Sova Blog Assignment 1

QN: Find an image of a realistic 2D work, upload it and write down 10 reasons why you consider this work realistic. If possible, choose an artist who is out of the syllabus.

I have chosen 2 pictures instead of 1 because I could not make up my mind which is better/more interesting.

Smirk 48x64, oil on linen, 2009

Scream 2010, 48x72, oil on linen

These are paintings by Alyssa Monks,

Monks’s work explores narrative figuration. Currently she is playing with the tension between abstraction and realism in the same work, using different filters to visually distort and disintegrate the body.

These are 2D paintings that appear to be as real like a camera image.

And they are realistic because:

1. The paintings are painted finely and careful attention are given to details in the paintings. ( beads of water droplets, eyebrows, eyelashes)
2. There are no bold and arbitrary outlines and colours use to destroy the photorealistic characteristic and thus, the painting does not appear like a painting.
3. The use of natural tonal colours to depict the human skin tones are very accurate and thus, paintings give a photographic effect.
4. The lighting in the photograph are natural and does not appear to harsh nor dramatic, exposure to face is maximal and hence, the texture(eyebrows,creases on lips) and skin tonal values (blush on cheek) can be seen.
5. The human features are painted in proportion, from nose, eyes, mouth, they do not appear exaggerated and distorted although natural distortion is carried out through the fog/steam on the glass and also through the beads of water droplets.
6. The expressions of the girls can be seen clearly ( although with help from title ) , one is smirking and one is in distressed.The expressions provide greater sense of realism as it eludes feelings and greater insights of their emotions.
7. The rendering of the water droplets and the foggy glass are extremely realistic and detailed and each droplets provide a different distortion to the person behind thus making it even more real and deceiving.
8. The scale of the painting is larger than the real size of a head and hence, one can carefully examine the details of the face.
9. Interaction is made with audience of work as it shows extremely detailed artwork from the realism in techniques.
10. The shadow at the creases of the cheek lines provide a realistic and 3d form of the figure depicted & hence,realistic.

That's all folks :)

For more of Alyssa Monks, In case you love it to much :http://alyssamonks.com/

Aloha~

This is my first post for my art blog. ( tester)