Illustration is in vogue, and it is sometimes tricky to find an artist who stands out from the crowd. Barcelona based freelance illustrator, Ina Stanimirova may only be in her 20’s, but you can already feel her impressive potential and charm.
Ina Stanimirova bases her drawings on pictures to get as realistic as possible, but allows herself a freedom in creativity with spontaneous-like abstract additions. Her work becomes both academic and surrealistic. There is also a certain nostalgic element in her style yet her approach is contemporary and refreshing. The references quoted by the young artist as inspiration can explain this artistic oxymoron. From surrealistic master René Magritte to glamorous illustrators such as René Gruau and David Downton, the heroines of Ina Stanimirova share a fascination for female elegance but as well as an out-of-the-box imagination. Most of all, the female figure is central in her work, showing the complexity of women. Here again, the duality applies. The illustrations are at the same time delicate and seductive, erotic and innocent, a bit cheeky yet ingenuous. They are more than portraits; the drawings are allegories of emotions, a state of mind and an example of the stages in a woman’s life. Their ethereal look is just an illusion as the beholder can identify with each of them and seize their secret message.
While the pastel, trippy tones of watercolor are calling out for us to dream sweetly, the bold graphic lines and black ink lend to an edgier, darker meaning. As a result, what is pretty on a first look can awaken angst, melancholy or even a sense of dark humor at second sight.
