It’s sometimes difficult to find quality work in deviantART galleries when they’re all swamped with miscats - whether the miscats are simply art lost in the wrong categories or grainy webcam shots that belong in scraps or on Photobucket.

So in order to spread both inspiration and education, I’ve decided to start the Gallery Study project, where we can look at some examples of what should be where. I’m going to select a collection of both well known art to show the potential and help spark ideas, and lesser known art to spread the love and uncover some unseen beauty. So all you have to do is chill out, grab a drink, and enjoy some delicious photography.



Last week we looked at the Abstract gallery, so this week we’re going to look at Surreal. The two get mixed up a lot. If you look at the gallery description for Abstract & Surreal it’ll tell you the difference: Abstract photographs seek to obscure the actual subject, while surreal photographs places the subject in an other-worldly context.


So let’s take a look at Photography > Abstract & Surreal > Surreal! Here’s what should be in there: Photographs that use extreme imagery to extend the scene beyond realism. This should be achieved with minimal digital editing.

Use the gallery info button to learn all this, it’s very helpful! When you’re submitting art, check to be sure. It will keep the galleries clean as well as do some justice for your work. You’ll get better feedback if it’s where the people who care can find it.





Some examples --










A few newer works --












Some of our all-time favorites from the section --







And finally, a few of my personal favorites --






That said, do us all a favor and keep your deviations in the right place. Spread the word so that others do, too. Don’t be afraid to leave comments pointing in the right direction (most people just make mistakes) or even report policy violations for miscats. Let’s help each other out.



-K