Painting photographs is always a challenge. When the source material is a printed object you have to consider the changes which take place in the printing process. The color gamut isn’t anything near what the human eye or camera can perceive. Then there is the resolution problem.
What do Bert do? He improvised. He takes the information given and tries to create something closer to the perception of what the human eye would receive.
The use of the camera in photorealism can aid or detract the artist. It’s up to photorealist painters to ensure it is always just another tool.
Bert loves this painting. It’s simple and rather iconic for those that drove past the old railway line on the way to the town of Yarra Glen.
Dimensions: 15x30cm
Painted: 2009
Materials: Acrylic on MDF board
Private collection
The story behind Railway trestle bridge near Yarra Glen
This painting is one of a series of small photorealist paintings of Yarra Glen. As you come into Yarra Glen from Lilydale, there are a few of these old railway trestle bridges left from the old Healesville railway line. This one, thankfully, wasn’t burnt down in the recent bushfires that devastated the area.
Like the other small paintings Bert did from around this time it is painted from a postcard.
Source image of realism painting Railway trestle bridge near Yarra Glen
