Do not let these hyper-realistic photos fool you...

Francine Wolfisz profiles the hyper-realist work of an Israeli-born artist Yigal Ozeri

They might look like they belong on the cover of a magazine, but these beautiful model shots are not actually photographs – in fact, they are the handiwork of a talented Israeli-born artist.

Yigal Ozeri spent months painstakingly creating these large-scale portraits of young women posed in dream-like landscapes, with thousands of tiny brushstrokes.

Now living in New York, an exhibition of the 59-year-old’s incredible lifelike paintings, known as hyper-realism, will go on display at the Opera Gallery in London’s New Bond Street, from tomorrow (Friday).

Ozeri starts each project by taking photographs of the models, which are altered in Photoshop. He then uses these prints as reference point to create the oil on canvas paintings.

Hyper-realist artist Yigal Ozeri, who is originally from Israel and now lives in New York, spends months creating beautiful oil-on-canvas pictures of models, with thousands of tiny brushstroke

One of his artworks features model and actress Lizzy Jagger, daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall.

Speaking to The Independent, Ozeri says: “I think an artist is born with raw talent; however, that needs to be developed, sharpened and cultivated.

“I was born in a small town in Israel to a family with no connection to, nor understanding in art.

“But my family noticed (especially my father) my propensity, and as of the age of 10, he would take me to paint in nature.”

Ozeri’s work, which always features female subjects, has been exhibited around the world and features in the permanent collections of the New York Public Library, the Jewish Museum in New York and the
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, among others.

ω Yigal Ozeri’s work goes on display from Friday 12 May until 25 May at Opera Gallery, New Bond Street, London. operagallery.com