Ivan Katalinic

Ivan, a contemporary artist based in Vienna, Austria, with Croatian roots, is renowned for his distinctive artistic style that seamlessly blends geometric patterns into his portrait art. He has been refining his artistic abilities since his early days at an art and design school in Italy.

During his initial phase of creating “surreal” artwork, Ivan employed strong lines and bold shapes to produce captivating portraits that strike a balance between abstraction and realism. His preference for a monochromatic palette, using black, white, and grey shades, allows him to craft intricate patterns that lend depth and texture to his artwork.

During this period, he found inspiration in the world of fashion, capturing the essence of iconic fashion figures from the 90s in his pieces.

The influence of fashion photography on Ivan’s drawings has evolved into his current digital work, which expands beyond close-up portraits to encompass models in motion.

His digital creations can be categorized into two forms. In the first, he employs simple continuous shapes to separate negative spaces in his black and white pieces, drawing attention to specific details within the photographs and creating an enigmatic atmosphere. To achieve this, he seeks out high-contrast photos with striking lighting and shades.

In recent years, Ivan’s artistic focus has predominantly shifted to colorful mixed media work. In this approach, he initiates the process by perusing fashion magazines like Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. When a particular fashion shoot catches his eye, he begins experimenting.

By digitally painting over the original photographs and incorporating analog techniques, such as using orange overlays, Ivan infuses his own creative vision into the artwork. He captures a photograph of the modified image, returns to his computer to refine it further, and repeats this process until he achieves a satisfying result.