January is without a doubt one of the least favorite months in general, the famous “January slope” makes starting new projects a difficult task, not only economically but emotionally, and after breaks, vacations and family gatherings, who wants to get back to work?… Well, I I’m one of those people 🙂

For me, January is always a surprise, last year was full of projects and this year has been a little calmer. I usually re-structure the website around this time. for the time I can spend in front of the computer; I update the portfolio with the best projects from last year and start a list of objectives that I try to carry out during the following months, most of them personal projects that are designed more for my personal satisfaction than for a business issue. It is also time to send applications to festivals and why not, fix the studio and organize the material for when better weather arrives and trips return.

I must admit that I come from a constant Burnout and creative block The last few months, the first half of 2023 was crazy, I had a lot of work and little free time for myself and in the second half the only thing I tried was to rest, although without success, something that I have been dragging on until the first days of this year. Fortunately, I have once again found inspiration and energy in ideas that I had put aside a while ago and with plans to perhaps move in the near future, so as part of the creative warm-up I have gone out to paint some pieces that I will leave you below:

 

• THE STEP BY STEP OF DRASSANES:

Started with this piece in Drassanes – Barcelona. As some already know, I’m not a big fan of flat 3D. and part of the style I have when painting comes from the search to replace that way of achieving volume through other methods; Even so, I recognize that the depth and clarity that 3D brings to the pieces is fascinating and if it is in various colors, It provides a simple but effective dynamism that is difficult to achieve in others that do not use it.

Lately I had been very far away from Instagram, the pressure of having to upload photos of new and different pieces or reels that keep the viewer’s attention for more than 5 seconds left me questioning what I wanted to achieve. After thinking about it a lot, I have come to the conclusion that although it is a great platform to expose one’s work and reach new people, I always end up seeing it more as a very personal and intimate portfolio/album. in which I am aware of the progress I am making, of the ideas to which I can give another twist, those that I would definitely not do again and of certain moments that I would like to remember. Instagram then becomes a space where I can keep a diary of what I am when I paint. and the things that could change but not to have more followers or likes but to make myself happy, as well as maintain contact, even if it is unilateral with those people who are important to me and who in a certain way have been part of This whole process, with which perhaps someone can feel identified and can learn or benefit from it.

As part of this reflection, I created a reel created from the photographs below. (plus some that serve as a transition between one and the other), the result is an audiovisual piece that, far from being original and unique, is just the record of a process that is often overlooked.

 

 

• ENAMURART IN LES FRANQUESES:

The painting process for me requires a certain silence and peace of mind, but on occasions or seasons having the opportunity to share collective spaces with people who have similar experiences is not only comforting but also a great incentive to maintain energy and know the opinion of those who They share your same concerns.

ENAMURART in its second edition has been one of these spaces, thanks to the work of None, a graffiti writer from the area who, with the support of the City Council, has opened this space with a very familiar approach not only to painting but above all to sharing. It has been nice to see so many familiar faces again of people I have known for many years but with whom for one reason or another it is difficult for us to see each other despite living in the same area. It is always a pleasure to see the connection that Pako has, (whom I consider one of my best friends) to teach children to paint and his passion for what he does crosses all facets of his life, which makes him one of the kindest people I have ever met and therefore one of the best teachers in this field. that children might have.

 

 

My fascination with the giant TAG that covers and gives light to the piece will continue to be a constant this year. I love the fluidity and freedom of creating it that contrasts with how controlled the rest of the execution of the piece is.

 

• WHO SAID ORANGE?

Surely we have all faced the inevitable accumulation of paints (whether spray or plastic) that our profession entails and which, even if there is very little material left, we do not want to get rid of. In one of those continuous calls for order and after opening a large number of bottles that I didn’t even know what they had, I found several shades of yellow and orange that I decided to unify into a single color and from which numerous liters came out that If possible, they should be used up as soon as possible, since some of the pre-mixed paints were somewhat old.

The wall in question is located in my current city, Sabadell, and it is one of those walls that no matter how much you paint, it always requires a large amount of plastic paint to be completely covered in the most even way possible.

I did a small poll on INSTAGRAM about what line color would be good for something like this, the almost unanimous decision was white and I liked it, but being in front of the wall, with a mid-day sun and a yellow background that I already told you is lighter and brighter than what can be seen in the photo, I thought that a dark and thick outline would be better to the piece not only to separate it from the background but to highlight the light colors that were in some parts of the filling, this was the result:

 

• MY FAVORITE VILLAIN:

Closing the month and as a consequence of another of the colors created massively in the studio I decided to paint one of the most charismatic villains that I saw in my entire childhood and that I now remember with great affection, YZMA from “The Emperor’s Follies” (Title for Latin America). If you have not seen this movie and you have children, I highly recommend it, it is fun, deep and completely outside of what Disney had been working on in those years. I love the resource of breaking the 4th wall and especially the humor it uses, both for children and adults.

If you want to know a little more about the setbacks that the making of this film had, I leave you a video from ZepFilms, a YouTuber that I have been following for more than 10 years and who in my opinion has always been very successful with the type and way of showing content. , one of my favorites.

 

 

If you have made it to the end of this summary, I thank you very much. Uploading content to the blog has always been one of my big challenges since I created the website and I don’t always find the space to do it but it is something that once I do I really enjoy it. I will try to have it as updated as possible month by month and thus be able to share a little impressions and evolution throughout the year instead of making a general balance at the end of it.