Carla Fuentes' illustrations reference fine art with a fresh lick of paint

The work of illustrator Carla Fuentes references fine art with a fresh lick of paint. Although she works under the pseudonym of Little is Drawing, her talent is far more vast than the name suggests.

Originally studying fashion design at EASD in Valencia, Carla has paved a path as a freelance illustrator since 2007, with an impressive client list including Pull & Bear, VICE and Sony, as well as commissions from Spanish Vogue, Elle and Grazia. The illustrator has the ability to jump between portraits evocative of Egon Scheile or sweeping landscapes inspired by the photography of Stephen Shores. The result is a gem of a portfolio, one that almost feels as if you’re flicking through a personal sketchbook.

Her series Le Tour capturing the characters of the Tour de France demonstrates a talent for elucidating the details of textures. Her style of sketching mountains, roads, and shadows over clothing uses similar skills appropriated to emphasise ornate details. Not only does Carla depict the cyclists but the equipment that makes the event possible, individually drawing fragments of bikes, bottles of water, gloves and caps.

Another project which has continued since 2015 Los Sentados translating as The Sitting, portrays the dispositions of elegant characters poised in chairs, appearing as if “they always arrive before the others”. These darker paintings, often on black backgrounds have a haunting quality.

Carla’s capability for drawing textures with personality is transferred to architectural landscapes in a series of drawings Motels-2 interpreting the photography of Stephen Shore whose work captures vapid scenes of America. Using a mix of brightly coloured gouache and graphite on paper her interpretations honour the original pieces whilst showcasing her innovative style.