How to Create Hyper-Realistic Art That Stands Out in International Competitions?
- Poulomi

- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read

While scrolling on social media, we often come across Instagram reels where the artist is seen adding the final touches to a painting that seems almost life-like.
From the tiniest fur in a realistic animal artwork to the pores of the skin in a portrait, the painters of hyperrealism seem to manifest perfection with the finesse of the divine.
As the videos pan to the final look, one cannot help but experience awe and wonder at its remarkable accuracy. These moments kindle inspiration in creators who dare to dream big and seek to master the art of hyperrealism.
This blog will walk you through hyperrealistic art, its origin, evolution, and guidelines to follow when aiming to create realistic art like a pro. So, here we begin!
What is Hyper Realistic Art?

Hyperrealistic art – a type of painting that baffles spectators as it seems to breathe from the canvas. The extraordinary details in hyperrealism can make an incredible artwork shy away from the limelight.
With its heightened precision, photography prints from a standard resolution camera fail to compete against the magic of hyperrealism. More than emulating reality from a reference image, which has its own drawbacks, these artworks can purely be a work of the human imagination and the creative faculty.
The perfection in uncanny artworks, like hyperrealistic art can unsettle viewers. That is not all! Beyond technical accuracy, realistic paintings can emotionally arouse the viewer and create an intense visual experience of the surreal.
Origin of Hyper-Realism

Realism 🡪 Photorealism 🡪 Hyperrealism
Cradled out of photorealism and realism, hyperrealism was a response and a reaction that defied and challenged the exaggerations of the Romantic art ideology.
As the era slowly transitioned into the future and the drama of Romanticism faded away, the mid-19th century welcomed a new type of realism where paintings reflected greater accuracy.
These works of art emulated higher resolutions of a photograph. Now, with photorealism, paintings were taken to new heights of precision. As photorealism slowly gave way to hyperrealism over the years, viewers were taken aback by this uncanny and unsettling art that challenged their sense of realism.
In today's world, where technology seems to rule, digital artists have made art inclusive of innovation, blending digital tools, still life photography, and painting into a harmonious whole.

Famous Painter of Realism: Gustave Courbet
Famous Painters of Photorealism: Chuck Close, Richard Estes
Famous Digital Artist of Hyperrealism: Bert Monroy
Famous Painters of Hyperrealism: Ron Mueck, Duane Hanson
What makes Art Hyper-Realistic?

An artwork is called hyperrealistic when it follows a few parameters that make it distinctive from other genres.
Evoking a sense of admiration and inspiring awe, these paintings are stunning enough to leave you mesmerized with an insane level of precision.
Whether it’s the texture of the skin, light reflecting from a surface, realistic water paintings, or a wrinkled cloth, these artworks are truly astonishing.
How to Paint Realistic Paintings?

Here are a few pointers to follow if you are aiming to make your paintings hyperrealistic and seek to stand out in international competitions:
Extreme Detail: Hyperrealistic art allows all painters to stretch their imagination into a wealth of possibilities and add those extra details, transforming a simple sketch into a sophisticated work of hyperrealism. Gently draw in the focus by making details inclusive of your paintings, but steer clear of overwhelming the viewer with too many additions.
Emotional Intensity: Artworks like realistic landscape paintings make viewers connect emotionally with the artwork, as these are highly evocative. Their emotional aura helps the viewer to measure the profundity of the paintings instead of limiting oneself to experiencing the superficial. More than emotional resonance, these artworks inspire thoughts, welcoming the viewer to explore new insights and perspectives.
Magnified Imagery: A photograph is precise, no doubt, but a hyperrealistic art form magnifies this precision to reflect a tangible reality. How does one showcase the minutest details in an artwork? This is when magnifying the image can help a lot.
Study the Anatomy: While drawing figures, artists need to have a deeper understanding of the anatomy, as it has the power and potential to make the art picture-perfect. Leonardo da Vinci’s art is a popular example of a painter who mastered anatomy. Working on the portions and proportions of a painting with the accuracy of an expert will inevitably create a realistic painting.
Transitions: Take note of the transitions, either from dark to light or the many shades of a color in a painting. Transitions will help you avoid a flat surface in an artwork that looks unnatural to the eye.
Bottom Line
A hyperrealistic painting not only inspires awe amongst those who discover this surreal artwork, but is also emotionally appealing to all those who aim to look beyond the surface.
Looking back into the past only shows that hyperrealism didn’t emerge out of nowhere. Rather, it’s an evolutionary process where art transitioned from realism and photorealism to hyperrealism.
Today, technology is being widely used by digital creators as a medium to create artwork that emulates reality. In the realm of global art competitions, where every artist desires to be at the top, knowing these foundational principles is of utmost significance.
Following these guidelines will not only help you master realistic artwork but also stand out in international competitions like TERAVARNA.
Supplementing self-practice with online tutorials, workshops, and an ambitious mindset will help you become a pro at creating realistic paintings in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How to make your art look more realistic?
The most fundamental fact about drawing a realistic picture is to refine the details and texture to emulate reality beyond the ordinary. Magnify your artwork if you want to add those tiny details with ease, without having to struggle with limited space.
How do people make realistic art?
To make realistic art, you can choose from a wide range of tools or art supplies. If you are planning to paint with oil colors, investing in artist-grade paints is a fine choice. Make sure you seal the surface of the wooden panels by applying gesso. For adding details and blending, use fine and filbert brushes, respectively.


