Photo or Painting?

I have heard that question about my prints a number of times. My artwork starts out as a photograph that I have taken and then is digitally altered to resemble a number of artistic methods and styles such as sketches and paintings from classic to pop art to abstract. The end result is photographic art that can confuse the mind and leave you wondering if it is a photo or a painting or even, how could that have started out as a photo in the first place?

Other styles of art that can confuse the mind are hyperrealism and photorealism. I am always amazed at painters that produce a work of art that looks like a photo. I recently came across one such painter, Jason de Graff. Some people refer to his works as hyperrealism and some as photorealism; I say they are totally amazing. Some of his work would make you swear that you were looking at a photo whereas some have just a bit of another quality to leave you scratching your head and trying to decide, without really being able to pin down exactly what makes you question whether it is a photo or a painting.

I have included an image of one of my photographic art pieces as well as an image of one of Jason’s paintings. Can you guess which is which? When you think you know, click on an image and you will be taken to the artist’s gallery.

How did you do? I’d like to encourage you to browse both galleries to see other examples of hyperrealism/photorealism and photographic art.