Some robotic search engines are depositing new visitors to this website here, rather than on page one. (Although, for the curious, this is a good place to be). This page contains text and images that try to explain Impressivism from the academic aspect. If you wish to see two images that explain the style visually This hyperlink will take you to page one. Otherwise, please read on. Forgive the slow loading. I have endeavored to compress these images as much as possible for quicker telephone line transmission, but some browsers add further compression and I must account for that possible degradation. Please be patient as these images load.... Feel free to read the text first. The FAQs will be presented in a question/answer format.
What exactly is Impressivism?
Impressivism is a new style of realism with a strong foundation in hyper-realism
and a secondary basis in neo-impressionism (i.e. Signac, Luce,
Seurat).
An impressivistic painting is basically a hyper-realistic image composed of sharply defined abstract shapes. It is best classified as a subcategory of abstract-realism or abstract-hyper realism. An example is the Raging
Waters of Anjuhar seen below
How does Impressivism differ from painterly realism?
In many ways impressivism is similar to detailed painterly realism. However, every millimeter of the canvas is controlled, i.e. splashes of paint are painted as crystalline shapes (not splashed). In other words, this is an extremely "tight" method of painting that attempts to include painterly freedom within its confines.
What is the connection to neo-impressionism?
Basically, the reference is to pointillism. From a distance the observer's eye assembles the abstract shapes into an orderly arrangement that recreates a realistic image. As one moves closer to the painting, the realism falls away and the "dots" become evident. While at this time the complementary color schema of divisionism is not employed, that remains a future avenue for exploration.
What are the salient qualities of Impressivism?
Number One: the painting should appear to be realistic (photorealistic)
at first (distant) encounter.
Number Two: the painting should be composed of sharply
defined abstract shapes.
Number Three: the image will cause a perceptual shift as the observer
moves closer. (The perception of the work as realistic disappears.
Doesn't normal realism fit many of these criteria?
While it is true that painterly realism and some neo-impressionism fit
criterion One
and somewhat Number Three, they do not fit Number Two.
Secondly, while the dots of Seurat may have been fascinating in their
day, they no longer surprise
the modern art fan. However, in the year 2000, impressivism is new
enough to create a surprise impression.
Who is creating Impressivistic art in the year
2000?
Other than the pieces in this website, Chuck Close is producing abstract
realism that has rudimentary connections to impressivism. His latest grid compostions have the spirit of impressivism, but stand alone in their own subcategory of abstract realism. If he relinquished the grid walls (see below), he would move closer to pure impressivism. By the way, I am not advocating he do that, I'm merely pointing out the difference. There are, however, tiny examples in Chuck Close's latest works (see arrow) where he has ignored the grid boundary for a few cells width, resulting in a limited foray into impressivism.
I've seen computer generated pictures composed
of tiny images, such as
a face composed of 1000 photographs of flowers,
is this Impressivism?
No.
These do have aspects of impressivism
as one zooms in, but they totally rely on the grid system and are not abstract. They are closer to tiled mosaics. If the grid was removed, every image was made seamless to the next, then turned into abstract forms and finally combined into
one giant seamless abstraction, that would be impressivism.
That brings up the topic of digital art...i.e.
pixelated images... images formed of squares ...
how does this relate to Impressivism?
It really doesn't... Ironically, pixalated art
seems so "ultra-modern" but they are exactly on the
same level as ancient tile mosaics.
I've seen paintings where objects such as faces
or horses or locomotives are
hidden in the strokes. Is this impressivism?
No.
While written words or Japanese characters have
been laced into some of my impressivism images,
there is no attempt to coyly hide tangible objects.
In its purest form, impressivism is composed of
abstract forms....thus a realistic form in a
sub-level would be a hybrid.
I've seen a similar style in old realism using
real objects to form images, is this Impressivism?
No.
By definition, impressivism must use abstract
forms.
An example of the the older form mentioned above
is Giuseppe Arcimboldo's "Water" where aquatic
life forms were arranged to form a portrait.
Some of the impressivism work in this website uses straight realism. What's up with that?
At the present time, if I put a human figure in
my impressivism works, I create a hybrid using both impressivism and straight realism. For me, it's simply simultaneous exploration of two art styles. An interesting subnote; the realism portion usually is accomplished in a few days while the impressivism portion takes a few months. Also,on this website ,I have separated impressivism from realism by creating The Gallery of Impressivism from the HOR House of Realism.
What's up with the name Impressivism?
It derives from the impact the works have on people who actually see the work in person plus the before mentioned impressionism connection. It also derives from the advent of the world wide web and the need to be classified in a new category for search engine deployment. In the english speaking world the term is slightly cloying but the non-english parts of the world may accept the term without predjudice. Possibly, the term abstract-hyper realism may win out in categorizing this style.
What makes you think this is a new style of realism?
I have researched hundreds of thousands of art
images over the the past 25 years (I am 47 years old as I write this)
and I've never seen any work like it. It takes months to create an impressivistic image and that eliminates most artists from making the effort. I am basically petitioning the art world to create a new category for abstract hyper-realism. The name is irrelevant. Whether or not I am the first to create a work like this is not the point. Instead, this site should become the central hub for works of this style. I have named this style in order to help differentiate it from the nebulus "abstract realism" category that it falls into.
I welcome any feedback and image exchange to
further my horizons and
I will gladly post in my Gallery of Impressivism
at the House of Realism any other images sent to me that fit the criteria.
Send e-mail to GPAUL54@Yahoo.com
or U.S. mail to Gary Paul PO box 5081, Somerset,
NJ , USA 08875-5081
