I often get told & see online that realistic and hyper-realistic art is not a ‘real art’. I frequently see realism artists having to defend their choice of style & creative tastes as a result of this criticism. Questioning the legitimacy of any style of art hinges on the subjectivity of art. Art is inherently personal, with widely varying individual tastes. Fortunately, the world of art offers a rich tapestry of styles to accommodate this rich human diversity.
Realistic art often faces the critique of being highly skilful and technical but lacking creativity or originality. When viewed from a distance, successful realistic & hyper-realistic pieces can indeed appear as if they are photographs or prints, and this can lead some to question the purpose of such art. I see comments such as, “what’s the point, why not just take a photograph?”, or “anyone can copy a photo”. Firstly, I’d like to see them try and succeed. Secondly, It’s easy to overlook realism as a simplistic style, however, I would argue that it’s not that straightforward.
Creativity embedded with the skill, methods & techniques of realism
I believe there’s merit in discussing the inherent creativity within the skills, methods and techniques used to create art in a realistic style. Camera’s & photographs are often compared to realistic art, able to capture moments in mere milliseconds. In contrast, realistic art demands years of practice, unwavering dedication, and countless hours of meticulous work. This is not to diminish the skills and talents of photographer themselves who excel in their craft. Instead, I’m simply referring to the technical abilities of the camera that realistic artists are often compared to.
The essence of realistic art lies not solely in replication but in the creative process and it’s challenges. Unlike a camera or a printer, the human artist must deconstruct the reference and employ inventive techniques with their chosen materials to faithfully recreate what they see. I think we can all agree that realistic art requires skill, but I believe the skill can also be seen as inherently creative.
When crafting a realistic artwork, the artist engages in creative problem-solving with every mark they make to achieve an accurate representation of their subject. This process involves constant consideration into the shapes and colours, how thick or thin their marks are, as well as the texture and characteristics of the materials used. It requires a keen eye for detail and thoughtful decision-making throughout the process. Each new reference image presents a unique problem for the artist to solve. The creative act lies in the artist’s ability to navigate and resolve these challenges in a way that conveys their artistic intention.
While it may be tempting to dismiss a realistic artwork as a mere copy of the reference photo, a closer look ironically reveals a world of unfamiliar and abstract marks and details. Only when we step back can see the full, realistic image come into focus. For those who appreciate realistic art, you often find them closely examining the artworks to discern the individual marks. These marks not only confirm the human touch behind the image but also reflect the artist’s expertise and creative problem-solving with the materials they work with, highlighting the realistic style’s intrinsic creative essence.
Personal connection to a realistic style
An artistic pursuit involves connecting with a conceptual idea and expressing it with the world in a way that is personally meaningful to the artist. Some perceive a realistic style as a lacking connection between the artist and their art, viewing it as too simplistic. What is the benefit or exploration of recreating something exactly as you see it? However, given the time-intensive nature of creating realistic artwork, the realistic style may, in fact, offer a profound connection between the artist and the chosen subject matter – representing an artistic pursuit in its own right.
The artist’s choice of reference material, and consequently, the subject matter, takes on profound personal significance as they invest time in studying and faithfully reproducing their observations. Whether the chosen subject is a narrative human portrait or a vast landscape, the meticulous process of studying and translating each section of the reference photo into a realistic artwork can evolve into an intimate experience, deepening the connection between the artist and their art. Artists will choose and develop the particular style of art that they enjoy to make, each style comes with a different experience in the creative process. Many realism artists explain how the process is a meditative for them.
Creating an artwork in a realistic style doesn’t necessarily imply that the artist hasn’t made artistic alterations to the reference photo beforehand. While I believe that the skill of realism inherently involves creativity through the creating problem-solving process as previously mentioned, creating from an unaltered photo may lack the personal significance & touch from the artist – especially if they didn’t capture the photo themselves. It’s important to note that this doesn’t hold true for realistic portrait commissions, where the personal meaning rests solely with the commissioner and the faithful reproduction of the photograph they’ve commissioned.
While many appreciate the creative endeavours of artists who produce stylized or abstract versions of their observations and deem it worthy of being called ‘real art’, I think it’s essential to recognize that realism artists often engage in a different creative process. They often invest time and effort in conceiving the concepts, aesthetics, compositions, and ideas for their reference photo(s) before embarking on any drawing, painting, or creating. The realistic style of art then offers the artist an efficient and technically impressive way to convey the visual ideas they wish to share with the audience.
