Borja reminisces about a golden age of illustration Jul 29 2011
When Clemenger Sydney requested an illustrator to paint a homage to the domestic goddess of the 1950s we suggested Madrid based oil painter Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo. This recommendation was based on much more than his technical abilities, it was also due to his sincere appreciation for women.
Many paintings in Borja’s portfolio put the women of Spain on a pedestal. For this reason we felt that Borja would very naturally be able to depict Ingham’s heroine in the golden light that the brief required.
The technical challenges encountered along the way were to do with Rockwell’s style. Over his career Rockwell evolved his style from one that was driven by heavy strokes during the first world war period to one that became very painterly and finely detailed after the second world war. So we had to determine which style the Art Director preferred. To do so Borja did two paintings, each one reflecting a different period of Rockwell’s career. The final painting chosen was done with the heavier strokes reminiscent of Rockwell’s earlier work. What we also admire is the third render which not only pays homage to Rockwell’s later style but also benefits from Gil Elvgren’s influence. The most remarkable achievement being that Borja captured Elvgren’s more glamourous style of rendering and balanced it with Rockwell’s nostalgic ton
When Clemenger Sydney requested an illustrator to paint a homage to the domestic goddess of the 1950s we suggested Madrid based oil painter Borja Bonafuente Gonzalo. This recommendation was based on much more than his technical abilities, it was also due to his sincere appreciation for women.
Many paintings in Borja’s portfolio put the women of Spain on a pedestal. For this reason we felt that Borja would very naturally be able to depict Ingham’s heroine in the golden light that the brief required.
The technical challenges encountered along the way were to do with Rockwell’s style. Over his career Rockwell evolved his style from one that was driven by heavy strokes during the first world war period to one that became very painterly and finely detailed after the second world war. So we had to determine which style the Art Director preferred. To do so Borja did two paintings, each one reflecting a different period of Rockwell’s career. The final painting chosen was done with the heavier strokes reminiscent of Rockwell’s earlier work. What we also admire is the third render which not only pays homage to Rockwell’s later style but also benefits from Gil Elvgren’s influence. The most remarkable achievement being that Borja captured Elvgren’s more glamourous style of rendering and balanced it with Rockwell’s nostalgic ton
