MACHAS

Welcome, Ricardo Fumanal!

Gifted with an exquisitely refined technique and an immediately recognisable sense for composition, Ricardo Fumanal is a household name of fashion illustration who is not afraid of pushing boundaries.

Hailing from Spain, Ricardo has travelled across Europe to develop his art. First studying graphic design in Barcelona, he then proceeded to focus on hand-drawn illustration and digital design, landing his long-standing collaboration with leading Spanish publication, El Mundo. As he lived between Barcelona, Madrid and London, Ricardo’s career has come to embrace a broad range of projects, such as advertising campaigns, fashion brands collaborations on textile prints and accessories and fine-art shows in galleries with original works and prints.

Ricardo is an outstanding artist who brings into his artworks a multi-faceted and versatile gaze, in which precise line work and tactile shading are arranged with a surrealistic-inspired approach, as stillness and speed exist side by side.

Channelling a sleek perfection frequently imbued with a multi-layered irreverence, Ricardo is a natural perfectionist and creates in ink, pencil, markers and watercolour, mixing his excellent black and white work with colour highlights.

We sat down for a chat with Ricardo at the Ace Hotel in London to find out more about him and his artistic vision.

Why did you switch your interest from graphic design to hand-drawn illustration?

I feel that digital design and hand illustration are very linked and thus moving between the two mediums feels seamless. I started my professional career as a graphic designer, but after a few years, I wanted to broaden the scope of my work and began working on hand-drawn illustrations commissions only. Hand-drawn illustration feels more intimate to me, as a direct and physical extension of my point of view; while technological advancements are essential and digital design does contribute to my portfolio,  hand-drawn illustration has another kind of “warmth” that cannot be channelled digitally.

Which elements of your graphic design studies influenced your art?

Working in graphic design laid the groundwork for my point of view. The most significant element I took from it was composition and is one of my most recognisable visual signature as an artist. Additionally, graphic design helped me in my post-production process of digital collage, retouching and image processing.

You stand out from in the fashion illustration landscape for your impeccable technique paired with an unexpected use of composition: how did this approach come about?

Since childhood, my experience with art has always been led by a perfectionist and exacting nature. This realism is pervasive throughout all my work, but it’s in a constant dialogue with the sense of composition—I believe it is this dialogue that allows me to create dynamic images.

These unexpected compositions achieve different results: sometimes it’s quite straightforward, sometimes irreverent. What is the strength of this storytelling approach?

I am fascinated by the extreme contrasts that can arise in combining unexpected elements in one composition. I find interesting to hear from the viewers of my work what is the narrative they have perceived: sometimes it is clearly interpreted,  sometimes it can lead to a very personal interpretation. I don’t like to create work that is explicitly sexual or irreverent, but rather that gives room for interpretation.

You are a household name in fashion illustration, but your body of work goes beyond that, and I’m referring to your collaboration with brands, and your fine art shows: how do all these different subjects interact within your artistic vision?

The element that links all my works together is contrast. Soft and hard objects, expected and unusual elements all combining into one composition. Because of that, I’m able to create works that explore all my different interests without stepping outside of my point of view as an artist. I have always been fascinated by fashion, just like I have always been fascinated by art, sensuality or storytelling. My work allows me to express all these interests together.

Can you tell us a bit more about your personal work?

My personal work is a fundamental space for experimentation with new techniques and subjects of interest for me. In much of my personal work, I look at the narratives of sexuality and sensuality, and the similarities and contrasts between the two. I like being able to explore desire in all its different forms, combining traditional symbols of desire with unusual or even humorous elements in the same composition.

Where do you find inspiration?

It might be a cliché, but I find inspiration everywhere. Beyond my general interests in art, fashion, photography, romance, sensuality, I feel that my work functions as a mirror to my everyday life. The work I produce is always a reaction to the world around me or to my experiences. It is either at ease with my day to day life, or intentionally contrasting it. Every day I ask myself questions and my work is, invariably, my way of searching for and communicating these answers.

How do you see your style evolving?

I am currently in a period of exploration as I have been experimenting with quite a few different techniques in medium and style. I am working on bigger formats and I am exploring colour more in-depth. Being a perfectionist in nature, my evolution is carefully crafted as I take time to study a new medium so I can master it before it becomes widely spread used in my work.

Why did you join Machas?

I feel Machas can be a big step forward for both my work and the management of my career. It will give me the opportunity to have my work introduced to new people and shown in environments it has not previously been in. I was very attracted to the portfolio of artists you represent and feel my point of view sits well within this range. Having partners in the management of my career is very important, both for real-time feedback and long-term strategy.

See Ricardo’s portfolio here.