You have seen these lifelike images over the internet, and you are probably surprised to know a camera does not capture them. They are a result of the carbon traces of talented illustrators. Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling high-resolution photography. This art movement brings details into the image that were not there before.

Samantha Messias is a British, self-taught hyperrealistic artist, bringing images to life with the stroke of her pencil. Art came to Samantha when she needed it the most. It was an outlet for her feelings when the trauma she suffered as a little girl was too much to express. The artist noticed she had a gift, an ability that also served as therapy for her. So she started training herself to create these detailed drawings, and these are some of the most important lessons she found on her journey.

Find A Process That Works

“When doing commission drawings, I don’t just copy an image. I always go deeper into the actual subject that I’m drawing.” As anyone in a creative career, research is necessary to light up the spark of new ideas to craft your artwork. Samantha shares that her most commissioned drawings are about loved ones who passed away or people looking to immortalize their most precious memories.

Samantha meets the person in real life most times, gets to know their character and sees them from different angles. “As a creator, we want to feel the person we are drawing, get to know their feelings. I like to find out who I’m drawing. It gives me a proper sense of the person.” If she’s working on a portrait for a celebrity, she listens to interviews, podcasts, and stories about the person. Research allows Sam to create something different and build that emotional layer adding something that wasn’t there to the piece.

Be True To Yourself

Another vital tip Samantha gives to commissioned artists is “draw nothing that is against your beliefs. Make sure everything you are drawing is in line with you and your principles”. When working for money, young artists may feel tempted to draw anything, even if it’s something they are not okay with. Samantha advises being careful when this happens. If you are not interested in the piece’s subject, you won’t put in your soul and effort. Therefore, this commission will not motivate you to create art with quality.

On a final note, when young artists approach Messias asking her for advice, she always asks them a few questions: “Do you want to be an artist? What does an artist mean to you? Do you want it full-time or as a hobby? Do you want to get paid for it? People love the idea, but they don’t want to do the work.” Samantha invites young artists to practice their craft every day because only consistency and perseverance will lead those who dream of becoming experts in their field.

As the artist, Samantha Messias says: “Life is like a blank canvas,” and it’s your job to look for the right tools, guidance, time, and effort to make the painting of your life as beautiful as you want it to be.

If you would like to find out more about Samantha and see her remarkable artwork, visit samanthamessiasart.com