No, they’re not photographs: Astonishing acrylic paintings which are so detailed they look like they were taken on a camera


With their spectacular use of focus and reflected light, these incredible artworks look like carefully composed still-life photographs.



But in fact they are all painstakingly rendered on canvas with acrylic paints by Canadian artist Jason de Graaf.

The hyperrealistic paintings, which almost appear as if they are computer generated, are like freeze frames of a world more magical than our own - inspiring the term Magic Realism as a description.

The X-Statix: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 24in

Untitled (Self-portrait): Acrylic on canvas 30in x 30in

Bedlam: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 30in

Dalliance: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 36in

Fluid mechanics: Acrylic on panel 22in x 42in

That Morning: Acrylic on wood 24in x 18in

A Wave Of Refreshment: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 24in Kiwi Splash: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 40in

Suspension Of Disbelief: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 36in

Apple Blossoms: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 18in

Archimedes' Principle: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 30in

Cherries: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 20in

A Perfect Day In Which Nothing Really Happened: Acrylic on panel 21in x 35in

Foilscape: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 18in

Born in Motreal, Canada, in 1971, Mr de Graaf currently lives and works in Oka, Quebec, where he works for hours on end in almost total isolation to complete his intricate pieces.

He first photographs his still life compositions, before drawing them on to canvas with pencil then painstakingly recreating the images - coloured by his own interpretation - with acrylic paints over many days.

From 1993-1996 Mr de Graaf studied illustration at Dawson College in Montreal. After years of full-time and part-time illustration work, he has devoted himself entirely to painting since 2005.

He cites diverse influences ranging from M.C. Escher to Johannes Vermeer, but says that watching a local illustrator demonstrate painting with acrylics inspired him to develop his unique style.

Heliocentric: Acrylic on canvas 40in x 30in

Ice Palace: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 36in

Theory of Probability: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 36in

Vanity Fair: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 24in

Spirits Of Oisterwijk: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 36in

Nancy's Room: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 20in

Obscura: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 24in

Ocean View: Acrylic on canvas 39in x 26in

Perihelion: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 30in

Photorealism at the Millennium: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 24in

Seven Chambers: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 24in

Solstice: Acrylic on canvas 18in x 36in

Strawberries on Foil: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 24in

Tandem: Acrylic on canvas 40in x 30in

The Sphinx of Delft: Acrylic on canvas 24in x 48in

Trinity: Acrylic on canvas 30in x 24in

Eventide: Acrylic on canvas 20in x 30in

Vesalius Skeleton: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 24in

Vessels: Acrylic on canvas 36in x 18in

Mr de Graaf told Poets & Artists magazine that his paintings are about creating the 'illusion of verisimilitude', filtered through his own vision of the world.

'Though I use photographs as the image source, my goal is not to reproduce of document faithfully what I see, but to create an illusion of depth and sense of presence not found in photographs,' he said.

'Many of my paintings are about the relationship of light with reflective and transparent surfaces and my journey to understand those qualities and convey my sense of wonder and intrigue over them.

'Lately I have been trying to imbue my paintings with a sense of narrative and lyricism.'