These Hyperrealistic Paintings By A Japanese Artist Are So Precise You Might Confuse Them With Photos
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Kei Mieno is a Japanese artist born in Hiroshima who has been painting professionally for more than 10 years already. This 33-year-old painter specializes in hyperrealism, and mostly uses oil paint to create his masterpieces.
Recently, Kei shared an image on Twitter of a woman lying in the river, and it left many of his followers speechless when they realized that the woman in the stream is created in the artist‘s head. The details and texture of the painting are so precise that it‘s not difficult to confuse it with a photo. This post was retweeted more than 46k times and has almost 130k likes already. Scroll down to see other Kei‘s paintings that he skillfully creates using oil paint.
More info: keimieno.wixsite.com | twitter.com
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Technically amazing, visually uninteresting.
There’s a hyper realistic artist named Jeong Woo Jae who draws pieces called “the girl and her dog”. If you like hyper realistic art that’s visually interesting I would definitely recommend him
Another Art snob with a Masters in Fine Art.
I like the composition of the first one a lot, but yeah, the others are... pretty bland. If these were displayed as photos without the 'gimmick' of them being painted I wouldn't give most of them a second glance. Backgrounds are very important in art. (I'm no photographer myself, but I do draw a lot, and it's incredible how much of a difference putting effort into doing a good background makes.)
Art snob
Oh dear god, Rachel. please keep this post in an envelope and reread it 20 years from now. Try not to laugh. This is the funniest thing I've read on BP in like forever. HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG...you killed it.
Earning a Masters in Fine art does make one look at EVERY aspect of art as oppose to being easily won over by technique alone. Thanks for noticing my discerning eye, its nice to know my years in art school have given me more than just a pedestrian perspective.
I'm with you. I always want to like photorealism, because I know what kind of skill is involved, but ultimately I don't find it to be art - merely a detailed rendering. It's like a very detailed architectural drawing. I don't see it as art.
I wouldn't say it isn't art, but it isn't art that is personally interesting to me. I'm not easily won over by perfect technique alone, I need imagination, wonder, creativity, spectacle etc in order to find art interesting.
You can do better?
Create more visually interesting artwork? Yep, I sure can.
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I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid £64 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserable, so I was forced to try something different, two years after...I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i do.... http://url.ie/12b8z
Amazing brush control, it looks like digital art!
These are amazing, but who would want one of these hanging in their house?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No. Realism relies too much on their selling point of novelty, --'oh, it's not a photo! Done by hand!' But the fact is, that the photorealism draws attention to the artist definitely using a photo to copy verbatim from. (which is technically, having a perfectly still model in perfect pose, lighting etc, for many hours).
Okay, you can try painting one.
What the actual hell are you even saying "No." to?
Art snob
Another art snob... I have a feeling I'll be riding this all down the comment section
Why do people have to be such negative assholes? Talent is worth SO much and has much meaning
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Why do you feel the need to be snotty to people who don't share your taste? Why do you care? Or is your self image so invested in being "right" that you have to create your own "enemies" when people don't think you're perfect?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The reason why 'photo'realism craft results are of mundane, mediocre subject matter, is because it's difficult for many artists to create extraordinary scenes, ie sci-fi, fantasy genres, unless they have a movie studio budget and CGI
Agreed, artists time can be better spent making extraordinary paintings, not lifeless ones.
And I wish Least-Angelic-Angel you could try presenting real arguments to discuss with, not childish ones. Just because one cannot paint (or maybe can, how can you tell, hmm?) doesn't make them unable to say that being a copiyist of photos isn't something. I do appreciate this artist workshop, but these paintings are just photos copied. You can do the same with copy machine. The only artist touch you see is the one of photographer, not painter.
Art snob
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well, again I would like to see you try and paint one.
Amazing artworks! Wish I could get that good someday..
Technically, anyone can become that good. For anything. It just takes an awful lot of learning and practice. And a lot of passion obviously.
you will!
Same !
How on earth do people do this? I can barely tie my shoelaces.
this is incredible, thank you for sharing!!!
Amazing art
Those paintings are extraordinary! I'm a realist with watercolor & i never come close to this perfection. What a gift
This is God Level Hyperealistic art!
In this kind of painting technique is part of the composition. It’s not everyone’s taste. I am sure she’d be a bigger hit if she chose Harry Potter or Game of Thrones subjects. While not all her subjects are entrancing, I like her take on Ophelia, and her homage to Pre-Raphealite detail. I feel if you are going to waive your opinion around, support it with cogent argument.
His subjects
Amazing realness
I think these are amazing, especially the fact that they look like real people, not made-up models
Wow, this is technique at the highest level, and it is really impressive
Holy shit! This is so incredible
Sorcery!!
