Predators 1990

Boris Vallejo made ‘Predators’ with what looks like oil paint, at an unknown date. The blending in this painting is so smooth, it’s like Vallejo is trying to hide the evidence of his hand. It's kind of the opposite of what I'm trying to do when I paint. I love a visible brushstroke. But look at how the figures melt into the background. This isn’t accidental - it looks like he's aiming for a certain kind of hyperrealism, something almost photographic. It reminds me a bit of the comic book artist Moebius. I’m drawn to the details on the central figure, the texture on the tree bark she is resting on. The cool greens and grays of the bark make her skin seem even warmer. It's a real trick of the light, making us feel the heat of this strange jungle scene. Like a pre-internet fever dream.