Paolo Barbieri

Paolo Barbieri has been working for the Italian and foreign publishing market for more than fifteen years. He has collaborated with the most important international publishing houses, creating covers for hundreds of writers such as Michael Crichton, Clive Clusser, Desmond Bagley, Ursula L. Guin, George R. R. Martin, Cornelia Funke, Umberto Eco, Sergej Luk'Janenko, Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Herbie Brennan, Francesco Dimitri, Cassandra Clare, Giovanni Del Ponte, and many others. He has to his credit all the covers of Licia Troisi, the most famous Italian fantasy writer, the covers of the two series of comics of the World Emerged published by Panini Comics, and posters for the conventions of the comics of Mantua Comics 2009 and Cavacon 2013. His are the two illustrated books on the "World Emerged" (Creatures of the World Emerged -2008, and Wars of the World Emerged - Warriors and Creatures -2010). In 2001 he worked in the world of animation, participating in the production of "Aida degli alberi" (2001 - Medusa film/Lanterna Magica), in the role of director of the color department of scenography (key-backgrounds). For this experience has deepened the knowledge and the technique of the drafting of the color for the scenography, typical of the American masters (Disney) and Japanese, remaining three months in Seoul to direct the color department of the Korean studio in charge of creating the backdrops of the animated feature film. Barbieri is one of the very few Italians who can master this very particular technique, in which the effects of oil painting can be achieved with the use of acrylics. "Aida degli Alberi" was one of the most expensive animated co-productions ever made in Europe, which has risen to prominence in recent years for suspicious references from the film "Avatar" by James Cameron (2009). In 2011 he was the first Italian to be Artist Guest of Honor of Lucca Comics & Games, with an anthological exhibition that saw him protagonist in the halls of the Ducal Palace of the city. Also in 2011 sees the light "Fables of the Gods" (Mondadori), the first illustrated book in which Barbieri becomes complete author, creating both texts and illustrations, and reinterpreting according to a dreamlike style, sensual and modern the fascinating characters of Greek mythology. 2012 is the year of another very important work, "Dante’s Inferno illustrated by Paolo Barbieri" (Mondadori), a challenge in which the author-illustrator is confronted with the great poet and with his work par excellence, one of the most known literary icons of all time. Over 60 illustrations that reveal through poetically fantasy visions, the journey of Virgil and Dante through the circles of hell populated by characters now entered the legend. In 2013 came out a new illustrated book by Barbieri, or "The Apocalypse illustrated by Paolo Barbieri" (Mondadori), the most imaginative book of the Bible, the last of the Holy Scriptures, famous for its disturbing symbols, his prophecies of the end times and his powerful characters. In this volume stands out a further evolution of Barbieri’s style, pushing the classic fantasy to a true symbiosis with symbolic and metaphysical art. Barbieri is the first artist-illustrator who has created with Mondadori, one of the most important Italian publishing house, illustrated themed books, finally bringing in Italy what in the rest of the world is a consolidated tradition, in which great artists create large format books to be able to better admire the details and colors of the works. In 2014 he was awarded the Romics d'Oro award, the prestigious recognition of Romics, International Comics Festival, Animation Cinema and Games, dedicated to the great international artists of comics, of illustration and cinema that have marked the collective imagination. To Paolo Barbieri Special Guest of the XVII edition, Romics dedicated an exhibition "La forza e la voluttà: attraverso i Mondi immaginifici di Paolo Barbieri", a path that runs through the entire career of this ordinary illustrator. In recent years, Barbieri’s works have been selected by the prestigious international magazine Spectrum, the most important annual in the world that collects the best of fantasy art. Paolo Barbieri has created drawings with the most important painting techniques (oil paints, airbrush, acrylics, watercolors, pencils, chalks), and is also master Madonnaro. In 2003 he won as master madonnaro the contest of Thanks of Curtatone (MN), one of the most important themed events in Italy and in the world.