One of the underlying secrets of fantasy art is the relative ease with which a perfectly common figure can be transformed into a magical creature. Unnaturally pale skin, or an improbably revealing wardrobe in the hands of a master is sufficient to imbue the subject with an otherworldly aura. José del Nido is one such master who is adept at elevating the seemingly ordinary to unimaginable heights.

Each figure he features is a quite nearly normal young woman or man, albeit a conspicuously attractive one. Mr. del Nido then turns the scene slightly sideways, loosening the hold our particular reality has on these beautiful humans embrace some primal otherworldly aspect. This improbable enhancement may be subtle or overt, but it is often enhanced by a particular color, a featured slice of the visible spectrum that bathes his creations in eerie light.

Don’t deprive yourself of an expert education of the slender, sinuous line between reality and fantasy as José meticulously explores the many facets of sensuality that lie just beyond our mortal grasp.