The abstract portraits of Picasso have inspired many artists and designers over the years. Designer Omar Aqil has taken the style of the famous painter and modernised it using the latest software. Cinema 4D, Octane, Photoshop and Illustrator are Aqil’s acrylics and canvas, and kings, queens, knights and other characters are digitally given a new life in 3D form.

What makes Aqil’s characters stand out is the way he forms these characters, combining objects of different materials. In these digital illustrations, the eyes are made of shiny gold, the limbs are plastic or silicon looking, and some of the body parts are made using something similar to balloons, while the colourful palettes and the interesting proportions bring these characters alive even further.