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Inspiration from Artists Week 23: Tim Benson and Kelvin Okafor.
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Message
Posted
I knew that introducing a photo realism artist might put the cat amongst the pigeons! 😉
I have to admit that I hadn’t really taken much interest in photo -realism until I came across Kelvin and saw how he worked. I am finding it interesting how we all view art in different ways but can appreciate the talents they all possess however diverse they might be.
And yes, It would be boring if we all thought the same Alan.
Edited
by Gillian Cooke
Posted
Couldn't have made a better choice to showcase two artists who are opposite ends of the 'portrait' spectrum. I watched the programme that featured Kelvin drawing Catrin Finch from Wrexham, who received terrible burns in a horrific bus crash whilst on holiday. I found Catrin and Kelvin both inspiring people and the unveiling of her portrait was quite emotional.
I have to say I'm not that keen on Tim Benson's style of painting, much too loose and rather 'muddy' for my taste. I certainly admire Kevin Okafor's work and the incredible painstaking skill involved but perhaps it's a little too refined and perfect for me. I do think the portrait of Catrin however, breathtakingly powerful.
Posted
So sorry Alan, Have not commented on your choice of Tim Benson....been bogged down mucking out junk and having bonfires.
I think they are all magnificent , just love his whole approach....thanks for the intro.
Gillian....such a huge contrast ,so very different, such a special talent
But I'm in the Alan B camp here they leave me cold.
Just as well we are all so different it makes for big interest....thanks for posting them.
Edited
by Sylvia Evans
Posted
What an incredible artist. I do like this hyper realistic type of work but I do like many styles of art from the 14th century to modern day. For me, it might not be about what I want to hang on my wall and the visual aspect of a piece of art. I tend to be interested in how it's been achieved and the method behind it and when something knocks your socks off, I can admire the brilliance of the artist behind the work. This artist is definitely brilliant.
Posted
Thank you for the introduction Gillian , what a superb artist his skill is amazing. Two totally different styles , I do like his work and admire his portraits if I’m honest my like for portraits falls somewhere between the Tim Bensons style and Kelvin Okafor but that because I like a painting to look like a painting but not overly so, Tim’s work is to painterly for me and Kelvins is to photorealistic. I must admit to being a bit of a devil in that I deliberately put then on the same week as I wanted to see the reaction from everyone, sorry Alan and Gillian for messing about with the choices, both were suggested about the same time.
I haven’t had time to look properly and select any of his artwork but I will do .
Posted
I can’t deny that Kelvin has skill in what he does. His work is very clever but it leaves me cold as would most portrait photos which is what I feel I’ve been looking at. Most of them are too perfect and that puts me off even more. Sorry! Interesting choice and certainly different to most. I did look at all of his work that I could find but the more I looked the less I liked it!
Posted
Well he certainly has some awesome skill, wether you like his portraits or not his ability is not in doubt.
His work doesn’t excite me but his skill does I can’t even imagine where or how to start such work. I don’t do portraits myself but I’m told children are more difficult to do than adults I have selected a couple of children portraits and a couple of work in progress. The one with the lady with the hair lip is a very recent portrait I believe. 
Posted
The level of skill here is immense - and as Paul intended, in total contrast to the previous artist. The time this level of work takes is also on the immense side; I suppose one might get a bit faster later on in one's career.... these would take me far more time than I've any real interest in giving, though, and produce a finished piece which looks so much like a photograph that I think I'd rather just take the photo. Do I like it......? Well - I quite like looking at it; I don't really see the pleasure in accomplishing it, but then I don't have the necessary sort of mind (or any other, some might say: but we just ignore such people!). You would have to be the perfectionist's perfectionist, wouldn't you? I do admire the way that this very labour-intensive sort of work still manages, in the case of this artist at least, to convey personality and warmth: this is very obvious in the John Lennon drawing, and in the portrait of the, plainly remarkable, woman who suffered those terrible burns.
Posted
I did read that his more complex sketch’s can take 500 hours or so to complete . When he is in the mood to work he well do a full day that can be as many as 18 hrs . All I can say is that is dedication to you art , I suspect that he gets absorbed and doesn’t realise how time is passing. I cannot imagine spending that length of time a day let alone the total hours on a painting.