Artistic concepts & subject matter with a realistic style
Just because an artist partakes in a realistic style, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t an obvious human touch or unique recognisable style. In the community of artists who create realistic and hyper-realistic art, it’s often possible to identify the individual artist behind each artwork. Think of C.J Hendry, Heather Rooney, Renato Muccillo, Marco Grassi, Silvie Mahdal, Damian Lechoszest, Katharine Burns & more. This is because each artist typically adheres to a consistent theme and composition style. They may have distinct preferences for subject matter, background choices, colour palettes, and other artistic elements that give their work a unique and recognizable signature.
Nevertheless, creativity in art extends beyond just the style and includes the chosen subject matter, ideas & themes. Regardless whether your style is realistic or not, what makes it a personal artwork to you is how you incorporate reference materials in a way that results in a unique and meaningful creation.
This can be achieved through various conceptual ideas, such as merging multiple references into a single piece, altering form, lighting, or colour, emphasizing a visual narrative and emotional stance, or reinforcing a central idea or theme. When these elements are considered and thought out for the concept of your realistic art, no one can tell you that what you create is not real art because you have given something new to the world.
Meaning within realistic art
The absence of stylization or abstractness in a realistic artwork should not be mistaken for a lack of originality, depth, or thought. For instance, consider an artist depicting a wholesome scene of a mother lion and her cub embracing. Maybe it’s just from one reference photo or many put together to form a perfect composition. A realistic interpretation of this image can effectively convey the intended visual idea without requiring the viewer to search for meaning, offering a direct and immediate connection with the subject matter. A stylized or abstract approach may miss out details and confuse the audience before they can reach a meaning, depending largely on their personal artistic preferences..
Must an artwork possess a degree of abstraction in order to conceal its meaning, encouraging the audience to engage by deciphering it? I can appreciate both abstract styles that challenge interpretation and more realistic styles that offer immediate visual ideas, just as some find abstract art nonsensical and others consider realism overly simplistic.
The question for those who state realism art is not a ‘real art’ lies in determining at what point along the spectrum of realism does an artwork qualify to be called ‘real art’, and where the line is drawn between realism and artistic interpretation.
Just because a realistic artwork holds a true value to nature and reprensatatioal forms, does this deem it not worthy of being considered real art? If this was true, beloved art movements such as Renaissance, Classicism, Romanticism would be dismissed also.
Subjective appreciation of the realistic style & final thoughts
It’s unfair to dismiss a realistic style as lacking creativity simply because it prioritizes immediate visual understanding over ambiguity. While some may prefer decipherable art, it’s essential to recognize that realism is a legitimate category within the diverse world of art styles that people can enjoy & shouldn’t be looked down on for doing so. Artists who embrace realism are also be highly creative individuals who explore various aspects such as subject matter, composition, colour, ideas, and narratives within their reference material.
While some may view realistic art as lacking in innovation or depth when it lacks stylization, I would contend that creativity will always emanate from the underlying concept (provided there is one), and the meaning, visual narratives, and ideas can still shine through the impressive skillset, detail & dedication that realism offers to a wide audience.
Aesthetic appreciation while viewing artworks varies greatly among audiences, and it’s important not to dismiss any style, whether it be realism or abstraction, as ‘not real’ forms of art. Both forms have their unique merits, and the art world is enriched by this diversity of tastes and expressions. In the world of art, realism is merely one category among many that appeals to those with a specific taste for it. Because of this, I think it would be incorrect to say that it’s not a ‘real art’, but rather one of many style’s of art you simply don’t subscribe to.
I think it’s important to note that aside from the meaning and ideas, some individuals can genuinely appreciate the sheer skill of another human to create an artwork that is realistic – this technical ability in itself is a beautiful form of art to them. I think it’s exciting when this skill is combined with meaning, visual narratives and ideas as the possibilities are endless.
With the endless possibilities and diversity of styles that encompass art, and all of the mediums we can use to create art with – it’s disheartening to witness individuals attempting to impose rigid definitions of what “real art” is. I firmly believe that artists, regardless of their chosen style, should not be compelled to justify their artistic preferences to those who seek to discredit them. Artistic expression is deeply personal, and everyone should have the freedom to create in a way that speaks to them.
It’s essential to recognize that individual preferences vary, and what satisfies one’s creative itch may not do the same for another. Nevertheless, I believe that the realistic style offers meticulous craftsmanship, a creative process, and the emotional connection between the artist, subject and audience to make it a legitimate and ‘real’ form of art.