Boris Vallejo(Spanish: Boris Vallejo) - American artist.
Vallejo - transcription according to the rules Spanish. In English there are also transcriptions of Valeggio and Valeggio.
Born in Lima, Peru. He was educated at the National School of Arts in the Peruvian capital of Lima. In 1964 he emigrated to the USA. In 1994 he married artist Julia Bell, and they currently live and work in their studio in Pennsylvania. From his previous marriage to Doris, he has two children: son Dorian and daughter Maya, who are also involved in the visual arts.
Vallejo managed to work for almost all major US publishing houses. He designed books from such famous series as “Conan” and “BattleTech”. His works are among the standards of fantastic illustration, and, first of all, his illustrations of heroic fantasy - all these half-naked warriors and warriors...
What strikes Boris in his paintings is, first of all, highest level realism, no matter how fantastic the plot. Vallejo's best illustrations are collected in several art albums, the most famous being “Mirage” and “Dreams”.
Vallejo is best known as a cover designer for books in the fantasy genre. His paintings are notable for their abundance of nudes, both male and female. At the same time, Boris’s wife, artist Julia Bell, often acts as a model, and he himself serves as a sitter for her paintings.
- “The fact is that I myself have been involved in bodybuilding since I was sixteen years old. In my opinion, it is not surprising that I am interested in portraying people with beautiful and strong bodies. A naked body is natural. And if there was no sex, then none of us would simply exist.”
The frankness of Boris's works won him both numerous fans and many critics. For example, Andrzej Sapkowski wrote in his essay "No Gold in the Gray Mountains":
- The publisher is aiming at the so-called YARIOUS. And the so-called YARY wants Boris Vallejo on the cover, he wants half-naked asses and busts that are ready to roll out of an armored bra. YARY does not look for meaning in fantasy, because the meaning is absolutely obliged to cry out that no one goes into battle in openwork armor, because in such armor it is not only dangerous to fight, in such armor it is even impossible to wade through thickets of nettles.
In addition to books and comics, Boris designs music CDs. The "Romantic Collection" series of 20th-century pop music compilations features works entirely by Vallejo and Luis Royo.
Boris is married to artist Julie Bell, whose artistic style very similar to the Vallejo style. He has two children from his previous marriage to artist and writer Doris Vallejo, as well as two stepchildren. His son, Dorian Vallejo, also paints fantasy, but now works as a portrait painter. His daughter, Maya Vallejo, is a professional photographer. His stepsons, Anthony Palumbo and David Palumbo, are both artists and work for galleries fine arts, and as science fiction/fantasy illustrators.
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- Boris Vallejo and Julia Bell visiting "World of Fantasy"
- Boris Vallejo - Summary Bibliography (list of publications with covers designed by the artist).
Awards and prizes:
Award nominations:
| // Professional artist | ||
Grace, grace, strength, charm, magic, struggle, passion - this is not a series of adjectives, but just a characteristic of the paintings of Boris Valeggio. As soon as you glance at the image for a moment, it’s as if a ball of boiling lava rises inside, rushing out. Boris Valeggio is the genius of modern Fantasy Art.
Path to the Top
Artist Boris Valeggio was born in 1941 in Peru. His father was a famous lawyer, and Boris himself wanted to become a musician and gave 7 many years playing the violin. However, something went wrong; he spent two years studying at the medical department. In between, I was interested in drawing.
One day, his comrades saw his drawings and advised him to enter the National School of Arts. He becomes the best graduate and receives a job offer in Florence. But going to Europe meant changing my dream of living in the States. Therefore, with $80, he migrated to the United States in 1964.
Without knowledge of the language, housing and money, a native of Peru is forced to be a laborer in one of the American companies, scattering his talent on comics and greeting cards. Over time, Boris finds his own style in fine art and develops a personal system of images. For six months he wanders from city to city - Hartfort, Connecticut, New York. After 2 years he becomes a freelance artist, and for 8 years he takes on any order that comes his way, feeling on his own skin all the cruel realities of the publishing world.
Only in 1975 did the first long-awaited success come to him. The Marvel Comics publishing house pays attention to his works. First he is offered work with postcards, then with comics and, finally, with book covers.
1976 - the publishing house "Balantine Books" orders covers for books about Tarzan from Boris Valeggio. He knew how to please the public, abandoning the gracefulness of the European “man”, Valeggio presented the world with unprecedented power, a mountain of muscles, a bold and sexy man. It is at this moment that Boris Valeggio's talent comes out of the shadows.
Men and Women
The artist Boris Valeggio, whose paintings are known throughout the world, changed the idea of the ideal man and woman in the world of fantasy. The male character personifies the noble barbarian. Savages, athletic, sexy and masculine, are present in almost every picture.
While creating fantasy paintings, Boris Valeggio did not lose sight of the fair sex. If in the 60-70s heroines with wide hips were popular, now they have been replaced by athletic, majestic and graceful warrior witches. The athletic physique, magical lightness and fantasy-based plot seem to say - this is Boris Valeggio. The artist's paintings are considered the best in the Fantasy Art genre.
Captivated by forbidden desires
Erotica. This is exactly how most people who have seen his paintings characterize what Boris Valeggio creates. The paintings of this artist are like someone else, other world. Here, sexual violence, the desire for pleasure and human flesh are the order of the day, which confronts monsters and demons. Merging together, each element of the picture seems to oppose the world of tender and beautiful. It's as if Boris Valeggio is challenging him. The paintings that come out of his brush show the truth, reveal hidden human desires that can only exist on the border between the fictional and the real.
1941-Boris Vallejo (Spanish: Boris Vallejo) is an American artist. Born January 8, 1941 in Lima, Peru. In 1964 he emigrated to the USA, where he currently lives. *** Married to artist and collaborator Julia Bell. From his previous marriage to Doris, he has two children: son Dorian and daughter Maya, who are also involved in the visual arts. Vallejo is best known as a cover designer for books in the fantasy genre. His paintings are notable for their abundance of nudes, both male and female. At the same time, Boris’s wife, artist Julia Bell, often acts as a model, and he himself serves as a sitter for her paintings. The fact is that I myself have been involved in bodybuilding since I was sixteen years old. In my opinion, it is not surprising that I am interested in portraying people with beautiful and strong bodies. A naked body is natural. And if there was no sex, then none of us would simply exist. The frankness of Boris's works won him both numerous fans and many critics. For example, Andrzej Sapkowski wrote in his essay “No Gold in the Gray Mountains”: The publisher is aiming at the so-called IROY. And the so-called YARY wants Boris Vallejo on the cover, he wants half-naked asses and busts that are ready to roll out of an armored bra. YARY does not look for meaning in fantasy, because the meaning is absolutely obliged to cry out that no one goes into battle in openwork armor, because in such armor it is not only dangerous to fight, in such armor it is even impossible to wade through thickets of nettles. In addition to books and comics, Boris designs music CDs. The Romantic Collection, a series of collections of 20th-century pop music, features works entirely by Vallejo and Luis Royo. Personal life Vallejo is married to artist Julie Bell, whose artistic style is very similar to Vallejo's. He has two children from his previous marriage to artist and writer Doris Vallejo, as well as two stepchildren. His son, Dorian Vallejo, also paints fantasy, but now works as a portrait painter. His daughter, Maya Vallejo, is a professional photographer. His stepsons, Anthony Palumbo and David Palumbo, are both artists and work for fine art galleries and as science fiction/fantasy illustrators.