3D Street Artists
Kurt Wenner
Kurt Wenner was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended both Rhode Island School of Design and Art Center College of Design. He was employed by NASA as an advanced scientific space illustrator, creating conceptual paintings of future space projects and of extra-terrestrial landscapes according to the scientific information provided. He is an artist best known for his street painting and chalk murals using a projection called anamorphosis. These 3D chalk drawings on pavement have been featured in many newspapers and on several television shows. In anamorphic art, paintings are meant to “deceive the eye”. A painting may look ordinary from one angle, but view it with a curved lens and it becomes 3-dimensional. He first developed the technique of illusionistic street painting in the early1980s in Europe. His early work and development of this street painting technique was documented by National Geographic in a documentary film “Masterpieces in Chalk.” (1) Many of his projects echo Renaissance classicism with a modern approach. His sponsors range from name brands, Disney and the Vatican.
(1) http://www.kurtwenner.com/index.htm
These next two creations are elaborate, classical chalk drawings that echo Renaissance classicism, and are what may have been, some of the first 3D Street Art creations.
The Giant
Location: Unknown
Date of Creation: Unknown, but judging from the fashion of those in the photo I would have to say mid to late 1980s
The Giant is a piece that captures the classical style extremely well. The giant looks as though he was chiseled out of a piece of stone and came to life. He is fit into the scene very well, surrounded by columns and the dark abyss below. It is hard to tell whether or not he is climbing out, or falling into the black abyss.
Reflections
Grazle Di Cuartatone, Italy
1987
I like Reflections because it captures the classical Renaissance very well. The colors, style, and content all fit into the piece, and the people looking into the chalk art help to add to the grandeur of the illusion. I especially like how realistic the water surface looks, and how the water and reflections look like they are glowing, creating a whimsical scene.
Eric Grohe
Eric Grohe was born in New York City in 1944. He moved to the West Coast when he was young, and he currently resides just north of Seattle, Washington. His professional career as a graphic designer and illustrator began in Seattle in 1961, briefly interrupted by a tour of duty in Vietnam. Back at home, he was hired as a graphic designer by Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson, a national architectural firm. Later he worked with the Cambridge University archaeology dept., illustrating digs in France, Greece, Israel and England. Returning stateside, Eric worked in New York City as a freelance illustrator.(1) He creates works that transform drab city facades into three-dimensional environments. Using a specific silica based paint known as Keim Mineral that lasts for over 100 years, he has created an impressive portfolio on the sides and fronts of buildings across the world over the past 20 years. Working with a team of two trusted assistants, he plans and executes his designs using Google Earth and Global Imaging Satellites and digital photographs sent in by his prospective clients, to work out the sun’s position to allow for shadows. With each mural taking up to a year to complete from start to finish. (2)
(1) http://www.ericgrohemurals.com/about.html
(2) http://funniestarea.blogspot.com/2010/12/amazing-wall-painting-pictures.html
These next two piece are good example of 3D Street Art because they are images painted onto a flat public surface (building walls), which make the surface look like it is not actually flat, but that it has depth and space.
Great American Crossroad – Before
Great American Crossroad – After
Bucyrus, Ohio
1999
Great American Crossroad appeals to me because, believe it or not, everything is paint. Eric Grohe has an amazing ability to make not only realistic paintings on various surfaces, but he also has an amazing ability to incorporate and replicate the surface itself into the image. For example, the cement blocks of the building are incorporated in the painting, and are extended three dimensionally into the surface of the wall. Also, the two painted-on-engraved scenes to the left and right of the bridge opening are also incorporated extremely well onto the cement surface. Overall, I can’t believe how realistic this paining is.
Serenity Road – Before
Serenity Road – After
Seattle, Washington
2007
I find Serenity Road appealing because of the amount of detail present in the arches.I couldn’t imagine the time it took to paint just one arch, and then to have to make another exact duplicate arch, and make it look three dimensional, must have been extremely tedious and difficult. I also think that the landscape painting in the background is very well done, and is extremely realistic.
Julian Beever
Julian Beever was born in Cheltenham, UK in 1959. He attended state schools and studied Art at Leeds Met. University in the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1983. He is a chalk artist who has been creating chalk drawings on pavement surfaces since the mid-1990s. He uses a projection technique called anamorphosis to create the illusion of three dimensions when viewed from the correct angle. It is often possible to position a person within the image as if they were interacting with the scene. He first designs his work on paper. Once finalised, a camera is placed at a distance from the art on the pavement which he returns to in order to observe the image through the lens a number of times, as the camera’s wide angled lens can create an optical illusion which distorts the actual size of objects, which aids in maintaining perspective. He works internationally as a freelance artist and creates murals for companies and big institutions. (1)
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Beever
Julian Beever’s pieces are fun, vibrant, and extremely realistic. His ability to use chalk to create sub-surface scenes on the ground surface, and his ability to deceive the human eye with his artistic ability is incredible.
White Water Rafting
Location: Unknown
Date of Creation: Unknown
I like White Water Rafting because the image is fun, and “cartoonyish”, yet it is extremely deceiving. It actually looks like the sidewalk has just been washed away by the river, and that the rafters are going to plunge down the rapids into the alligator infested pool. I like the vibrant colors that were used in the piece, and I like how Julian Beever incorporates human interaction into the final piece of work to make it come to life.
Waste of Water…
Location: Unknown
Date of Creation: Unknown
Out of the 6 works I shared, I find this one to be the most realistic and deceiving. When I first saw Waste of Water… I thought that Julian Beever was actually spraying water. Then, I realized that not only was the water fake, but that the storm drain and the hose were also created using chalk. Once again I like the “cartoonyishness” of the piece, but I also like how realistic the water looks as it is splashing and flowing into the imaginary storm drain.