Surreal realism in urban street art - (Anthony Paige)

The focal point of this image is a man shown sweating. The artist painted orange and pink chevron lines in the background, while using teal to paint for the man, which helps him stand out as the main subject. The black paint used to show him sweating is a great contrast to the teal paint, and helps provide a sense of realism.

In this piece, a boy is depicted looking straight ahead. The blue and purple swirling lines around the boy's head present a sense of fantasy, while the defined features on his face evoke a sense of realism. When the viewer looks close, he/she would realize that each side of the boy's face has different features and is slightly a different color. This seems to represent some sort of distinction between good and evil.

This piece shows a colonial man fencing, while a blue creature is present. The way in which the colonial man was painted provide a sense of realism and seems to be appropriate for the time period that he would have lived in. Things such as his well defined features, as well as the dull, neutral tones used to paint his clothing help create this feeling. On the other hand, the creature in this piece is painted in a bold, blue color, which provides a sense of fantasy and futurism.

This piece shows two people working on a trapezoid shaped brick wall. The way in which the artist used forms and shadows, such as those on the wall and ladder, create a sense of realism within the image. The artist still maintained a sense of surrealism by not giving the two people in the image defined features. It seems as though the artist used shapes, rather than forms on the people in this painting.

The centerpiece of this image is a person's face with their mouth open. At first glance, a viewer may not notice this because the artist uses the same colors all throughout the image. The colors used are not those which would often be associated with a person's skin tone, but the way in which the artist brings those colors together to create a face makes it feel realistic within the surreal image.

This piece shows a woman essentially hugging the building that she is painted on. The colors used, as well as the space between each of the body parts in relation to the woman's proportions, provide a sense of realism. While this is true, the woman's proportions in relation to the building are very surreal.

This piece shows three American flag style feathers sitting upon what appears to be an old document. The way in which the artist painted the document makes it appear as though it was written on a scroll. The artist used beige paint to make it seem authentic. The shape of and lines on the feathers are very detailed, to make them look real, but the pattern and color used on them make the viewer look at them as a patriotic symbol rather than just a bird feather.

This piece depicts an elephant moving on some sort of journey. The way in which the elephant is painted seems surreal, as many would not realize that the animal was an elephant. While this is true, the way in which the artist uses the red, blue, and yellow pattern, creates a feeling of motion and movement. The feeling that the elephant is moving forward takes the idea of fantasy away somewhat and makes the image seem more real.

This image shows six fictional creatures stand atop a balcony. The two painted in the forefront seem to have some sort of importance, which creates a sense of hierarchy between the creatures. While the creatures do not look real at all, the way in which they are portrayed is very human-like. The "royal" creatures in the front of the image seem cheerful, while those in the back show no expression.

This image shows a small man in the middle of a very colorful pattern. The way that the pattern changes directly around the man shows that he is the focal point. The images and patterns around the man all seem surreal, but help support the way in which he is portrayed. The colors used are very bright and bold, which give off the feeling of positive energy, which matches the small man's smile. The details on the man's face, as well as his expression, provide a sense of reality within this unrealistic painting.