As fall settles in and the days grow shorter, there’s something that invites us to look closer at the shadows, to find beauty in the eerie. We’re diving into that hauntingly creative space with artist David DeFigueredo, whose work transforms fear, fantasy, and surrealism into visually stunning dreamscapes. From his early fascination with monsters under the bed to his intricate digital paintings crafted in Rebelle, David’s art captures the delicate balance between darkness and light, horror and elegance.

David DeFigueredo has been passionately working in the art field since 1998. His artistic journey began with traditional mediums, but he quickly embraced digital art, allowing him to explore new creative horizons. Over the years, he has had the pleasure of working on a diverse range of projects, including CD covers, book covers, and horror trading cards. David's work is a unique blend of pulp, surrealism, and horror, reflecting his fascination with the darker and more mysterious aspects of life.

"I like juxtaposition because it forces the eye to reconcile two truths at once: decay and beauty, horror and grace. I often place the disturbing next to the beautiful because the tension between them is where I think meaning lives."

Let’s start with the mood of the season: October feels like the perfect time to feature your work! What draws you to the darker, eerie side of art?

October is my favorite time a year, and thank you for asking me to do this interview.

I would say my interest in the darker side of life started at a very early age. When I was very young, we moved, and at the new house, I was plagued by a series of very vivid nightmares. They consisted of vampires, ghosts, and everything that lives under your bed and in your closet. This went on for quite a while. Shortly after the nightmares began, I started drawing the monsters. I realized that when you embrace the dark, it ceases to be scary and just becomes the norm. Actually, one of my more recent paintings, "My Pet Monster," is this experience realized in digital paint. 
Many artists who explore horror and surrealism talk about finding beauty in the unsettling. How do you balance the disturbing with the visually captivating?

I often place the disturbing next to the beautiful because the tension between them is where I think meaning lives. Let me explain, a severed foot beside a flower pot isn’t grotesque for shock’s sake; it’s a quiet parable, a reminder that life is temporary and that there's beauty even in the presence of death. I like juxtaposition because it forces the eye to reconcile two truths at once: decay and beauty, horror and grace. That contrast reframes ugliness as part of a larger, living beauty. 
You began your artistic journey with traditional media before moving into digital art. How has this transition changed the way you approach mood, texture, and atmosphere? What part does Rebelle play in your work?

My art has definitely changed and evolved over the years. As you said, I started with traditional mediums, then I discovered Photoshop in the late 1990s.

That was a game-changer. I would scan in my drawings and paintings, then photobash them with stock photos, then paint digitally on top of all that. You could yield some amazing results, but it never felt organic. For a while, I used various painting apps together, but was still dissatisfied. There's always a certain amount of effort that goes with those programs to make them look more traditional… it can definitely be done. But I wanted a more organic, traditional painting experience. Something that you can pick a few brushes and off you go, not having to play with paper texture overlays, or having to use a watercolor brush that looks like a stamp. 

Then I found Rebelle, another game-changing moment. It was everything I was looking for wrapped in one. Now, Rebelle is my daily workhorse, and Photoshop is used at the end of a painting for the Camera Raw features. Some of these features I would love to see in future Rebelle updates. 
You’ve created everything from book covers to horror trading cards. Is there a particular project that stands out as the most “haunting” or meaningful to you?

They are all interesting and fun in their own way. But there's one painting that really means a lot. After moving back home to New England, I was working a normal 9-5 job. At first, I was working days and painting at night. After a while, I just stopped painting for a few years. In that time, I had developed carpal tunnel syndrome in both my hands, trigger finger in both my hands, and a ganglion cyst on my right wrist, as a result of where I was working. I wasn't sure what life was going to look like after the surgeries, so that year, there was the H.P. Lovecraft fest in Providence, RI. For a few weeks, I painted at night a traditional painting, The Gates of Yog-Sothoth. I submitted it to the gallery and it was accepted! The night of the showing, I was 20 minutes late (trying to find parking) by the time I got in, the painting was already sold! It was a huge boost of Confidence that I could sell in galleries and turn this into a career again. In between surgeries, I opened up my Etsy shop, and the rest is, as they say, history. 

