All art and our inner world rely on our experience of various aspects of reality: therefore, there is no art without some form of realism.?

Different styles are ways to express certain aspects of reality through a human filter. Let’s look at some examples to see how different styles use realism differently.?

For instance, in this painting, the connection and completion of opposites is the theme. The contrast between light and dark, between cold and warm. The two opposites complement each other. The idea is simple and is well expressed through a simple, symmetrical, and graphic style that focuses the viewer on the central idea. The painting uses certain aspects of realism: the shape of the human body, the shape of the sun, moon, and stars, the abstraction of the movement of the fabrics. The painting has more stylized elements than realistic ones, yet without realism, the painting wouldn’t be complete. If the man and woman looked like a child’s drawing, for example, the concept would still be charming, but the execution would be lacking.?

In this painting, again, we have two figures, but this time the realism is a bit more realistic. The figures and background have three-dimensional characteristics, the woman is drawn with more muscles and realistic anatomy, and there’s a slight indication of light and shadow. But the painting is still designed according to shapes; the trees and other elements in the background are presented as texture. If the background were more random and full of details (realistic), it would draw too much attention and ruin the drama.?

Now let’s take it a step further, to realism that describes full three-dimensionality, including nuances of shading. Even here, certain aspects of reality are simplified and planned to highlight the figures in the best way for the story. Because art is not a copy of random reality; it uses reality to tell a story or convey some message.?

So what’s the conclusion from all this? First of all, there’s no single “correct” formula for how much three-dimensionality and how many nuances to include in each painting. Each subject and style has its own charm.?

Creation requires courage – to put your preferences and personal style on the page, to give tangible expression to the soul, to expose yourself to love, deep understanding, or criticism, success or failure – these are not easy things.?

Art is, first and foremost, a means of communication, a way to tell stories, to convey some meaningful message that adds value to life. Realism is a tool in the artist’s hands, not a test to pass.?

Realism is a tool for artistic expression and can provide us with enjoyable and impressive detail richness that draws us into the special feeling of the creation. But realism can also be a way to hide from vulnerability, making “mistakes,” and from exposure and rejection. Why? Because by including every aspect of reality in the painting, we avoid making any personal statement. In fact, we transfer the responsibility for the quality of the creation to the reference or the object in reality that we painted. If we just draw it exactly as it is, no one can say we made a mistake. And at least we are assured that others will appreciate the accuracy and realism in the painting, even if they don’t see the inspiration or experience we wanted to convey. And that can be a very emotionally safe place to create from. But what if the source of inspiration for the creation is precisely the richness of details down to the smallest pixel? Well, yes, that’s also a possibility that can work when that’s indeed the source of inspiration, and when the message in the painting is still conveyed and not drowned in chaos.?

So what’s the story with realism? It’s not good, it’s not bad – so what? What am I trying to say here? I’m trying to show that in art, there’s immense creative freedom. And the main requirement to create good art is to embrace confidence in self-expression, and humility and enjoyment in the learning process.?

A mentality where the artist is a slave to the reference, versus a mentality where the artist is the master of the creation, are two completely different modes of being.?

So why do we, as artists, have such a complex relationship with realism? Why does it sometimes feel like the success or failure of a painting depends on its level of realism??

Well, this question has several facets. When a certain type of realism is a skill one wants to acquire, it does set objective criteria about what’s right or wrong. The learning process can feel tedious, like first grade, or like a challenging and enjoyable journey. We’ve had 12 years of school with tests that may have taken away our joy of learning. This is already a psychological question that confronts us with very personal aspects of ourselves.?

On the other hand, there’s the external world that sometimes confuses art with science. Many teachers treat drawing as a journey to accurately reproduce reality – from shapes to shading and colors. And in some places, realism is taken as the sole criterion for the success or failure of a painting – and this can fixate the artist’s thinking. So no, I’m not saying realism is bad. I’m not saying realism is good. Sometimes we need to let go of the need for such simple answers to understand a certain message in all its nuances. There is knowledge, and there is choice, and they require selectivity and personal expression as well as the need for knowledge and tools that demand investment, experience, and learning.?

It’s always important to approach art from a place of self-awareness – what do you truly feel? What do you want to create? What burns within you to convey to others so