CHAPTER.7/ dream worlds LOADING…
WITH SHORSH
If THEY EVER made a documentary ON MY WORK IT COULD BE CALLED ‘Universal Traveler: A Journey Beyond Reality.’
IT WOULD stream EXCLUSIVELY ON Netflix or Paramount+ I guess, as they have the best sci-fi titles, here in my region of Buenos Aires.
CHap.7/
DREAM WORLDS LOADING…
Note: only the voiceover is ai generated in this feature.
WE SEE A LOT OF ULTRA-BRIGHT COLORS AND SIMPLISTIC, UTOPIAN THEMES IN YOUR WORK. CAN YOU EXPAND ON YOUR UNIQUE STYLE OF CREATIVE DIRECTION?
I like to view my work as a journey to uncharted territories, mirages adrift in the cosmos of imagination.
I gravitate towards meditative and tranquil illustrations, particularly in my personal projects, often portraying scenes that seem distant from our reality.
LET’S WAKE UP TO START DREAMING…
Imagine ultra-bright, surreal art-scapes flash onto the city-sized LED screens as ‘walking on a dream’ (Empires of the Sun) resonates through the auditorium. Jorge Luis Miraldo takes the stage with apple keynote style as his art loops behind him.
Shorsh is a senior level Art Director & Illustrator crafting digital works of art aimed to mesmerize global audiences with minted collections and printed matter. His shortlist includes Sony Music, UMG, Penguin Random House and his artist persona has grown powerful, lapping around the globe from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles.
SHORSH ON HIS UNIQUE STYLE OF CREATIVE DIRECTION
as my preferred tools, Color, composition, and texture traverse the realms.”
My creations draw inspiration from contemplative observations of nature, my travels, life experiences, and surroundings. I also find influence in themes such as spirituality and science fiction, as I am an avid reader in these genres. By employing unconventional color palettes to depict these subjects, I aim to evoke a sense of psychic distance, altering the perception of familiar landscapes into something otherworldly and novel.
my creative process itself embodies a sense of journey.
Depending on the project, it may commence from a familiar, comfortable space and lead to entirely new horizons. I adopt an experimental approach, constantly exploring new tools and techniques, thereby honing a distinct artistic voice over time.
As I began sharing my utopian-themed artworks on social media, I noticed their compatibility with electronic music visuals and dystopian futuristic narratives. Responding to numerous requests for collaboration in these realms, I purposefully cultivated relationships with clients seeking such aesthetics. THIS DELIBERATE DIRECTION HAS ALLOWED ME TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF MY WORK.
HODL, NFT by Shorsh
Self (moving) Portrait, 2021
Shorsh on his theme song for approved-project-proposals (Sony Music & UMG)
…then it breaks into an epic, triumphal guitar riff, full of magic.”
Air, 3D mirage artwork by Shorsh
The times where the proposals are approved are magical moments, so I’d go with “Magia”, by Gustavo Cerati. It’s in Spanish, but it goes something like this: “Everything serves me, nothing is lost, I can transform it. I know, It never fails, the universe conspires in my favor, and it’s so magical...” then it breaks into an epic, triumphal guitar riff, full of magic. To me, it describes how the creative process is- with its ups and downs until we find ways to transform things, extract beauty from chaos, and finally make everything work. It feels so great, almost like having superpowers.
PEER PERSPECTIVES
(Above) Book cover designs for Penguin Random House, ‘Whisper’ Fine Art Print, & work included in 3x3 Illustration Annual (New York City)
Tell us about works commissioned by Penguin Random House for book publishing…
SHORSH DESIGNED ‘The Vanishing Deep’ AND ‘The Dividing Sky’ BOOK COVERS.
I find collaborating with Penguin Random House particularly rewarding, as it allows me to engage in the immersive process of visually narrating impactful stories within the static space of a book cover. Each project presents a unique blend of excitement, enjoyment, and challenge, as I endeavor to encapsulate entire narratives into a single frame. This entails synthesizing key elements from the original story seamlessly, thereby unveiling pivotal aspects of the plot to the viewer.
I've had the privilege of illustrating two covers for PRH, both centered around sci-fi narratives catering to a young audience. "The Vanishing Deep" by Astrid Scholte, released in 2021, and "The Dividing Sky" by Jill Tew, slated for release in October 2024.
"The Vanishing Deep" transports readers to a water-world dystopian future, where two sisters embark on a quest to unravel the enigma behind their parents' disappearance. The submerged city ruins teeming with captivating artifacts —shells, crystals, corals, and sea plants— served as rich visual motifs for the cover. Employing Cinema 4D, I meticulously crafted each object in 3D to interlace with the book's title in powerful capital letters, seamlessly merging the narrative elements with visual aesthetics. Typographic arrangements are usually defined by PRH’s art directors, and I add them later on post-production, in this case using Photoshop.
