Luis Baya

BFA New Media

Website: illustrationsbyluis.com

ARTIST STATEMENT: Ever since my youth, I was drawn to the simple and fun nature that children's books Illustrations have. Which is why I made a series that is very close to my heart. In it, there is a little girl with a polka dot dress and a cute shark hat accompanied by fancy goldfish. My goal was to draw everyday actions like going on a walk, attending a tea party, or having lunch, with the addition of putting a surreal twist on them. I took this direction because I wanted to create a dream-like and subconscious atmosphere. Fancy goldfish are the supporting subjects in my illustrations because they are surreal creatures to me, so it was fitting. Also, I wanted my illustrations to have a very childish look, and I found that by creating a crayon texture on my iPad, I could do just that. Using this technique, my illustrations have a dreamy, childish, and nostalgic feel. Crayon Illustrations may also spark an artistic flare in children, as crayons are readily available for kids. Their creative minds have no limits, which is something else I wanted my series to be, creative without bounds.