I find it delightful. This is stunning superrealism!

Thank you. I was like "who does that LOOK like....??"

Obsessing over painting every wood-shaving was a criticism made of Millais' 1850 Christ in the House of His Parents, and by extension, all of the pre-Raphaelites, in their Asperger's-like attention to banal detail. But a lot of people still go for that kind of thing; look at the popularity of The Lord of the Rings. Pages and pages describing the relief carved in some dude's buttons and belt buckle, and then millions of dollars spent bringing every one of that dude's ornate buttons to life on the big screen. Kind of sick, if you ask me.

its the same as a metal band with extremely complicated instrumentals not equalling good music.

detailed paintings can be beautiful, don't know if this is or not, though i do admire the perspective changes of his body as he is leaning forward

This is a good representation of "mundane, everyday life" as art. Think "Nighthawks" for a comparison.

Obviously he wasn't as fast as digital--but there's something physical and tactile about skillfully arranged paint on a canvas that no photo can come near. It's a rare gift, to be able to paint life as life really is.

Damned hipsters.

Also, I like the painting. As someone with a bar in my house (downstairs in the rumpus room, natch), I think it would look rather charming hanging there.