Hard To Define Fantasy Art and Surreal Art (Part I)

Alone by Louloua Asgaraly

available for sale HERE

The wonderful thing about practicing art is that pieces or ideas evolve into artworks that are often hard to define or pigeon-hole. 

We are a group of fantasy artists who often straddle between fantasy art and surrealism. They are both alike in a lot of ways.

This is the definition of fantasy art (according to the Wikipedia definition):

It can be characterised by subject matter – which portrays non-realistic, mystical, mythical or folkloric subjects or events – and style, which is representational and naturalistic, rather than abstract - or in the case of magazine illustrations and similar, in the style of graphic novel art such as manga.

Fantasy has been an integral part of art since its beginnings,[2] but has been particularly important in mannerism, magic realist painting, romantic art, symbolism, surrealism and lowbrow. In French, the genre is called le fantastique, in English it is sometimes referred to as visionary art, grotesque art or mannerist art. It has had a deep and circular interaction with fantasy literature ...

... Fantastic art has traditionally been largely confined to painting and illustration, but since the 1970s has increasingly been found also in photography. Fantastic art explores fantasy, imagination, the dream state, the grotesque, visions and the uncanny,[2] as well as so-called "Goth" art.

This is the definition of surrealist art (according to the Wikipedia definition):

Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for its visual artworks and writings. The aim was to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality".[1][2][3] Artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes with photographic precision, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself.[4]

Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur ...

Our group of artists primarily practice both styles of art. 

Because many of the images in this post do not conform "exactly" to the subjects of fantasy art (or story-telling), per se, they are being featured to show that the "realm of fantasy art" is also often the realm of "surrealist art". 

At any rate, they are very creative, which is the point of art.

Here are some more images from the members of our group that fall into that category:

 Bananas by Marvin Blaine

available for sale HERE

Fantasia by Martina Rall

available for sale HERE

A Separate Reality by Jim Rehlin

available for sale HERE

Boating on Clouds by Martina Rall

available for sale HERE

Midnight Tale by Psycho Shadow

available for sale HERE

Treasure Chest by KaFra Art

available for sale HERE

Greek Gift Right by Melinda Dare Benfield

available for sale HERE

Harbinger of Light by Alice Chen

available for sale HERE

Alone in the Clouds by Louloua Asgaraly

available for sale HERE

Lady of the Lake by Susan Maxwell Schmidt

available for sale HERE

Texas Blue by Pamela Smale Williams

available for sale HERE

Don't forget that a lot of these images from our respective shops come on tote bags, pillows, greeting cards and other products. Here are just a few from our featured artists:

Bananas tote bag by Marvin Blaine

choose background color from drop-down (this one is #ddd092)

available for sale HERE

Treasure Chest shower curtain by KaFra Art

choose background color from drop-down (this one is #2e5d70)

available for sale HERE

(note: the Fine Art America watermark does not appear on products)

A Separate Reality phone case by Jim Rehlin

 choose background color from drop-down (this one is #a7c5e2)

available for sale HERE

click here for more unusual artworks from our group

our group home page

In the next post (part II) I will feature twelve more fantasy-surreal images.

See you then!