When French illustrator Thomas Lamadieu looks upward, he sees the world differently than most. In his imaginative mind, he perceives the odd formations created by tall buildings as the basis for playful illustrations. To create his Sky Art, the artist first photographs odd perspectives of various urban skylines. He then fills in the strange shapes between building and atmosphere with whimsical drawings.
Set against the crystal blue skies, Lamadieu’s work relies on the negative space within the boundaries of the brick buildings and angled rooftops. His compositions are a blend of black and white cartoons with a colorful photograph. The surrounding blue of the sky peeks through untouched areas while hints of softer pinks and yellows are used as highlight colors.
With all of the advanced digital technology available to artists, it’s surprising to learn that Lamadieu uses Microsoft Paint to build his little characters. He says, “There is an oldschool side that I like with this software.”
