be abstract; if you get close enough to a realist painting, you will find abstraction. At the same time, abstract paintings also create spatial and three-dimensional sensations, although they focus on conceptual or chromatic issues. For me, the distinction between realism and abstraction is circumstantial and one of preferences, as there is no objectivity behind these categories.

13. What emotions or reflections do you hope to evoke in those who observe your works? On the one hand, I want to provoke admiration for the real, and on the other, a reflection. Stopping in front of the representation of an elderly, sick, or young person invites reflection on this, in addition to appreciating the aesthetic aspects. However, the emotions triggered depend on the viewer, their experiences, and knowledge. I believe I facilitate the development of sensitivity towards the real, helping to discern it better.

Current work and exhibitions

14. Could you tell us about your latest collection? What inspired it? In the paintings I am currently working on, I want to insert the subject into a landscape. For years I worked in graphic design, in front of a computer, which prevented me from enjoying nature or even noticing the passage of time. When I left that job, I began to capture moments with a camera. That task is still incomplete. I live in a privileged area, where the greenery surprises visitors. I recently visited a space in nature that amazed me, and I decided to do a series of works that capture that sensation of freedom and connection with life.

15. What upcoming exhibitions or projects are you enthusiastic about? With more experience than at the beginning, I want to create some paintings in which I can give my best. I would like to work on the representation of the male body, both in its splendor and in its decline. I want to create a painting of a man in his last moments of life, in an imagined and symbolic space. The loss of family members has left a lasting impression on me about the importance and emotion of those moments. I am also thinking about nature, which continues to fascinate me. I am planning immersive natural or celestial spaces, like those that once impacted me when I saw views of Madrid painted by Antonio López. Additionally, I have the project of sharing my knowledge about pictorial techniques and processes, as many people contact me on social media. I would like to help those who, for economic, cultural, or religious reasons, do not have access to traditional pictorial training, but who do have access to the internet.

16. How do you see the evolution of your work in the coming years? I see it as a distillation of ideas and paintings that do not seek to satisfy commercial demands but rather to work on aspects that generate emotions for me. Although reality is admirable, I always make a conscious selection to emphasize something particular. My paintings are not a direct denunciation of issues such as working conditions, religious ideologies, or wars; instead, they present a more contemplative attitude towards society, freedom, and nudity. Although my work is not openly political, some of my works have been censored on social media, which reflects a trend towards ideological cancellation. My goal is to continue exploring the beautiful, the social, and the emotional, always from a non-conformist stance, with the idea that the world can improve, and that my work can invite reflection on it.

Mastery and technique

17. What role do light and shadow play in your work, and how do you use them to give emotional depth to your works? Light and shadow are two opposing forces that reveal reality. I love the drama they create, as in the paintings of Caravaggio. This drama was not something I had in mind from the beginning but something that arose from my photographic work and how to make volume emerge from the pictorial plane. A grazing light reveals the imperfections of the skin, and without tonal differences between the background and the figure, there is no depth in a painting. Tonal difference is what creates the volumetric sensation, much more than color, which is visually striking but more complicated to master.

18. How do you continue to challenge yourself to improve as a realist painter? I am always looking to improve my works and make them as attractive as possible. Competition in the market also pushes me in this direction. Besides, I cannot keep doing the same thing over and over again; I always need new motivations to continue investing so many hours of work. In terms of technique, I always use the best materials and, from time to time, I make improvements to my process.

19. Is there any technique or method that you have not yet explored and that interests you to learn or implement in your work? I am currently experimenting with image generation using artificial intelligence. Although this technology is still in its early stages and it is not possible to control all parameters, I believe that in the coming years it will be a good starting point for testing complex compositions. Art, like many other trades, will be radically transformed with the evolution of these tools.

Legacy and vision

20. As one of the main references of current realism, what legacy do you hope to leave in the art world? For now, I only think about continuing the tradition of realist and figurative painting, techniques that should not disappear. They are important for the appreciation and perception of the world, as well as for mental work and the attitude of personal effort. Perhaps I won't change the world, but I believe it is a creative way of being in it.