Didier Lourenco

10.3.11 Art Tips

It is not surprising that someone who is attracted to Venice is also attracted to the work of Didier Lourenco. Lourenco, the son of a Barcelona artist, was born in 1968 and has spent his life, first in his father’s studio and now in his own, painting what he calls “small moments.” The artist is known for his depictions of seaside vignettes of people enjoying simple pleasures. Perhaps, Lourenco is best known to many for his “bicycle man”. His rich color and images of the sea, palm trees and casual living fits in well with South Florida chic.

Method by which Didier’s signed and numbered lithographs are produced:

The lithographic process is one of flat surface printing from a design drawn on stone. It is based on the principle of the resistance of grease to water. There are no raised or cut portions, as there are in engraving and etching. The image is drawn with greasy ink or chalk on a smooth stone, and the rest of the stone is treated with gum arabic and nitric acid. The gum retains the lines of the greasy design, which repels the water used in printing. Special paper and ink, as well as a special press, are needed to produce the prints.

First used for bird illustration in 1820, lithography was widely adopted by the best artists of the century. The technique was popular because the artist could draw his own illustration directly on the lithographic stone. Prints could be made from the drawing with no intermediary such as an engraver.

Accurately reproduced and then colored by hand, the resulting illustrations give the impression of original watercolor paintings.