Beyond What You See

After - Paul Cadden

Scream 2010 - Alyssa Monks

   When you look at these images what do you see? Photographs? Well I am afraid that you have been deceived. These pieces are actually in fact drawings and paintings which is astonishing. The  detail that goes in to these images are breath taking and spell binding.


This is Photorealism or  Hyperrealism.


   Photorealism is a genre of painting which is based on using the camera and photographs to gather information and then from this information creating a painting or drawing that appears to be photographic. Similar to this Hyperrealism was born from the idea of Photorealism and are paintings based of other forms of images but are created in a non-photographic medium. These works can take on average between three and six weeks to produce.

   The first image is by British artist Paul Cadden, who mainly work with graphite on cartridge paper. His images are usually based on photographs  and video stills etc, and yet he is able to produce them in great quality. Cadden manages to create roughly seven pieces of work each year, and are done on a large scale, for example A1 to A0 and often selling for up to £5,000 each.

   The second image is by Alyssa Monks' who is an American artist who primarily uses oil paints on canvas. On Monks' website she states; '

    Using filters such as glass, vinyl, water, and steam, I distort the body in shallow painted spaces. These filters allow for large areas of abstract design - islands of colour with activated surfaces while bits of the human form peak through.'

   There is a delicate relationship with her colour pallet which she has used to imitate the glass, steam, water and flesh. Yet like any oil painting these abstract brush strokes are visible up close but at a distance these brush marks appear to be something else, something more delicate.

Detroit - Paul Cadden

Trust, Oil on linen, 2010 - Alyssa Monks

Websites
Paul Cadden
Paul Cadden Article
Alyssa Monks
Interview with Alyssa Monks