"Much like the song by Ministry, 'Everyday is Halloween', that's kinda of my life. Halloween decorations stay up all year round, and we decorate for other holidays around that. I listen to industrial metal, horror punk, and shock rock every day. I watch horror movies every day of the year."

The horror genre often explores deeper emotions like fear, mystery, or mortality. What emotions or ideas do you hope your audience experiences when they view your art?

Great question, one that I never really like to answer. Because much like my art, the answer is always evolving. In the late 90s, early 2000s, my art mostly consisted of social commentary, political commentary, self-harm, the occult, and true crime. Every piece was a statement. I wanted the viewer to feel the anger, the frustration, and the despair. When I came back to painting, I did a lot of pop culture and fan art. Stuff made to sell and market. I have been moving away from that more and more and focusing on horror and surrealism. It's where I'm most comfortable. Nowadays, I would prefer the viewer to interpret the paintings for themselves. My mindset is "I know what they mean to me, but what does it mean to you?"

Your compositions feel like they exist between dream and nightmare. What does your creative process look like when you’re developing a new piece? Do you sketch, start with a concept, or just let instinct take over?

Thank you, that's a huge compliment. It's exactly the way I want the painting to feel. Between a dream and a nightmare.

Inspiration usually comes from movies, books, and true crime TV. shows, and other artists. A lot comes from music lyrics. I'm very inspired by music. 

Usually, a piece will start with an idea that I sketch, either in a sketch book or in Rebelle. Sometimes I make thumbnails if the idea is not clear. Mostly for color choices.  

Sometimes, with paintings like Headcase, Hellmouth Paradise, Halloween Scream, Still Life 2, and a few others, I just open Rebelle, hit record, start drawing, and see what happens. 

Client pieces are usually a little different. Sometimes they will have a mock-up (very helpful, but not the norm), most of the time not. We go over the ideas, and if I'm confident in what they want, I will start painting. If not, I will create a few sketches and let them pick the one they want to run with, then start. 
As Halloween approaches, do you have any seasonal rituals or traditions that inspire your work? Maybe certain movies, music, or imagery…

Much like the song by Ministry "Everyday is Halloween", that's kinda of my life. Halloween decorations stay up all year round, and we decorate for other holidays around that. I listen to industrial metal, horror punk, and shock rock every day. I watch horror movies every day of the year. I do spend Halloween day in Salem, Mass, every year! It's a total blast! Since moving back home, I have only missed 1 year because of COVID. I also celebrate the Day of the Dead on November 1st. A holiday I picked up when living in Texas, and I absolutely love it. I think it is important to remember where we come from and the friends and family we have lost. 

Thank you, David, for taking the time to talk about your art journey. Certainly, your art is worth admiring all year-round, not just during the spooky season. We look forward to seeing more of your paintings and process videos. 

Happy Halloween, 
Escape Motions Team

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Learn more about David DeFigueredo: escapemotions.com/featured-artists/david-defigueredo

Have you ever wondered how the stunning paper textures in Rebelle are created? Are they just scanned from real paper? Or designed digitally by graphic designers? Actually — neither! True to our philosophy of blending tradition with innovation, even the papers follow an authentic approach. That’s right, Rebelle papers are made manually, entirely from scratch!

The time has finally come to reveal the secret behind how we create the unique papers for Rebelle. We visited our colleague Ľubomír Zabadal at the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, where he and his colleague Martin Kratochvil walked us through the fascinating process of producing and crafting cold-pressed and hot-pressed papers, felt surfaces, and canvas, all made with incredible care and artistry.

In this special behind-the-scenes video, we’ll show you how our team makes textures from scratch, and how they eventually become the beautifully detailed papers you use in Rebelle.

Crafting Cold-Pressed and Hot-Pressed Paper

When we create new paper textures for Rebelle, everything starts with simple materials, often from recycled sources. For example, to make our cold-pressed typography paper, we tear pages from old books, shred them, and soak the pieces in water. Then, we blend them into a pulp and pour the mixture into clean water to get just the right consistency.

