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Illustrations Imagine Exquisite Art Nouveau-Inspired Jewelry as Iridescent Insects

By Margherita Cole on August 20, 2022

Los Angeles-based artist Sasha Vinogradova creates art that resembles a fantastical reality. Her latest series of digital illustrations reimagines the forms of different insects as exquisite art nouveau-inspired pieces of jewelry, merging their bodies with shimmering metal and gem details.

As a 3D and photo composite artist, Vinogradova has worked with numerous clients like Disney, Netflix, and HBO. Jewel Insects is a project that challenged her skills to transform moths, butterflies, beetles, and more into precious accessories. “The series combines two of my passions: natural and ornamental motifs,” she tells My Modern Met. “Each artwork in the series focuses on the single insect and depicts it as a jewelry piece.”

Every carefully modeled insect is suspended against a dark background that accentuates the vibrant colors and metalwork. Vinogradova renders the wings to resemble the opalescent effect of gemstones, whereas the bodies and legs of the insects appear as solid metal with refined details. “Each piece needed to look great as individual artwork, but also as a part of the series,” she adds. “One of the biggest challenges was to decide on the right amount of ornaments to maintain artistic balance. The series is made with 3D software, mainly ZBrush and Cinema 4D.”

You can find tutorials on how to create digital art via Vinogradova's website, and keep up to date with her latest projects by following her on Instagram.