Delicate Grayscale Watercolor Paintings Look Like Grainy Vintage Photographs

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

Artist Elicia Edijanto creates watercolor art with a nostalgic quality. Her compositions of solitary children, animals, and misty landscapes look like grainy black and white photographs or stills from a long-lost film. In actuality, they are painted with a grayscale palette.

Each of these wistful pieces blurs reality with dreams. Edijanto's delicate brushstrokes capture the forms of people, creatures, and even statues but do not focus on the details of their faces or expressions. Instead, her figures are shadowed by the stormy depths of the setting, transforming many of them into anonymous, dark-grey silhouettes. “For me, my art is a cathartic release. It’s a way for me to preserve the inner longing for tranquility, innocence, and hope for a tender world,” Edijanto tells My Modern Met.

It is unclear what stories are taking place in Edijanto's mysterious paintings. As a result, viewers can fill in the blanks themselves and form their own ideas of what the narrative is. But whether you see them grounded in a version of reality or as part of a dream, these cloudy illustrations instantly transport you to another time and place.

You can purchase original paintings via Edijanto's website and prints via Lumarte. Make sure you keep up to date with the artist's latest work by following the artist on Instagram.

Artist Elicia Edijanto creates exquisite watercolor paintings with a grayscale palette.

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

As a result, these images look like mysterious vintage photographs.

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoGrayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

It is unclear what stories are taking place in Edijanto's mysterious paintings.

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoGrayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

Viewers can fill in the blanks themselves and form their own ideas of what the narrative is.

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoGrayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

Whether you see them grounded in a version of reality or as part of a dream…

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia Edijanto

…these cloudy illustrations instantly transport you to another time and place.

Grayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoGrayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoGrayscale Watercolor Painting by Elicia EdijantoElicia Edijanto: Website | Instagram | Lumarte

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Elicia Edijanto.

Related Articles:

Colorful Watercolor Paintings Capture the Mood and Energy of Cities Around the World

Massive Watercolor Paintings “Bloom” on Paper Showcasing the Delicate Beauty of Flowers

Beautiful Watercolor Studies Capture the Tranquility of Nature

Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits

Sponsored Content

[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]