Eliyahu Mirlis

What is hyperrealism and how does it arise? Is hyperrealism a technique or an artistic movement? Those are the questions that often arise when amateurs in painting hear this word for the first time.

Painter Eliyahu Mirlis, who explores different painting techniques, indicates that, to explain this technique, we should start by talking about photo-realism.

Mirlis shares that photo-realism is a type of painting that takes place from a photograph.

The term is originally applied to a pictorial movement that has its origins in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s and has been coming to life again since the year 2000.

Photo-realism, which originates from hyperrealism, emerges as a true school of art due to the techniques used and the photo-realistic results of paintings and sculptures.

Eliyahu Mirlis has discovered hyperrealism in his trips throughout Europe. His style got highly influenced by the hyperrealistic artworks he has discovered.

HYPERREALISM

This type of hyperrealistic painting represents exactly the object portrayed in the photograph in the most exact and detailed way possible.

Mirlis shares that as a general rule, the artist transfers the details of the photograph by mechanical means to image projection beams or using the reticular or grid technique, leaving little room for imagination and creativity and opening up a new space for the extreme ability, technique and virtuosity of representing the reality.

As Mirlis further shares, from this movement, various themes of representation emerge, such as still life, portraiture, landscape and urban space.

From the many years Eliyahu Mirlis has had exploring this technique, he has come to a conclusion that this technique is not restricted to just one type of medium and we can find fabulous hyperrealistic works in oil, pastel, watercolors, acrylics, etc.

This technique or artistic movement, in addition to photo-realism, is also known as super-realism, photographic realism, or hyperrealism.

Painting with watercolor is an excellent way to express your feelings and emotions. The effect of watercolor painting is unique because of its transparency, gracefulness, and fluidity. However, it's not easy to paint like a professional watercolor artist. Here are some tips offered by professional artist Eliyahu Mirlis, to help you get started with the basics of painting with watercolours.

Choose your paper 

Pick a good quality paper to paint on. Cheap paper absorbs water and the color won't be as rich. You also want to make sure that your paper is not too thick or thin, advises Eliyahu Mirlis.

Choose your watercolor paints 

The first step to painting is choosing your watercolor paints. Go to your local art store and find a brand that you like. If you're new to painting with watercolours, it's best not to buy too many because you may not use them all and it could be costly.

Start painting 

The best way to start painting with watercolours is to grab a paintbrush, water container, and paper. You can paint onto the surface of the paper without worrying about ruining it because you can just pour the water over the painting and it'll be good as new.

Painting should always begin with light colors. This should be done in two or three layers because you'll need light colors to create dark colors. When painting, take your time to slowly add layers on top of each other for a smoother effect, explains the New Brunswick painter, Eliyahu Mirlis.

Get inspired 

Inspiration is the most important thing in watercolor painting.

1) Find a subject to paint. It's important to find a subject that interests you and that excites you. You need to want to work on this for a long time, even when it feels like it's going nowhere.

2) Find a good reference picture. This can be any kind of picture, like one of your favourite pictures or paintings, or it could be an object in your home (like a vase or some fruit). You can use these images as inspiration for watercolor paintings.

3) Choose the colors you want to use, but remember that different colors will give off different moods. For example, red is often associated with anger while blue is associated with sadness.

Now that you know the basics of watercolor painting, you will be able to create your own watercolor paintings in no time. Remember, practice makes perfect!