Psychologist Explores the Human Psyche in Thought-Provoking Illustrations

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Inspired by the universes of Tim Burton and Hayao Miyazaki, Cyril Rolando creates surreal digital art that examines the human psyche. His impressive pieces explore imagination, insecurities, as well as hopes and dreams. To communicate these aspects of existence, Rolando regularly plays with the scale of his subjects and uses their diminutive or massive statures to paint them into situations that go well beyond real life. The results can only be in the mind’s eye.

Rolando has a special insight into the mind—he’s a clinical psychologist by profession and an artist by hobby. His digital illustrations are a way to visually express how he processes the world. “I am curious [about] life,” he says. “I admire the work of time, the evolution of societies, the change of thoughts, the human revolutions… how drops after drops are born oceans.”

Rolando shares his approach to creating surreal digital art on his YouTube channel. There, you’ll find tutorials that demonstrate his step-by-step process in Photoshop. Prints of his work are also available on Curioos.

Clinical psychologist Cyril Rolando creates surreal digital art that explores the human psyche.

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Surreal Digital Art by Cyril Rolando

Cyril Rolando: Instagram | Behance | YouTube | Curioos

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Cyril Rolando. 

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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