Realism, Abstract Texture, Emotion

When artists put the years of training into learning how to recreate images and objects realistically they often are out for a challenge. But there more artistically sound reasons to embark on the quest for realism. Capturing and rendering of convincing texture is one aspect of learning the language of art.

For example, Trompe L'oeil artists make the rendering of textures the main focus of their painting endeavours Trompe-l'oeil - To Deceive the Eye This is an article that discusses techniques used in Trompe-L’oeil and some of the artists who use them.

Artists such as Jan Van Eyke concentrated on highly polished rendering techniques in the 16th century. It is important to realise that the work is more then a mere attempt to emulate a camera. “we should not understand our role as a passive one in which we simply reflect the "found" or "given" meaning of a work of art. Instead, we need to take an active stance in relationship to the work and make or construct our own understanding of the meaning of a work of art. “

We are led to ask the question what more meaning could there be when an artist sets out to capture their environment or an image exactly?

Art Movements such as Photo-Realism sprang up in the 20th Century. "Realist paintings and sculptures involving thorough reproduction of detail. In painting the results were nearly photographic-- in fact made from photographs (although painters had been working from photographs since the early days of photography)."

These works are often said to be Super Real "The Hyper-realism movement originated in the late sixties and early seventies when artists began producing paintings that appeared to be photographs. In the sculpture medium, artist often used casts of the human figure to create true-to-form"

Artists can use texture to evoke emotions. Touch can evoke many emotions. By incorporating touch into the picture we have appealed to those viewers who need to literally 'touch to feel.' If you would like to read more about touching the emotions through artistic expression read "What Is An Emotion?"

This article talks of..." more ways students are encouraged to explore and investigate experience and feel phenomena, ideas, mental systems and emotions the fuller and broader their life perspective can become."

For the basics read What Is Texture?

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