Virtual Iceland – Cafe with a View
Iceland, the land of ice and fire, volcanoes and glaciers, fjords and lakes, hot baths and boiling mud puddles. The land of four seasons in a single day, where the sun, the wind and the clouds provide a continuous and spectacular light show. The land where nature is leading, where fords at some moments are suddenly not that fordable.
I was in Iceland in the summers of 2005 and 2008 and in the winter of 2012. Statistically, it is about time to make another trip to the island on the edge of the world, the most beautiful place on the planet. I’m still looking for a sponsor…
Impression Art
In the meantime, I made this interior impression of an imaginary Icelandic cafe. I make this kind of images primarily to learn something. Visualizations of interiors are one of the biggest challenges for an impression artist. The lighting, with both daylight and artificial light sources, is usually much more complicated than for outdoor pictures.
Also, there are more details that require attention. Consider, for example, the candles on the tables, the pints of beer on the bar and the reflections in the lamps.
Icelandic paintifications
Another reason to make this picture: I was looking for a place to exhibit some canvases from The Iceland Collection. That’s a series of paintifications I made based on photographs made on the three previously mentioned trips. digital paintings that emphasize the beauty and diversity of the island. With tourist attractions like the Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik, the ice lake Jökulsárlón and the waterfall Dettifoss. But also with some more mundane scenes like a local football match in the village of Djúpivogur, a snow shower in the harbour of Keflavik and the geothermal pipes near the “mosquito lake” of Myvatn.
Local materials
I used typical Icelandic materials: wood, concrete, corrugated iron. The tables are in the colors of the Icelandic flag. Large windows provide a nice view of the snowy landscape, while water pumped from hot springs takes care of a comfortable atmosphere. And one wall is entirely devoted to the Collection. It’s looking good there, if I may say so…
Update, February 27, 2021: Impressions of Iceland Revisited
Update, May 18, 2022: Spring in Iceland – a good time to travel?
Iceland is a unique country that struck me with its harsh and incredible beauty because nowhere else in the world will you see such beautiful landscapes.