Bubble wrap has all sorts of different purposes, and one Cuban artist is using it as a unique source of inspiration. Darian Mederos is best known for creating realistic portraits that look like they’ve been covered with a sheet of bubble wrap.
Mederos describes himself as “a realist, with his feet firmly planted on the ground” and says he has no interest in the surreal — he finds enough inspiration in reality. His paintings range from realist to hyperrealist works, and he never alters the natural shape of the face.
Mederos’ portfolio includes a long list of classic portraits, but he ended up drawing even more attention to his work since starting to paint the inventive bubble wrap portraits. Bubble wrap presents an obstacle that blurs the vision but intrigues the observer to discover what’s underneath it even more.
His portraits are so realistic that you’d think they’re covered with actual bubble wrap, but that’s not the case. Mederos puts a lot of time and effort into creating this effect, and paints each bubble, one by one, before completing the visual illusion.