Exquisite artwork! Your work inspires me to practice my own drawing skills even more to strive for such perfection!
Wow! That has just blown me away!! incredible!!!
Now that is talent. I love how he choose to paint run-of-the-mill people you could just meet in the street, like these are somebody's snapshots or holiday pictures. It makes it even more fantastic.
These are incredible!! That's one of a kind work for sure. 😮
scary! 0.0
Howww??
unbelievable
THESE ARE SO GOOD THESE CANNOT BE PHOTOS OMG THIS IS INCREDIBLE JUST WISH THE PHOTOS SORRY ART WAS A BIT MORE INTERESTING
Uff more hyperrealistic stuff. AKA the stuff I HATED studying in university. Yeah it's good but it's so close to real life it has no style, no uniqueness, no life. Show us some stuff with actual style and life for once, there are many amazing artists out there, yet you focus on the ones who's paintings have no soul.
While I do agree with the fact that photorealistic art might not seem very artistic to the eye, I'd say it's not always meant to be and has a different purpose - it's a presentation of the artist's will, determination, patience and skill to create an image so close to the photograph it's almost impossible to determine which is which - keyword being 'almost'. I have rarely seen a person copy a photograph 1:1 without enhancing a detail here or there, giving some part of the painting or drawing a little twist in one part or another, fixing the composition, adding accents and so on. Copying an image without criticism and understanding its faults is pointless indeed, although one might still argue it serves to practice the artist's skill with the materials, techniques and precision. Hyperrealism, Abstract Art, Pointilism, Fauvism and all the other art movements - these all served different purposes and focused on presenting different things, it's hard to give one more value over the other.
Yeah but their time would be better spent making something nobody has seen before.
I understand, Aunt Messy, where your opinion is coming from, but these still fall under (as I myself understand) the definition(s) of art /for example in Oxford Dictionaries. Now whether one believes something to be art or not is, in fact, one's personal feeling and opinion - to which everyone is of course entitled. I guess we have to agree that we simply disagree on the matter of these specific pieces :)
That doesn't make it art. These are nothing more than architectural renderings. Interesting, but ultimately boring.
Do you have any other crap comebacks Betty?
You're right. The technique is amazing and they really look like pictures but they are't interesting. I understand why people choose simple-ish scenes. I just wish they would be more dynamic or even slightly stylized. Call me an art snob but I didn't really connect with them.
What is art?
BRING FORTH THE DOWNVOTES AND THE OVER USED 'Well you try to do better nyeh nyeh' REPLIES!
Nah.. i'll just bring on.. art snob
This is sooo good! She's amazing!
These do look like photos
Because it's copied photo.
It is???
Wow...unbelievable!
Greatjob
Ohh, to be able to draw like that.
wowwww looks like great art
Art snob
I can admire the skill and technique, but I don't understand the point.
These are paintings?? :O!!
Great Skills (!) but unnecessary (overdetailed) in my opinion. It's like writing a book of 500 pages for a statement that could be explained in one sentence. So in my opinion it's great skill but bad art.
The girl in the water looks highly uncomfortable.
Great skills (!) but unnecessary (overdetailed). It's like writing a book of 500 pages for a statement that could be explained in one sentence. Great skill but bad art. (Just my opinion).
Though impressive, even as photography, there are uninteresting
You're not very impressive and you're quite uninteresting
Why can't you just let people have a different opinion Betty?
"Hyperrealistic Paintings You Might Confuse With Photos" Isnt's this title getting old and boring already?! Just write "Hyperrealistic Paintings By Kei Mieno" for God's sake. We are bored pandas already we don't need more cliches in our lives.
This art just isn't my cup of tea.
Same model with different hairstyles?
Because they are just patient manual copying by hand, from photos he took. Therefore, becoming not an artist, but a craftsperson human slow printer. Also, stop using 'hyper'. How can something be more than real.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Then try it yourself.
I understand your rustration over some comemnts, but hey, no need to get nervous - these are all opinions, everyone is entitled to have their own and state it, and these are all done in a polite way, not hurting anyone. Plus, you don't have to be an artist to criticize an artwork, just as much as you don't have to be a chef to criticize another chef's food. You mistake being an art critic with voicing one's opinion on the piece. I understand your reasons behind your replies, and I too agree that this art is of very high quality and deserves appreciacion, but unfortunately they do not make a strong point in the discussion in the long run.
