Archive feature, first published 2018-09-29.
Graffiti does not have to be all about painting. So, how about seeing some beautiful artworks being brought to life as you look at them. That's what street artist Odeith does, looking for a way to make a difference around the street art world. He began to create these distinctive pieces. Painting across more than one surface, he creates a sense of floating objects, insects and 3D letters.
He has a particular interest in perspective and shading, a three-dimensional style that brings his illustrations to life. Thanks to his incredible talent and skills, he has often worked with major brands such as Coca-Cola, Samsung, and Shell.
More Info: Website | Instagram
Find the viewpoint that completes the illusion
Odeith's source profile described painting across more than one surface to suggest floating objects, insects and lettering. That makes the join between surfaces part of the technique. Look for a corner or change of plane and ask how the painted form crosses it. A photograph from the intended viewpoint can make the result look continuous, while another angle might expose the construction. The illusion is a carefully arranged visual effect, which is more interesting than claiming that paint has become a three-dimensional object.
Compare this perspective illusion with Jennifer Bolande's Billboards Reconnect With the Landscape.
A closer look
Lettering and insects make different demands on the same illusion. A letter needs readable edges, while an insect also invites the viewer to imagine the space around legs and wings. The wall’s corner becomes a useful test of whether those imagined forms remain convincing.
Links from the 2018 feature: Website · Instagram
(The Facebook video originally embedded here is no longer available.)
Related reading: Tom Bob Turns Street Fixtures Into Playful Art.
A painted shadow helps the eye accept the floating form
Odeith’s perspective effects use the surrounding wall as part of the image. A suggested shadow can give a painted object apparent distance from that wall, while carefully aligned edges carry the form across a corner. The result asks the eye to accept an invented space over a real one. Looking for the boundary between those spaces makes the technique more interesting than the first moment of surprise alone.
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