What is the point of photorealism? - Lachri

What's the point of photorealism? Why not just take a photo of something? Today I'm giving you my thoughts on the matter!

New painting videos Wednesdays at 3pm CST

Time lapse and speed painting tutorials and demonstrations by award winning artist Lachri. Learn how to paint portraits, surreal landscapes, pets, lions, tigers, and birds...pretty sure a Wizard of OZ reference should be made right about now. Get tips and watch techniques for working in acrylic and oil paint, carbon pencil, graphite and colored pencil.


This video was shot using the Canon VIXIA HF G20 HD camcorder.

[dvalred]

I hate it when people say 'what's the point' of a certain art style. Whether it be photorealism or impressionism, all that matters is that the artist is doing something they love.

[Agui]

Some people say that photorealism is more real than the photo the artist has work from! I love both realism and photorealism and I've every respec tfor the artist's skill involved. It's what resonates with you.

[saramakesartx]

Interestingly, there was a movement in photography in the 1920s called pictorialism, where photos were taken deliberately out of focus to make them look more like paintings.

[siwooot]

People appreciate the skill it took to make it look realistic. What's wrong with that.

[ArtOfRavenD]

I honestly cannot stand that question.  You pretty much are spot on and the same thing I tell people who think there is no point to photorealism or even hypperrealism.  I mean, knowing how to actually draw something expands what I can do and I personally love to try to make my works look realistic and don't need to be abstract just because someone goes "Abstract is real art.  Not yours."  That's nice.  Go look at an abstract artist then.

[cookielove]

I can't even think of a single type of art that it not confronted with that "it's not real art"-statement. Whether it is photo realism, comic and cartoon, abstract / expressionism, pop art or whatever. It seems like such an unnecessary debate ~_~

[kenyastephens]

I admire artists who can paint or draw realistically and I sometimes wish I could do that too, but I usually work in a anime style because I enjoy it, whenever I draw a subject in a realistic fashion even when I get a good result to me it just takes out all fun and I go back to anime. I have the potential for realism, but to me it's a chore. When someone chooses a realistic style it's because they enjoy it, when they choose a more stylized way of drawing it's not because they are lazy, it's because they take pleasure out of it and at the end of the day, isn't that the reason why we artists create?

[raymondfarrimond]

I paint photo realistic when doing animals and people but use different styles when doing landscapes. One well known artist looked at my work a few weeks back and said `oh just illustrations`. Does not bother me as I enjoy what I do and love working in fine detail.
Great vlog Lisa keep up the good work.

[jjtsmom]

The point of photorealism is Photo Realism. The ability to create (or recreate) an image, whether by graphite, charcoal, colored pencil or paint, to such a degree that the viewer wonders if said image is a photograph takes great skill and artistic ability.   I too get a high, as you say, from watching a person take form on paper and come to life. The skill lies in getting all those technicalities down (light, shadow, proportions, etc.) and the art lies in finding and rendering THE specific details that capture the essence of the subject, that person's (or animal's, or hey, even a still life subject's) very spirit. Thanks, Lisa, for reminding us that all forms of art are valid and valuable.

[drawings_]

Thank you so much for making this video! I have been trying realism for a couple years now and it's so annoying when people ask why you want to remake a photo. Amazing video as always(:

[xenophanesiamnot]

Plus, photography is an art form in and of itself, and a damn hard one at that! People who draw and paint seem to often forget this. So if you're working from photos you've taken, you're really being a mixed-media artist in a way.

And if you didn't take the photo you're painting, you can now say you're doing collaborative art! As long as the photographer is cool with that, of course. =)

[sashadixon]

Wonderful video, I use photographs for my portraits and it's improved my drawing so much. I think it's a great way to learn.

[williamfarmer]

I  studied painting with a well known Midwestern painter. He dismissed photo copied artist as idiot servants. Just copying things in a monkey see monkey do fashion. Another thing photos aren't reality.they contain many distortions. Sometimes we depend too much on photo and never experience the fun of drawing from real life. Having said all that. all that; I like to use photos in my work.

[Sakuems]

to me, photorealism just for the sake of being realistic and copying the photo 100% accurately without changing anything is JUST a way to learn. i think it's a step in a carreer and that you learn from it but i think any painter/drawer should have something different than what a photographer is doing.
so you make it your own. can be the colors, the background etc. but as long as you find an audience for this and people like it, then it's good BUT it's SAD when the other non realistic style are so behind because so many people like realism.

I think for me, having an realistic/illustrative style is what works the most and what makes me happy. my ultimate goal being to be able to create something that "looks" real but can't be real at all, if that makes sense. something you can't have in a photography but still looks "real" you know what i mean ?
i have a lot of work to do to get to that point :p

[babablackiesheep]

Part of my preparation for an impressionist piece is spending time doing realistic sketches and renderings in my sketchbook. It's helps me much. I can relax because I have some muscle memory of the subject and I better understand the construction. It helps with knowing how light reacts and where my lights and darks are. I feel like doing both realism and impressionism is important regardless what your style is.

[lp]

I agree, art is what you think is art. I used to make photorealism when I was younger but now I've switched to surrealism (I guess this is what you call it but I never care too much about labels). I'm glad I had that experience because surrealism often involves painting things from memory (with few references), so it would be very hard to paint something if I didn't have the skill I gained from practicing. The reason I switched is because it felt unfulfilling to me. I personally did not feel that it was real art; it did not express anything (or very much) that the reference photo couldn't have expressed. It's the same thing with covers that bands do of other artists' music. It can be considered art, but covers usually never reach the same height of popularity or appreciation--especially in the long run--because they aren't creating anything new, just "copying what's already out there". That said, this often isn't the case in visual art nowadays. People have this tendency to think that the most photorealistic art is the best kind of art. If they see something that comes from someone's mind, it likely won't be as realistic as photorealism, so it doesn't have as much physical appeal. But this is all people seem to care about these days; just what looks nice on the outside. I've stopped caring about what merely looks nice on the outside and try to focus on meaning.

[Zuschauer]

Those who can not paint photorealistically, can not be artists, because without ability to copy the nature, one is unable to put especially beautiful together something taken from the nature.

[butterfliesinmybrain]

Hello!
Great videos!
May I ask you a simple question?
I wish to buy a set of pencils. Albretch Durer or Polychromos.
So, i really wanna know this one thing: the watercolor line is as good as the polychromos for dry painting? I enjoy doing both, but buying boths sets is a bit expensive... If the watercolor line could do both, it would be perfect for me... I mean... I know they can do both, but are they good at both? What is the difference between one and another for a dry painting?

Thanks for all the information you share, it is really useful!

Kisses from Brazil!

[wildlifeartjm]

Very well said Lisa - I agree fully. If i tmakes you feel good then do it - well .... within reason :)

[michaelparry]

Lisa, well . . . I could write a book, will try to control my fingers. I agree 100% with what you say. Every point is very valid and true. I enjoy all forms of art (well, most all). As you say, developing the technical skills in drawing or painting in photo-realism can move your creative process toward the top. We are all familiar with 'Picasso' and his work. Very creative, original, and over the top for his time. Some may like his work, and others may not. My wife and I had the opportunity to visit a small 'Picasso' museum in Barcelona,  Spain back in the early 70's.  It was most interesting to see how 'very realistic' his style was during his early work. He developed his skills, and then moved on to other directions. The skills that you obtain are the most important tools you can have for the creative process. Great vlog, Lisa.