Using a mould and deckle, we scoop up the pulp, letting the water drain through until the surface is smooth and even. This becomes the base of our cold-pressed paper. Once pressed onto a dry surface, we gently sponge out moisture. Depending on the mould or texture layer we use, the paper takes on a unique, tactile surface pattern.

Lifting the paper from the mould is the trickiest step - do it too soon, and it tears; too late, and it overdries. Timing is everything. Once set, we dry and press it: flattening it without heat for cold-pressed paper, or ironing it with heat for the silky-smooth hot-pressed finish.

Crafting Felt Surface

Making felt paper is a creative adventure in itself. We start by layering wool fibers in alternating directions, then pour warm water over them and cover the surface with soft fabric. A gentle rub with soap helps the fibers lock together into a flat sheet. A process that takes skill, patience, and plenty of practice.

As the fibers bond, we squeeze out water and reveal a beautiful, soft felt surface. And if we go for a rougher texture? That means more elbow grease! Pressing harder gives the final felt its distinctive natural bumps and organic character.

Crafting Canvas

Our canvases begin as raw linen or cotton, coated with tinted acrylic primer. And sometimes even unexpected materials! We mix in unique ingredients like asphalt, chili flakes, or spelt grains to create rich, organic textures full of depth and personality.

Every brushstroke used to coat the surface adds subtle variation, shape, and rhythm, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind canvas texture perfect for painting. 

High-End Scanning: Capturing Every Fiber

Once the papers are ready, they enter the digital realm. We scan more copies of the same paper using a high-end art reproduction scanner, the same kind used for museum-grade imaging. It takes up to 45 minutes just to warm up, and scanning a single sheet can take between 20 and 40 minutes.

From dozens of handmade samples, we pick the three most beautiful ones, scan them all, and select the ultimate winner - the one paper that becomes the digital paper you’ll find in Rebelle.

Post-Processing: From Real Texture to Digital Perfection

After scanning, we meticulously clean and prepare each texture: we remove visible seams, balance lighting, and ensure that the surface tiles seamlessly inside Rebelle. Each edge is refined by hand to preserve natural deckling while maintaining the required digital format.

We then fine-tune surface friction, a hidden but crucial part of Rebelle’s realism, so that every brushstroke feels authentic and natural.

Creating the NanoPixel Detail Map

To make Rebelle’s realism shine, each paper also includes its own NanoPixel detail map. This is the ultra-fine texture that appears when you zoom into the paper. We create it by photographing the real paper under a microscope, adjusting brightness and contrast to capture every fiber, and combining the results into an HDR texture full of microscopic detail. Once complete, we test the paper directly inside Rebelle and tweak it until it feels perfect under the painting brush.

From Our Studio to Your Canvas

After all that work — the crafting, scanning, editing, and testing — the paper is finally ready for you! Every stroke you make in Rebelle carries the soul of real, handmade material beneath it, shaped by artists, refined by developers, and brought to life by you. That’s where the next chapter of its story begins: the most creative one, in your hands. :)

From the standard Cold Pressed or Japanese Washi papers to a collection of linen canvases, lithography stones, or wood veneer, these extraordinary textures give you countless opportunities to experiment with different media and painting techniques. All art surfaces use NanoPixel technology, providing infinite details and realistic textures like never before.

Explore Rebelle papers directly in Rebelle 8. Each individual surface is available for $3.99 and comes with unlimited use, allowing you to reuse papers endlessly across any number of projects. Not only does this give you complete creative freedom, but it also lets you save on art supplies over time, no more running out of materials in the middle of your inspiration. :)

Happy painting!
Escape Motions Team

It is getting spooky! Join our Haunted Atelier Art Challenge and win Rebelle 8 Pro and art surfaces from Escape Motions. The theme? Haunted Atelier! Look around your creative space and draw it as if haunted. Whether you work with traditional materials or digital tools, all artworks are welcome!

