Grey's Simple Rules of Surrealistic Art

Someone recently asked me to explain how I saw surrealism. Since I rarely consider myself a fantasy artist, but almost always consider myself a surrealist, I try to maintain some basic rules for myself. Many may disagree with these, but these are the basic rules I try to follow when creating a surrealistic piece of art. 

First rule of surrealistic art

You must introduce an equal measure of reality to illusion or else it becomes fantasy

Second rule of surrealistic art

Surrealism is subtle. It is meant to transport you one step out of your own reality not one hundred steps

Third rule of surrealistic art

Color is the gas that fuels the illusion. A color change shifting away from reality changes the world

Fourth rule of surrealistic art

Unique doesn't equal over the top. A unique piece of surreal art is one that explores subtlety

Fifth rule of surrealistic art

The line between surrealism and fantasy is thin

Sixth rule of surrealistic art

Tell a story that the viewer interprets

Seventh rule of surrealistic art

Surrealism should vaguely disturb the viewer but not necessarily frighten

Eighth rule of surrealistic art

It must be plausible even if it stretches reality to the breaking point. Impossibility is fantasy not surrealism

Ninth rule of surrealistic art

Surrealism plays to the viewers emotions. If there is no emotion in the piece then there is no depth

Tenth rule of surrealistic art

If the dog is brown, its realism. If the dog is blue its fantasy. If the dog has four brown paws and one blue paw its surrealism

Eleventh rule of surrealistic art

Distort, don't destroy



The Four Stages

REALITY - SURREALISM - FANTASY - ABSTRACTION

                                 1---------------------3-----------------7---------------------------10