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"How?"
10 years ago
I've had a bunch of queries along the lines of "how????" with regards to my animal portraits and I enjoy that people are so interested :) Basically if I can see the detail, I can paint the detail. Highly detailed reference photos turn into highly detailed paintings, less detailed reference photos (ie: phone camera potatoes) turn into less detailed paintings. There's no black magic, I just see and replicate detail easily and I suspect it has something to do with being ASD and receiving a bunch more sensory information than most people (which is usually just plain overwhelming, so it's nice to have a good trade off).
That said, I'm not just being a human photocopier when I do this. I do generally improve on the photo by adjusting lighting and colour, bringing out the eyes, fixing various issues of blurriness, graininess, etc etc. I also use it as a learning exercise to take across to my fantasy stuff because once I've painted something in detail, it stays somewhat in visual memory and I can draw upon it later to some degree.
My other trick is picking up art materials I've never used before, reading how to use them and then just using them. I work in exactly the same manner whether it's pencil, paint or digital, so things just turn out looking photorealistic/hyper-realistic. It's not magic, it's just a by-product of seeing everything in hi def. This picture was my first acrylic painting for example, and this one was my second.
Whether it's truly artistic or true art? I used to twist myself up into little knots over this but I've come to the conclusion that I don't really care. I've seen all the arguments for and against and they're just kind of immaterial to me. This is how I view the world, so this is how I paint. As much as I adore more abstract and artsy work, it's just not how my brain functions and I find it very hard to outright impossible to create in this way. I'd give my left butt-cheek to paint in the style of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law who I've known since early Elfwood days (1997'ish?).
That said, I'm not just being a human photocopier when I do this. I do generally improve on the photo by adjusting lighting and colour, bringing out the eyes, fixing various issues of blurriness, graininess, etc etc. I also use it as a learning exercise to take across to my fantasy stuff because once I've painted something in detail, it stays somewhat in visual memory and I can draw upon it later to some degree.
My other trick is picking up art materials I've never used before, reading how to use them and then just using them. I work in exactly the same manner whether it's pencil, paint or digital, so things just turn out looking photorealistic/hyper-realistic. It's not magic, it's just a by-product of seeing everything in hi def. This picture was my first acrylic painting for example, and this one was my second.
Whether it's truly artistic or true art? I used to twist myself up into little knots over this but I've come to the conclusion that I don't really care. I've seen all the arguments for and against and they're just kind of immaterial to me. This is how I view the world, so this is how I paint. As much as I adore more abstract and artsy work, it's just not how my brain functions and I find it very hard to outright impossible to create in this way. I'd give my left butt-cheek to paint in the style of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law who I've known since early Elfwood days (1997'ish?).
However my point is, You are not mearly "copying a photo when you paint.
You are simply painting a subject useing a reference. Just as Every Great Artist does and will continue to do until art itself is outlawed.
However, given the level of detail you prove and the Incredible outcomes of your chosen ccompositions. .......I Do believe their is at least a little "Black Magic" mixed in there for Good Luck!