Beginning

At this point, I know I’ve missed some art movements, but I have decided on a slightly different trajectory for 2026. And the first trajectory change is for simplicity.

Realism

However, it would be too simplistic to say that a painting in the realist style, for example, will look like a photograph (photorealism) or a scene frozen in time; its prominence is certainly linked to ‘the real world’. Was it journalism, with its accurate reporting and use of photos, that contributed to real realism in art? Don’t know. But I wonder whether artists looked at those first photos and tried to compare their work against the grainy images.

Are we today in a new juxtaposition, comparing our art to what A.I. can produce? Or are we just angry about it? Or happy about it? I can only speak for myself – I don’t use it in art (yet), but it does help with text. Some of the most recent advice on YouTube was to ‘film’ part of your process as you make fine art, so people know they are buying the real thing.

And don’t forget (unless you are all clones in some weird alternate universe): if five artists with the same style paint the same subject and scene in acrylics, the paintings will look different. It’s worth noting that even cameras and software can differ widely. So, my question is – what’s real anyway? And how close to ‘reality’ do you need to get before you fall into the ‘realism’ category as an artist?

Key Characteristics of realism

• “Accuracy: Realist artists strive to depict their subjects with precision and attention to detail.
• Objectivity: Realism seeks to present subjects without embellishment or idealisation.
• Contemporaneity: Realist artists focus on portraying contemporary life and society.
• Social Commentary: Some realist artists use their work to critique social and political issues.”

Britannica Editors (2025, December 5). realism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/realism-art

My experience

I do wonder whether my style would lean toward realism if I had more technical and observational skills, but that’s okay; my style can and will change with time and experience.

Takeaway

Realism, to me, is an interesting one. On one hand, for photorealism, the technical and observational skills required are high if you do everything from scratch (no tracing, etc.), but on the other hand, the expression and interpretation skills are low. I think I could learn a lot about observation, shading, and proportions from realism in general, so it is definitely worth some more study.

Words that jumped out at me: simplicity, attention to detail, history painting, faithful representations of reality

End

Realism aims to capture what you see (perhaps a bit about how you feel) and to create a piece that is accurate, has a lot of detail, and perhaps may range from the uglier aspects of our society to the beautiful.

Featured image Pekka Halonen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pekka_Halonen_-_Tienraivaajia_Karjalassa.jpg