"Do you think this is a photograph?"
"THIS IS A PAINTING THAT A PERSON PAINTED!"
What is "Hyperrealism?"
Hyperrealism is a style of painting and sculpture that depicts especially commonplace urban images
with meticulously accurate detail. It describes a photorealistic rendering of people, landscapes, and scenes. Hyperrealistic style focuses on its emphasis on detail and the subjects depicted. Hyperrealistic paintings and sculptures are not strict interpretations of photographs, nor are they literal illustrations of a particular scene or subject. Instead, they utilize additional, often subtle, pictorial elements to create the illusion of a reality which in fact either does not exist or cannot be seen by the human eye. Furthermore, they may incorporate emotional, social, cultural and political thematic elements as an extension of the painted visual illusion; a distinct departure from the older and considerably more literal school of Photorealism.
with meticulously accurate detail. It describes a photorealistic rendering of people, landscapes, and scenes. Hyperrealistic style focuses on its emphasis on detail and the subjects depicted. Hyperrealistic paintings and sculptures are not strict interpretations of photographs, nor are they literal illustrations of a particular scene or subject. Instead, they utilize additional, often subtle, pictorial elements to create the illusion of a reality which in fact either does not exist or cannot be seen by the human eye. Furthermore, they may incorporate emotional, social, cultural and political thematic elements as an extension of the painted visual illusion; a distinct departure from the older and considerably more literal school of Photorealism.
History of Hyperrealism
Belgian art dealer Isy Brachot coined the French word Hyperréalisme, meaning Hyperrealism. Hyperrealism has been developed from photorealism in early 21st century.
"This is Duane Hanson's hyperrealistic painting in 1971. It was the initial period of hyperrealism. There are polyester resin, fiberglass, polychromed in oil paint with clothes, table, chair and accessories. This painting is now exhibited in Smithsonian American Art Museum"
However, Hyperrealism is contrasted with the literal approach found in traditional photorealist paintings of the late 20th century. Hyperrealist painters and sculptors use photographic images as a reference source from which to create a more definitive and detailed rendering, one that often, unlike photorealism, is narrative and emotive in its depictions.
Strict Photorealist painters tended to imitate photographic images, omitting or abstracting certain finite detail to maintain a consistent over-all pictorial design. They often omitted human emotion, political value, and narrative elements. Since it evolved from Pop Art, the photorealistic style of painting was uniquely tight, precise, and sharply mechanical with an emphasis on mundane, everyday imagery.
Hyperrealism, although photographic in essence, often entails a softer, much more complex focus on the subject depicted, presenting it as a living, tangible object. These objects and scenes in Hyperrealism paintings and sculptures are meticulously detailed to create the illusion of a reality not seen in the original photo. That is not to say they're surreal, as the illusion is a convincing depiction of reality. Textures, surfaces, lighting effects, and shadows appear clearer and more distinct than the reference photo or even the actual subject itself.
Strict Photorealist painters tended to imitate photographic images, omitting or abstracting certain finite detail to maintain a consistent over-all pictorial design. They often omitted human emotion, political value, and narrative elements. Since it evolved from Pop Art, the photorealistic style of painting was uniquely tight, precise, and sharply mechanical with an emphasis on mundane, everyday imagery.
Hyperrealism, although photographic in essence, often entails a softer, much more complex focus on the subject depicted, presenting it as a living, tangible object. These objects and scenes in Hyperrealism paintings and sculptures are meticulously detailed to create the illusion of a reality not seen in the original photo. That is not to say they're surreal, as the illusion is a convincing depiction of reality. Textures, surfaces, lighting effects, and shadows appear clearer and more distinct than the reference photo or even the actual subject itself.
Artists who draw hyperrealism
WHO ARE...?
Paul Cadden:
"Smokescreen: Incredible detail has been captured by the hyperrealist artist Paul Cadden, but his work leaves you wondering whether your eyes have been tricked."
Despite looking like they have been captured on a camera, these are actually hand-drawn images created by hyperrealist artist Paul Cadden. He is able of recreate photos in amazing detail, often just using only a pencil. Born in 1964 in Glasgow, Scotland, Paul Cadden studied print design at Glasgow College of Building and Printing as well as Animation and Illustration at James Watt College. Cadden’s pieces are meticulously detailed pencil and graphite drawings and paintings. Cadden defines his work as Hyperrealism and says:
“Although the drawings and paintings I make are based upon a series of photographs, video stills etc, the art created from the photo is used to create a softer and much more complex focus on the subject depicted, presenting it as a living tangible object. These objects and scenes in my drawings create the illusion of a new reality not seen in the original photo......"
“Although the drawings and paintings I make are based upon a series of photographs, video stills etc, the art created from the photo is used to create a softer and much more complex focus on the subject depicted, presenting it as a living tangible object. These objects and scenes in my drawings create the illusion of a new reality not seen in the original photo......"
"This is the picture of Paul Cadden drawing his piece of art with ONLY one pencil."
Alyssa Monks:
Alyssa Monks was born on 1997, in Ridgewood, New Jersey, United States. She started to paint hyperrealistic pieces of art from 2006, but she was attracted by the concept of hyperrealism since her childhood. According to Alyssa, she thinks human bodies are the most difficult subject to draw, but at the same time, they are the best subjects to be pictorialized. That's why she cannot stop painting hyperrealistic art. She often puts herself in her paintings. Her hyperrealistic paintings include realism, but they also contain dreamlike atmosphere. The first painting that appeared on the blog is also her painting called "Smirk".
"This is the photo of Alyssa Monks. THIS IS NOT A PAINTING."
"Steamed (2009): This is one of her hyperrealistic paintings. Water vapours and wet skin are amazingly described in detail."
"This is the photo of Alyssa Monks painting her piece of art with oil paint."
How hyperrealistic paintings are drawn?
Hyperrealist painters and sculptors make allowances for some mechanical means of transferring images to the canvas or mold, including preliminary drawings or grisaille underpaintings and molds. Photographic slide projections or multi media projectors are used to project images onto canvases and rudimentary techniques such as gridding may also be used to ensure accuracy. Sculptures utilize polyesters applied directly onto the human body or mold. Hyperrealism requires a high level of technical prowess and virtuosity to simulate a false reality. As such, Hyperrealism incorporates and often capitalizes upon photographic limitations such as depth of field, perspective and range of focus. Anomalies found in digital images, such as fractalization, are also exploited to emphasize their digital origins by some painters, such as Chuck Close, Denis Peterson, Bert Monroy and Robert Bechtle.