Vitor Velez spent his youth copying animal illustrations from encyclopedias into his notebooks—and he never really stopped. This amazing wildlife mixed-media artist specializes in detailed animal illustrations, and their true beauty is hiding between the lines.
Velez is a mixed-media artist based in Poland, whose fascination with nature can be traced back to his childhood years. He used to spend countless hours browsing through encyclopedias and trying to copy the most impressive illustrations he came across.
Those years are long behind him, but his wildlife illustrations remain a love letter to his roots. The animals in his art take up their space in between the handwritten notes, sometimes even merging together with Velez’s writing to create something extraordinary.
Velez sees himself as a mixed-media artist because he’s prone to experimenting with different mediums while working on his wildlife art. He usually turns to colored pencils, pens, and watercolors when trying to make his illustrations truly pop.
Another impressive thing about his illustrations is his incredible attention to detail and the ability to perfectly capture the singular characteristics of each animal. Despite being no stranger to the realistic approach, he wants his work to have a personal touch and capture the distinct beauty of every single creature.