"The Dividing Sky" unfolds in the year 2460 in a dystopian Boston, where a girl peddles emotions to affluent clientele while navigating a clandestine world of forbidden happiness. A rookie officer starts to investigate and chase her. Against the backdrop of a cityscape juxtaposed with idyllic landscapes, a poignant love story ensues. Given the complexity of this story I opted to employ an hybrid workflow, I blended 3D-rendered city buildings with handcrafted 2D elements made on Photoshop, such as the character silhouettes, mountains, and skies. This approach allowed for a dynamic portrayal of the story's dual settings, accentuating the contrast between the dystopian urban landscape (Metrocity) and the paradisiacal surrounds (the Outside).
Both projects involved an iterative process, starting with a brief including details and key elements from the story. Based on that, I provided some preliminary drafts that underwent refinement over multiple rounds of feedback. While timelines varied slightly between projects, the collaborative efforts with the respective teams and authors spanned no more than two months per artwork. I’m very happy with the outcome. In both cases we’ve found clever ways to combine all our visions, insights and feelings about the stories, taking these artworks to the next level on each iteration until the final approvals.
↙︎ LET’S CONTINUE TO RENDER THIS STORY
WIREFRAMES: UNFOLDING SHORSH’S SOLO CAREER
I vividly recall meeting Rob Jelinski years ago, through a Brooklyn-based art project, and mentioning that I wanted to start creating work guided solely by my creative direction. Illustration events have always piqued my interest, and over the years, I've used them for experimental ideas and have been fortunate to see my own creative direction come to fruition.
Rewind 8 years before that, when I started as a junior planner at Grey, the Argentine branch of a globally recognized advertising agency. During my time there, I worked diligently to assemble a portfolio, driven by my desire to delve deeper into creative work.
About a year later, I transitioned to a role as an art director at a smaller advertising agency within the Omnicom Group. This period was instrumental in my development, as I had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse and talented group of individuals. Through various projects, I honed my ability to synthesize and visually communicate complex ideas, while also delving into photography and retouching, which laid a solid foundation for my current work. Working alongside many talented illustrators during this time further fueled my passion for illustration, reaffirming my belief that it was my true calling.
I believe Rob and I crossed paths during this transformative period, as I contemplated taking a significant leap of faith. Eventually, I made the decision to leave my full-time role as an art director, which admittedly was challenging initially. Transitioning from the stability of a monthly salary to the uncertainty of freelance work required a significant adjustment, but I was fueled by excitement and a thirst for learning and experimentation.
As I ventured into freelance illustration, I began sharing the type of work I aspired to create on platforms like Instagram and also participated on certain events, my piece “Ancient Headache” received an honorific mention and is part of 3x3 Illustration Annual No.18 (2022). I also had the chance to make some solo shows off and online. All this allowed me to connect with a broader audience and explore collaborations with fellow artists, delve into short animations, and take on cover artwork projects for record labels and editorial companies. It was an invigorating period of exploration and growth, where I had the freedom to pursue my creative vision and push the boundaries of my craft even further.
PEERS WHOS WORK HAS INSPIRED SHORSH ON HIS JOURNEY
I've been fortunate to draw inspiration from a multitude of artists, authors, and peers along my way, including luminaries like Bosch, Dalí, Magritte, Escher, Georgia O’Keefe, Ernst Haeckel; and comic artists like Moebius, Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes and many others. My library is full of their art books and Graphic novels. I was born in the 80’s, so there are also undeniable reminiscences of the rad visuals from that decade in my work.
CONSISTENCY AND PERSEVERANCE; ESSENTIAL TO THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND TO DEVELOPING A DISTINCTIVE ARTISTIC STYLE
During my formative stages as an illustrator, however, I found particular inspiration in Mike Winkelmann alias Beeple, and also some other talented artists making Everydays. Long before gaining renown for his multimillion-dollar NFT auctions, Beeple committed to sharing a new render every day for a decade. Beyond his impressive body of work, and how his executions dramatically improved through the years, I admired his unwavering dedication and resilience. His example taught me the importance of consistency and perseverance in the creative process, qualities that are essential for developing a distinctive artistic voice over time. It's important to show up and do our work, specially on the hardest times, because it's the only way to make the good things finally happen.
AN EPIPHANY THAT CAME TO HIM WHILE DOING ART THERAPY & RECONNECTING WITH TRADITIONAL FORMS OF MEDIA, OFF SCREEN
“Follow your curiosity wherever it takes you. Nourish it. Your soul communicates through these impulses”.
…perhaps one of the most important things that my first formal painting teachers told me about many years ago.
Ever since then, this sort of mantra has guided me throughout my career, consistently leading me to remarkable opportunities and experiences. It has also been instrumental in developing my own style, from countless decisions and detours taken throughout my creative journey. Sometimes out of plain curiosity.
For deeper ‘Shorsh’ insights (creative process, inspirations, and various interests) visit shorsh.com.
SHORSH
PEER PERSPECTIVES
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