The Art of Frelly A journey through the illustrations of Enrico Focarelli Barone

Figurative art can certainly be classified as a form of non-verbal communicationcapable sometimes written, thus making the enjoyment of a work of art an irreplaceable experience for understanding a historical period or certain artistic personalities.

It emerges as illustration and digital graphics, which are becoming increasingly popular in print magazines and blogs, are decisively opening up an increasingly important space in the world of contemporary art production, acquiring a position of prominence that they have never had until now.
Frelly (Enrico Focarelli Barone) is one of the young Italian illustrators most interesting in the contemporary art scene.
He contributes to numerous newspapers and magazines, such as the Corriere della Sera and the Foglio Sportivo. His works can be seen on www.enricofocarellibarone.it and on www.behance.net/frelly. We had a chat with him and were enchanted by his works.

Illustrating is for you...?
Illustrating for me is transferring an idea, a thought that tells a story onto paper. It is synthesising a series of concepts and/or situations in a drawing that is able to convey a clear and precise message. A trifle then, isn't it?

How would you define your illustration style?
This is a good question. I wouldn't know exactly how to define my style, as it is the result of constant inspiration and research over many years and is constantly evolving. Before, I used to focus more on the elasticity of the characters and the lines of force that made them less static, now I prefer to draw square shapes and characters, made up of sharp lines and completely personal perspectives, which do not follow any precise patterns.

I love colours, what would the world be without them?
I always try to use palettes composed mainly of a few colours, so as to make the illustration both effective and impactful.

At a time when everything is 'simplified' by social media, what can be the communicative role of illustration?
I find that nowadays social media, if used in the right way, can be the right medium to share and get one's work everywhere one wants. Even though there are billions of languages and ways of communicating, the power of the image overcomes any language barrier and not to such an extent that it can be deciphered and understood by everyone. It is wonderful. Sometimes there is no need to add text or explanations if the image alone already contains a clear message.

So the communicative role of illustration is to make a message, a concept understood by any person in a universal way. When did you start drawing and how did this passion arise? When and how did it turn into a profession?
I partly have my father to thank. As children, my brother and I used to stand next to him, in front of his desk, trying to guess what he was drawing. Mostly they were simple doodles made during work calls, but for us it was a magical moment.
I started drawing at the age of seven. I remember drawing on any kind of surface: school desks, napkins, notebooks, diaries, etc. I also took several drawing courses after school, thanks to which I learnt the basic techniques (chiaroscuro, pastels, charcoal, graphite, etc.). I realised it could become a real job the moment I realised that everything around me: magazines, cartoons, comics, advertisements, posters, books and newspapers used illustrations as a means of communication. From that moment on, it was quite clear to me that that would be my path. That is why I felt it was essential to further my studies.

How does the creative process take place in your work?
I like to be inspired by everything that surrounds me: scents, smells, situations, people, words. Each of these things causes an idea or project to slowly form in my head. Music also plays a fundamental role in the creation of a work, it always accompanies me during the creation phase.

Design and advertising... a love that is returning?
I believe that the use of illustration as a means of communication has never stopped. Certainly in the past it was the most widely used form of communication. I am reminded of the old film posters by Renato Casaro, which more than posters were true works of art, or the beautiful Campari posters by Depero. Over time, other art forms, such as photography and video, have flanked illustration, but illustration has never lost its role. So I would not speak of a 'love that is returning', but rather of a love that was never interrupted.

Do you create directly in Photoshop or do you first throw down some hand sketches, taken from inspiration?
My iPad and Photoshop are now my faithful companions and everything is in my 'backpack'. From the black and white draft to the finished, coloured work, everything is done digitally.
But every now and then I like to go back to good old paper, where the colour spots leave the trace of their passage and the 'layers' do not exist. A bit like the pleasure of flipping through and smelling the pages of a book versus reading an eBook.

Has it ever happened to you that you put something personal, inner, into your work and as a result you do not want to put it in your professional portfolio?
Yes, it has happened to me. Some drawings represent a piece of my most intimate life that I want to preserve.

What advice would you give to young illustrators who want to pursue this career and improve their skills?
The advice I give to all those who want to try their hand at this profession is to do it while having fun, to pursue their dreams and never give up on them. It is certainly not an easy field and like any job it requires sacrifices and renunciations, but perseverance and commitment will pay off. And then the great thing about this job is that there are no age limits, it is never too late to start. Lastly, be curious, study, keep up to date, attend courses, workshops, festivals, exhibitions and any other event that may be useful for personal and professional growth.