INTERVIEW
LEFT Observatory,
acrylic on panel,
50x40cm
own snaps – to come up with ideas.
Next, he sketches on his computer,
pulling together reference imagery
and laying out a collaged mock-up of
what the painting might ultimately
look like, before drawing it out
properly with a focus on certain
areas. This stage takes around three
days, then the actual painting itself
can take anywhere between a week
and a month. Antonio is supported
by Liquitex and he uses their Heavy
Body Acrylics.
“I love light and bright colours,
and these are the best I’ve found
since I started painting with acrylics.
I started with oil paintings and I like
them, but I don’t have the time to
work with them because they take so
long to dry – and I like to paint fast!
Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics give a
result that is like oil but dries quickly.”
The Spanish artist is currently
in New Zealand working on a mural
before he plans to take himself
off exploring for a couple of weeks,
taking in the country’s famously
breathtaking landscape, flora and
fauna. “I like being with nature
as much as I love painting,”
he says simply.
Happily, his job allows him to
combine the two. The former graffiti
artist is bringing fine art to the
masses with these very public mural
commissions, often initiated by
councils, festivals or other art events.
“The best thing is when people
thank me for doing what I do,”
he says. “People say, ‘Thank you
for giving this as a gift’. If you do a
painting in a street everyone can
see it and it becomes part of a
neighbourhood, something for the
people and that is very special.”
http://www.dulk.es
Artists & Illustrators 27