Some artists are used to spending hours creating works of art that are painstakingly intricate to produce. Photorealism is a style of art that attempts to achieve the same level of detail and realism as a photograph. Photorealistic paintings and drawings are often mistaken for photographs upon first glance. In other words, they are paintings which are almost exact copies of high-quality photographs that require perfect technique.
Back in the day still life paintings were the norm. As time surpassed modern art took the scene. Salvador Dali, Picasso, Chagall, amongst others have become the touch of masters. As the years have passed modern art has driven egos. Surreal artists paint stories captured within their maniacal world which depicts artistry.
In my opinion, art should be a symmetrical array of colours which gives a sense of togetherness, an opportunity to momentarily escape certain negative true-life scenarios while enjoying the image and everything it portrays when looked at.
However, those artists who have the skill and patience to create masterful works of art nowadays seem to be in a dying trade because either there isn't demand, or they don't have the skill and opt for simpler methods that often-small kids could produce. Art driven by experts sometimes deludes, and critics prefer to keep quiet. In my opinion, some modern art is poor quality which sometimes receives erroneous praise.
Similarly, craftsmen develop themselves to provide trade skills that resolve failures. I recall buying a Seiko Kinetic watch in the mid-90s for a pretty sum. Kinetic watches use a mechanical movement that is powered by a self-charging battery. Kinetic watches have a small mechanism on the back of the movement, which spins whenever the wearer moves their wrist. This movement is converted into electrical energy, and stored in a rechargeable battery.
Over the years the strap has broken from consistent usage. In the late 90’s/early 2000s it didn’t present any difficulty to get the watch fixed. However, workmanship is changing and watchmakers have changed their strategy to repair watches by saying that they don’t fix straps and that I need to replace it with another one. One particular attribute that is part of the watch’s identity is the strap that has a hefty feel, and the appearance that makes the watch attractive. My strap which is appropriate for the style of my watch has small strips of gold plating which means any change to what is currently available will not be tolerable. I have tried countless times in England, the USA, and Brazil to no avail.
As a consequence, the watch rests in my drawer. I think it prudent to point out that the Western World lacks quality repair shops. This also applies to damaged car parts, as in Europe there is the attitude that when a part has been involved in an accident it needs replacing. As insurance, which is obligatory is obliged to pay for new parts. Car dealerships also have a policy to exchange rather than repair. There is some logic behind the move. Repaired parts often don’t withstand further damage.
In Brazil though there are still many vehicle repair shops that fix rather than replace with new parts, and part of the reasoning behind this is the cost involved to replace with new parts. Imported cars are very expensive, especially for replacement spare parts. However, the guy who used to fix my strap has passed away, and I can't find anyone who has such craftmanship skills.
Hard graft in English means hard work, so a career that puts in the graft to deliver first rate results.
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Painstakingly (adv) = thoroughly, carefully, meticulously, conscientiously
Artistry (n) = originality, talent, skillfulness, imagination, creativity
Deludes (v) = deceives, cheats, misleads, fools, cons, tricks
Erroneously (adv) = wrongly, mistakenly, incorrectly, inaccurately
Craftsmen (n) = a person who is skilled in a particular craft
The Western World = Today, the most widely used definition of the Western World, also known as the "Latin West," is based entirely on culture rather than geography. In this usage, Western World refers to all of the countries of Western Europe, as well as those countries shaped by Western European culture.
Graft (n) = implant, insert, fix, embed, attach, transplant
1. A shoot or twig inserted into a slit on the trunk or stem of a living plant, from which it receives sap.
2. In medicine a piece of living tissue that is transplanted surgically.
(v) insert (a shoot or twig) as a graft. "It was common to graft different varieties onto a single tree trunk"
2. In medicine to transplant (living tissue) as a graft. "They can graft a new hand onto the arm"
Tolerable (adj) = bearable, endurable, admissible, passable, adequate, acceptable i.e., able to be endured, or fairly good; mediocre
To no avail (idiom) = without success They tried to discuss the issue calmly, but to no avail
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