Infectiously Charming: Illustrations by Mats Olsson
Organization of the Visible Universe, drawing
Mats Olsson, is an artist and illustrator based in Santa Clara California. Working in printmaking, drawing, and watercolor, Mats creates infectiously charming figurative works. Mats’ line art is detailed, walking a line between scientifically realistic and lightly stylized for emotional impact.
I’m especially impressed by Mats’ drawings and block prints. These works, mostly devoid of color, feature male figures that look a lot like the artist himself – though it’s uncertain, it seems equally likely that these are self-portraits, or drawings of an original character. I like to think they could be both, as if we’re seeing the artist looking at himself through a creative, slightly comedic lens.
The front page of Mats' portfolio website
Also available on Mats’ portfolio website are the artist’s watercolors, which pack an impressive amount of detail into each image. In these works, the artist seems to play with different styles, combining figurative still-life and life drawing techniques with surreal scenes or geometric abstraction. Saturated colors and a sensitive touch where lighting is concerned help bring these images to life.
