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© 2023 Carlos Arriaga. arriaga.k@gmail.com

The front area of Westminster Abbey transformed into a meadow where asphalt, cars, and traffic signs have been replaced by a lush field. It's an idealized image of the city of London where nature reclaims its space. In his artistic process, Arriaga incorporates the Grisalla and Glazes technique, a traditional technique method used by the ancient masters. They usually begin by painting the image all in black and white, creating a base known as grisaille, and then applying transparent color glazes layer by layer, producing a vibrant interplay of colors, gradients and volume. Carlos employs photography as a grisaille, fashioning a photograph with minimal contrast and prominent highlights. This technique enables him to attain a notable sense of volume when translating it into painting, in conjunction with a unique texture. It ultimately yields a captivating vibrancy, depth of color, and a characteristic texture.
The front area of Westminster Abbey transformed into a meadow where asphalt, cars, and traffic signs have been replaced by a lush field. It's an idealized image of the city of London where nature reclaims its space. In his artistic process, Arriaga incorporates the Grisalla and Glazes technique, a traditional technique method used by the ancient masters. They usually begin by painting the image all in black and white, creating a base known as grisaille, and then applying transparent color glazes layer by layer, producing a vibrant interplay of colors, gradients and volume. Carlos employs photography as a grisaille, fashioning a photograph with minimal contrast and prominent highlights. This technique enables him to attain a notable sense of volume when translating it into painting, in conjunction with a unique texture. It ultimately yields a captivating vibrancy, depth of color, and a characteristic texture.

THE SANCTUARY'S MEADOW

The Sanctuary in London with a complete view of Westminster Abbey. The front area of Westminster Abbey transformed into a meadow where asphalt, cars, and traffic signs have been replaced by a lush field. It's an idealized image of the city of London where nature reclaims its space. In his artistic process, Arriaga incorporates the Grisalla and Glazes technique, a traditional technique method used by the ancient masters. They usually begin by painting the image all in black and white, creating a base known as grisaille, and then applying transparent color glazes layer by layer, producing a vibrant interplay of colors, gradients and volume. Carlos employs photography as a grisaille, fashioning a photograph with minimal contrast and prominent highlights. This technique enables him to attain a notable sense of volume when translating it into painting, in conjunction with a unique texture. It ultimately yields a captivating vibrancy, depth of color, and a characteristic texture.

Related paintings

  • Westminster Abbey relocated in a beautiful riverside landscape with buildings that also belong to London but are rearranged to create a very elegant composition with a lot of freedom. This is essentially what art is about – a manifestation of freedom. In his artistic process, Arriaga incorporates the Grisalla and Glazes technique, a traditional technique method used by the ancient masters. They usually begin by painting the image all in black and white, creating a base known as grisaille, and then applying transparent glazes layer by layer, producing a vibrant interplay of colors, gradients and volume. This technique adds depth and visual interest to his paintings as it uses photography as a grisaille base. Carlos employs photography as a grisaille, fashioning a photograph with minimal contrast and prominent highlights. This technique enables him to attain a notable sense of volume when translating it into painting, in conjunction with a unique texture. It ultimately yields a captivating vibrancy, depth of color, and a characteristic texture.

    Westminster Abbey at the River.

  • The city is transformed to make the Ideal City. The Bibendum Building in a magic and invented London. Nature reconquers the space of the city. A metaphor of the times we live. The city shown as a very transformed space where buildings and other elements are relocated at theauthor's criteria. The difficult balance between nature and human beings generates a lot of uncertainty. For this reason, I try to develop this theme in my artistic work. I prefer to do it in an optimistic way, generating illusion and having beauty as a goal in the creation of images. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Chelsea Giraffe in the Aftericity.

  • Chelsea Capriccio is The Bibendum Building in a magic and invented London.Nature reconquers the space of the city. A metaphor of the times we live. The city shown as a very transformed space where buildings and other elements are relocated at theauthor's criteria. The difficult balance between nature and human beings generates a lot of uncertainty. For this reason, I try to develop this theme in my artistic work. I prefer to do it in an optimistic way, generating illusion and having beauty as a goal in the creation of images. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Chelsea Capriccio

  • Thames River and Canary Warf.

    Thames Heart

  • Nature is reclaiming the space that humanity had taken from it a long time ago.

    Golden City. London

  • The grand Cathedral of St. Paul rises and blends into the sky.

    Sain Paul's Heaven. London

  • The cityscape of the grand European city as seen from the River Thames.

    Thaes Heart # 2. London

  • Orcas, drawn by rising sea levels, now venture into the salty waters of the River Thames, where they visit the London Eye.

    London Is Watching You

  • Panorama abierto y amplio de la gran ciudad europea.

    All London From Greenwich.

  • Nature reconquers the space of the city. A metaphor of the times we live. The city shown as a very transformed space where buildings and other elements are relocated at theauthor's criteria. The difficult balance between nature and human beings generates a lot of uncertainty. For this reason, I try to develop this theme in my artistic work. I prefer to do it in an optimistic way, generating illusion and having beauty as a goal in the creation of images. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Londinium Alla Piero Della Francesca

  • The London Bridge in a somewhat altered composition from reality, with certain buildings repositioned to create a significantly enhanced composition. The idealized city in this painting is a reverie of the urban landscape, closer to how it should be than how it actually is. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Tower Bridge Forever

  • The interior of the Natural History Museum in London.

    Natural History Forever

  • One heart fles over the cityscape of the grand European city as seen from the River Thames.

    Thames Heart # 3

  • Westminster Abbey relocated in a beautiful riverside landscape with buildings that also belong to London but are rearranged to create a very elegant composition with a lot of freedom. This is essentially what art is about – a manifestation of freedom. In his artistic process, Arriaga incorporates the Grisalla and Glazes technique, a traditional technique method used by the ancient masters. They usually begin by painting the image all in black and white, creating a base known as grisaille, and then applying transparent glazes layer by layer, producing a vibrant interplay of colors, gradients and volume. This technique adds depth and visual interest to his paintings as it uses photography as a grisaille base. Carlos employs photography as a grisaille, fashioning a photograph with minimal contrast and prominent highlights. This technique enables him to attain a notable sense of volume when translating it into painting, in conjunction with a unique texture. It ultimately yields a captivating vibrancy, depth of color, and a characteristic texture.

    Westminster Abbey at the River.

  • The city is transformed to make the Ideal City. The Bibendum Building in a magic and invented London. Nature reconquers the space of the city. A metaphor of the times we live. The city shown as a very transformed space where buildings and other elements are relocated at theauthor's criteria. The difficult balance between nature and human beings generates a lot of uncertainty. For this reason, I try to develop this theme in my artistic work. I prefer to do it in an optimistic way, generating illusion and having beauty as a goal in the creation of images. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Chelsea Giraffe in the Aftericity.

  • Chelsea Capriccio is The Bibendum Building in a magic and invented London.Nature reconquers the space of the city. A metaphor of the times we live. The city shown as a very transformed space where buildings and other elements are relocated at theauthor's criteria. The difficult balance between nature and human beings generates a lot of uncertainty. For this reason, I try to develop this theme in my artistic work. I prefer to do it in an optimistic way, generating illusion and having beauty as a goal in the creation of images. About the technique: When painting in oil on the grisaille, there is a total control, both in shape and color. Working with oil paint is a huge advantage due to the great power you have over the image. By using transparent glazes, layer upon layer, you get very unique vibrations of color and textures.

    Chelsea Capriccio

  • Thames River and Canary Warf.

    Thames Heart