Haunted Atelier: Enter If You Dare!

The spooky season is upon us, and this year, your art space isn’t just a studio, it’s a haunted battlefield. Shadows slither across your sketchbooks, paints twitch with mysterious energy, and ghostly muses float between your brushes. Monsters, mischievous spirits, and ink-stained ghouls are waiting to test your creativity… but you are ready.

Join This Art Challenge

Theme
Look around your creative space (atelier, bedroom, classroom…) and draw it as if haunted. All artwork must revolve around a spooky, haunted, or supernatural theme. Ghosts, monsters, creepy objects filling out your art studio, anything eerie counts! 

Tools
Any medium is allowed, traditional or digital. Use your brushes, pencils, markers, or stylus. Creativity is your weapon! 
The use of AI-generated images is not permitted in any way. Please keep in mind, we may request process images or time-lapse recordings of the painting process when evaluating your artwork.

It is not necessary to use Rebelle or other Escape Motions software. We accept entries finished in any drawing software or traditionally. If you decide to use Rebelle, you can use the Free Trial or the Full version.

Format
Post your artwork on social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, Cara, or YouTube) as an image or video process. When posting your entry on social media, use @escapemotions and #HauntedAtelier so everyone can see and celebrate your creations. In case you use Rebelle, don´t forget to include also #madewithrebelle.

How to Submit Entry
Fill out this form to enter with your artwork. Entries are accepted by October 31, 2025, 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Winners will be announced before November 10, 2025, via Escape Motions' blog and social media.

Optional Twist
Include a short caption or story about the creature or spirit you’ve faced; it could be the key to unlocking bonus points for creativity.

Make it Likeable
Share your entry with others and tell them about this art challenge. An entry with the most likes will receive a Bonus Prize.

Whether you face mischievous imps, spectral phantoms, or your own haunted sketches, this challenge is about turning fear into fun and spookiness into stunning art. It is time to let your imagination fight the eerie!

Categories and Prizes

To make this challenge welcoming for everyone, we’ve created two categories based on your creative journey. Mark the correct category in the submission form to ensure you enter for the right prize from Escape Motions!

Professional

You create art as part of your career, whether full-time or part-time. This includes freelance artists, those selling their work, or anyone working for clients.

Prizes:
1st Prize: Win Rebelle 8 Pro and a unique bundle of 16 art surfaces for Rebelle worth $200. You can choose from Dry Media, Oils, Watercolors, or Creative Mix bundles.
2nd Prize: Win Rebelle 8 Pro and 6 art surfaces for Rebelle of your choice worth $175.
3rd Prize: Win Rebelle 8 Pro worth $150.
All prizes can be substituted for equivalent Escape Motions shop credit, valid until December 31, 2025. The credit can be used for obtaining a gift for someone else.

Hobbyist

Art is your escape, your passion, and your way to unwind. You create for personal enjoyment and do not earn income from your creative work.

Prizes:
1st Prize: Win Rebelle 8 and a unique bundle of 16 art surfaces for Rebelle worth $200. You can choose from Dry Media, Oils, Watercolors, or Creative Mix bundles.
2nd Prize: Win Rebelle 8 and 6 art surfaces for Rebelle of your choice worth $175.
3rd Prize: Win Rebelle 8 worth $150.
All prizes can be substituted for equivalent Escape Motions shop credit, valid until December 31, 2025. The credit can be used for obtaining a gift for someone else.

Bonus Prize

Let others know about your entry. The one submission with the most likes at the end of the challenge will receive a Rebelle 8 Pro license or equivalent Escape Motions shop credit, valid until December 31, 2025.

Grab your pencils, brushes, digital tablets, or any magical art tool at your disposal. Every stroke is a spell, every color a shield, and every sketch a weapon in the fight against the eerie forces that lurk in your creative corners. Get ready to defend your haunted atelier.The Haunted Atelier Art Challenge is now open for entries. 

Happy Painting, 
Escape Motions Team

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Artwork used for banners: Sanskarans, S.C. Watson, Moonpix, Georg Ireland