JOHANNES WESSMARK | 2ND PLACE
2025 OPEN COMPETITION

Johannes Wessmark lives and works in Kil, Sweden where he creates striking hyperrealist paintings that are often mistaken for photographs, which is what he is striving for. A graphic designer and advertising illustrator for 15 years, he was ready for freedom from the restrictive nature of working to fulfill the vision of others rather than his own, so he sold his company and became a full-time fine artist.

Wessmark’s award-winning work has been featured in art publications, included in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and can be found in museum, public, and private collections worldwide.

We had a conversation with Wessmark about his passion for hyperrealism.

You worked in graphic design and advertising illustration before embarking on your fine art career. How did the skills you used in the commercial arena impact your paintings?

Since I am self-taught in painting, my experience as an advertising illustrator has meant a lot; it allowed me to familiarize myself with techniques I still use today. I learned how to manage perspective, proportions, colors, materials, and more. This knowledge remains very useful to me now when I paint.

You often combine figures with water elements in your paintings. What inspires you about the combination of these two subjects?

I think my love for water started when I was little, and my parents often took us kids on trips and excursions by boat and canoe. The female body has been, and still is, one of the most beloved motifs among artists since ancient times. Combining the two has always been a fascination and a challenge for me. I find it exciting to see how the light reflects on wet skin and how the water surface creates light patterns on bodies underwater.

How do you treat light and its effects on color in your work?

Light and color go hand in hand. I try to use light to create a strong center of interest, but sometimes a bright pure color can also do that.

You often use acrylic, oil, colored pencil, and airbrushing in your paintings. How do these media work together and how do you choose what to use in a particular painting?

I think you should use the tools that are best suited to the task. The acrylic that I use both with a regular brush and in the airbrush is good for large surfaces and backgrounds. It dries quickly and is easy to cover large surfaces with. I use oil and colored pencils for smaller details after the base is painted. When I paint on paper, the pencils work best. When I paint on canvas, however, I usually create the details with oil. I always apply the oil last because the other materials do not adhere well to oil.

The details in your paintings are extensive and meticulous. What is it about this that appeals to you?

Ever since I was a child, I have drawn and painted with a high level of detail, so I think it has to do with my personality. My interest in realism comes from within. It is always exciting to hear visitors to my studio comment that they first thought my paintings were photographs. That is when I know that I have achieved a satisfactory result.

In your painting of a cougar, "You Look Delicious," did you use a photographic reference and what inspired you about the image?

I always use photographs as references for my paintings. Mostly my own photos but sometimes I buy photos from professional photographers, and other times the reference photos are created or edited using Photoshop or some other software. "You Look Delicious" is a combination of several photos, and I think it was an exciting image since the situation obviously is hazardous. You could be this cougar's dinner any second.

As a hyperrealist, I strive to mimic my reference photo as much as possible. One of the camera effects when shooting with a short shutter speed is that the depth of field becomes shallow and gives a blurred background. So, mimicking this in the painting is a way to make it look more like a photograph. Also, this way I can focus and draw attention to what is important in the image.

Wessmark is represented by Plus One Gallery in London, and Mash Gallery in Los Angeles, CA,.

All images © Copyright Johannes Wessmark, shared with permission