Roberts Rurans’ illustrations are characterized by visual simplicity, reminding of vector graphics. But incredibly enough, his work is made (almost) entirely by hand, employing acrylic and paper, with little digital cleaning and post-production.
“People sometimes ask me if my work is digitally made and what brushes do I use (meaning Photoshop brushes),” he wrote once in a post shared on Instagram. “I’m always tempted to reply: ‘flat and synthetic’, as I work solely by hand with acrylic on paper. Digital post-production, like color adjustments and clean–up, is also part of the process, but 90% of the outcome is done on the paper.”
According to Rurans, though there’s no doubt he would save time by working digitally, he finds that the sense of human touch, with all its imperfections, add to the artistic value of the finished product. It also, as it turns out, attracts more commercial clients. “Overall I really like the mix between the modern aesthetics of visual simplicity and traditional technique,” says Rurans, “it gets to be artsy and approachable yet does not lose the potential for commercial use.”
Based in Riga, Latvia, his work nods to early modernist painters. There’s also an added layer of humor. In short: his work is a joy to behold.