Stop with that comeback already, the artist has talent, but their paintings have no life, they're soulless.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Incredible work - but kind of pointless these days spending100's of hours to create something that could have been done identically in 100th of a second
I agree.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Looks fake like you can go to a store in japan and get water print photos of the internet (photos that when placed on cavases turn to paint ofean use to docorate homes)
According to his facebook page he's showing his paintings at exhibitions (even at museums), so the chances that they are fake are rather low. And he wrote that the painting of the girl in the water took him two years to finish. Watching the videos where you can see him painting I think this sounds quite realistic.
Technically amazing, visually uninteresting.
There’s a hyper realistic artist named Jeong Woo Jae who draws pieces called “the girl and her dog”. If you like hyper realistic art that’s visually interesting I would definitely recommend him
Another Art snob with a Masters in Fine Art.
I like the composition of the first one a lot, but yeah, the others are... pretty bland. If these were displayed as photos without the 'gimmick' of them being painted I wouldn't give most of them a second glance. Backgrounds are very important in art. (I'm no photographer myself, but I do draw a lot, and it's incredible how much of a difference putting effort into doing a good background makes.)
Art snob
Oh dear god, Rachel. please keep this post in an envelope and reread it 20 years from now. Try not to laugh. This is the funniest thing I've read on BP in like forever. HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG...you killed it.
Earning a Masters in Fine art does make one look at EVERY aspect of art as oppose to being easily won over by technique alone. Thanks for noticing my discerning eye, its nice to know my years in art school have given me more than just a pedestrian perspective.
I'm with you. I always want to like photorealism, because I know what kind of skill is involved, but ultimately I don't find it to be art - merely a detailed rendering. It's like a very detailed architectural drawing. I don't see it as art.
I wouldn't say it isn't art, but it isn't art that is personally interesting to me. I'm not easily won over by perfect technique alone, I need imagination, wonder, creativity, spectacle etc in order to find art interesting.
You can do better?
Create more visually interesting artwork? Yep, I sure can.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid £64 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserable, so I was forced to try something different, two years after...I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i do.... http://url.ie/12b8z
Amazing brush control, it looks like digital art!
These are amazing, but who would want one of these hanging in their house?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No. Realism relies too much on their selling point of novelty, --'oh, it's not a photo! Done by hand!' But the fact is, that the photorealism draws attention to the artist definitely using a photo to copy verbatim from. (which is technically, having a perfectly still model in perfect pose, lighting etc, for many hours).
Okay, you can try painting one.
What the actual hell are you even saying "No." to?
Art snob
Another art snob... I have a feeling I'll be riding this all down the comment section
Why do people have to be such negative assholes? Talent is worth SO much and has much meaning
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Why do you feel the need to be snotty to people who don't share your taste? Why do you care? Or is your self image so invested in being "right" that you have to create your own "enemies" when people don't think you're perfect?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The reason why 'photo'realism craft results are of mundane, mediocre subject matter, is because it's difficult for many artists to create extraordinary scenes, ie sci-fi, fantasy genres, unless they have a movie studio budget and CGI
Agreed, artists time can be better spent making extraordinary paintings, not lifeless ones.
And I wish Least-Angelic-Angel you could try presenting real arguments to discuss with, not childish ones. Just because one cannot paint (or maybe can, how can you tell, hmm?) doesn't make them unable to say that being a copiyist of photos isn't something. I do appreciate this artist workshop, but these paintings are just photos copied. You can do the same with copy machine. The only artist touch you see is the one of photographer, not painter.
Art snob
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well, again I would like to see you try and paint one.
Amazing artworks! Wish I could get that good someday..
Technically, anyone can become that good. For anything. It just takes an awful lot of learning and practice. And a lot of passion obviously.
you will!
Same !
How on earth do people do this? I can barely tie my shoelaces.
this is incredible, thank you for sharing!!!
Amazing art
Those paintings are extraordinary! I'm a realist with watercolor & i never come close to this perfection. What a gift
This is God Level Hyperealistic art!
In this kind of painting technique is part of the composition. It’s not everyone’s taste. I am sure she’d be a bigger hit if she chose Harry Potter or Game of Thrones subjects. While not all her subjects are entrancing, I like her take on Ophelia, and her homage to Pre-Raphealite detail. I feel if you are going to waive your opinion around, support it with cogent argument.
His subjects
Amazing realness
I think these are amazing, especially the fact that they look like real people, not made-up models
Wow, this is technique at the highest level, and it is really impressive
Holy shit! This is so incredible
Sorcery!!
Exquisite artwork! Your work inspires me to practice my own drawing skills even more to strive for such perfection!
Wow! That has just blown me away!! incredible!!!
Now that is talent. I love how he choose to paint run-of-the-mill people you could just meet in the street, like these are somebody's snapshots or holiday pictures. It makes it even more fantastic.
