I spent a long time trying to decide what one of my favorite pieces of art would be. I'm the kind of person who can hardly ever have just one or two favorites, so it was a tough process. I finally chose Heleane Mi Salain, by digital artist Linda Bergkvist (also known to the internet fantasy art community as Enayla). I came across Enayla years ago when searching through the internet for fantasy art. Hers is hands-down some of the best art I have ever seen, both in terms of fantasy art and digital painting. She created this picture entirely on her computer, with a Wacom tablet and Photoshop.
The thing that always blows my mind about this image is the level of detail, especially in the grass around the figure and the lace of her dress. The picture, to me, seems like paint over a photograph; it's so realistic, and yet so surreal. You feel as if you can fall into that field, and yet you feel like you'll never reach it. The original art is much, much bigger than these pictures. I wish I could see the full size, I can hardly imagine the detail she put into it.
The woman's expression seems sinisterly perfect, particularly after you read the artist's story about the painting. The other thing that I always think about when I see this image is how much I want that dress! The design of the thing is gorgeous, and the colors simply make it. That can be said of the whole painting: the colors make it beautiful, sensual, and dream like. The soft fade of the purples and grays into the background make the foggy space feel expansive, despite how close the figure is to the viewer. The woman's dark hair and eyes convey mystery to me, and the blues and pinks in her dress are sweet and enticing, like something you know you shouldn't have. The woman and the flow of her skirt fall into a triangular shape and a curved line that draws the eye across the painting. The light in the painting is focused on her face, drawing you back to her all-too-perfect expression over and over. Her placement in the image is close enough to the center to make her the unmistakable subject, without being directly in the middle (which tends to be less interesting). Another thing that lends to the focus on her is the incredible detail and brightness of her compared to the background, which is softer and darker.
I think almost every choice made in the creation of the picture was perfect, I can't think of anything to make it better. Any more realistic would detract from the style, any more stylized would take away from the amazement that comes from viewing it. I could go on about this picture for a long, long time. It simply is a beautiful picture that always inspires me to try to hone my own artistic skill to that kind of level. It also always makes me want to run right out and buy myself a Wacom tablet! I need one!
