We all love illustration. The effect it has upon us is similar to the one of poetry. Many popular drawings have this sweet, ethereal mood which helps us continue believing in beauty. With this in mind, the work of Elena Pancorbo immediately catches our attention. Indeed, her illustrations make one’s heart beat faster with delight.
This young freelance illustrator is based in Madrid, Spain uses pencils and pastels on colored paper to create larger than life portraits. Elena’s aesthetic is achieved through the contrast between the lifelike highly rendered figures and the loosely sketched clothing, which seamlessly becomes part of the background. This unfinished aspect of her drawings gives prominence to the sensuality and individuality of the figure.
Elena’s drawings primarily focuses on young men and women covered in tattoos. Their skin daintily inked with flowers and other natural elements. A subtle mise en abyme also hidden in their design, with the artists’ motivational mottos such as « Print Your Life » or poetic pencil shavings. Her heroines are radiant and permanently sun-kissed by the warm light of Southern Europe. With their freshness, they could be the allegory of summer or youth. Faithful to these metaphors, they stare deep into the eyes of the viewer, giving hints of their inner world and complex emotions. Each girl is different from the other, some daydreaming, others pouting. But, with their careless poise, they seduce the viewer with wit or eroticism. The artist effortlessly capturing the game of attraction and fixing it in time. Thus making Elena’s drawings an ode to eternal youth and beauty.
