Jean-Michel Bihorel, a Paris-based digital artist, crafts bewildering illustrations of otherworldly figures and scenes. These creatures can have a natural make-up, like floral collections or delicate landscapes, or they seem entirely alien. Bihoral works as a CG supervisor for Mécanique Générale and is a co-founder and mentor of CreativeSeeds, a training school for aspiring animators.
With projects like “Peace and Tranquility to Mars,” Bihorel’s digital mastery is seen from a few vantage points. In stills, the topographical giants are arresting in their detail. Yet, in the animated form, the enormity of what’s accomplished is on display. From the artist’s description: “When all you need is go and take a nap on mars, far from the chaos. You build your own bubble of warmth and tranquility.”
An ongoing idea for Bihorel is the “Flower Figure,” creatures that can be posed in meditative positions or dancing in unison. The level of detail in these works is staggering, as closely cropped shots display the diversity between each petal of the works.
Elsewhere, the artist opts for the silly. The robotic subject of “This Means War” is believable only within context, with its splattered and aged limbs. Even the gears within the head of the character feel aged and exhausted.
