In the sense that it's super-realism, there's that.
But if you look at a Rockwell work and compare it side by side, Rockwell is an "illustrator" in style, where Robert's work is painterly. It's hard to explain but easy to see.
Printable View
Wow...this could be the story of my son...grew up as a virtuoso Transformer and Lego fanatic (as a young boy) and continued his interests as an Ivy League Mechanical Engineer.... and today....manages the "International Space Station Cargo Resupply Cygnus program" for Orbital, Inc. as a lead Mechanical Engineer. I see this painting, and I see my son discarding his toys for the material that would eventually get him into Cornell. Very emotional painting for me....obviously due to the associations I have to it.
I'm including a photographer or two in my list of the artists I like. I'm forgetting some, but...
Van Gogh
Ralph Steadman
DaVinci
Sorayama
Paolo Serpieri
Coop
Jonathan Winters
Marty Stuart
Cindi Bernhardt
Julie Speed
Derek Hess
Helmut Newton
Fastner & Larson
SHAG
Gustavo
Fred Gwynne
Les Toil
Bill Ward
Marilyn Manson
Rob Zombie
Marco Almera
Carlos Cartagena
Rockwell
Bob Ross
Goldtop
As a visual artist, I can't just pick one. But of all the great American artists of the second half of the 20th Century, I would have to pick Chuck Close and Robert Rauschenberg as the ones that have influenced me the most.
Chuck Close:
http://www.alanaveryartcompany.com/w...e/leslie-1.jpg
Robert Rauschenberg:
http://www.nytstore.com/assets/images/AW1984.jpg