These are incredible!! That's one of a kind work for sure. 😮
scary! 0.0
Howww??
unbelievable
THESE ARE SO GOOD THESE CANNOT BE PHOTOS OMG THIS IS INCREDIBLE JUST WISH THE PHOTOS SORRY ART WAS A BIT MORE INTERESTING
Uff more hyperrealistic stuff. AKA the stuff I HATED studying in university. Yeah it's good but it's so close to real life it has no style, no uniqueness, no life. Show us some stuff with actual style and life for once, there are many amazing artists out there, yet you focus on the ones who's paintings have no soul.
While I do agree with the fact that photorealistic art might not seem very artistic to the eye, I'd say it's not always meant to be and has a different purpose - it's a presentation of the artist's will, determination, patience and skill to create an image so close to the photograph it's almost impossible to determine which is which - keyword being 'almost'. I have rarely seen a person copy a photograph 1:1 without enhancing a detail here or there, giving some part of the painting or drawing a little twist in one part or another, fixing the composition, adding accents and so on. Copying an image without criticism and understanding its faults is pointless indeed, although one might still argue it serves to practice the artist's skill with the materials, techniques and precision. Hyperrealism, Abstract Art, Pointilism, Fauvism and all the other art movements - these all served different purposes and focused on presenting different things, it's hard to give one more value over the other.
Yeah but their time would be better spent making something nobody has seen before.
I understand, Aunt Messy, where your opinion is coming from, but these still fall under (as I myself understand) the definition(s) of art /for example in Oxford Dictionaries. Now whether one believes something to be art or not is, in fact, one's personal feeling and opinion - to which everyone is of course entitled. I guess we have to agree that we simply disagree on the matter of these specific pieces :)
That doesn't make it art. These are nothing more than architectural renderings. Interesting, but ultimately boring.
Do you have any other crap comebacks Betty?
You're right. The technique is amazing and they really look like pictures but they are't interesting. I understand why people choose simple-ish scenes. I just wish they would be more dynamic or even slightly stylized. Call me an art snob but I didn't really connect with them.
What is art?
BRING FORTH THE DOWNVOTES AND THE OVER USED 'Well you try to do better nyeh nyeh' REPLIES!
Nah.. i'll just bring on.. art snob
This is sooo good! She's amazing!
These do look like photos
Because it's copied photo.
It is???
Wow...unbelievable!
Greatjob
Ohh, to be able to draw like that.
wowwww looks like great art
Art snob
I can admire the skill and technique, but I don't understand the point.
These are paintings?? :O!!
Great Skills (!) but unnecessary (overdetailed) in my opinion. It's like writing a book of 500 pages for a statement that could be explained in one sentence. So in my opinion it's great skill but bad art.
The girl in the water looks highly uncomfortable.
Great skills (!) but unnecessary (overdetailed). It's like writing a book of 500 pages for a statement that could be explained in one sentence. Great skill but bad art. (Just my opinion).
Though impressive, even as photography, there are uninteresting
You're not very impressive and you're quite uninteresting
Why can't you just let people have a different opinion Betty?
"Hyperrealistic Paintings You Might Confuse With Photos" Isnt's this title getting old and boring already?! Just write "Hyperrealistic Paintings By Kei Mieno" for God's sake. We are bored pandas already we don't need more cliches in our lives.
This art just isn't my cup of tea.
Same model with different hairstyles?
Because they are just patient manual copying by hand, from photos he took. Therefore, becoming not an artist, but a craftsperson human slow printer. Also, stop using 'hyper'. How can something be more than real.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Then try it yourself.
I understand your rustration over some comemnts, but hey, no need to get nervous - these are all opinions, everyone is entitled to have their own and state it, and these are all done in a polite way, not hurting anyone. Plus, you don't have to be an artist to criticize an artwork, just as much as you don't have to be a chef to criticize another chef's food. You mistake being an art critic with voicing one's opinion on the piece. I understand your reasons behind your replies, and I too agree that this art is of very high quality and deserves appreciacion, but unfortunately they do not make a strong point in the discussion in the long run.
Stop with that comeback already, the artist has talent, but their paintings have no life, they're soulless.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Incredible work - but kind of pointless these days spending100's of hours to create something that could have been done identically in 100th of a second
I agree.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Looks fake like you can go to a store in japan and get water print photos of the internet (photos that when placed on cavases turn to paint ofean use to docorate homes)
According to his facebook page he's showing his paintings at exhibitions (even at museums), so the chances that they are fake are rather low. And he wrote that the painting of the girl in the water took him two years to finish. Watching the videos where you can see him painting I think this sounds quite realistic.