Nearer To The Truth

Art itself has a way of invoking thoughts through many different mediums of art. Often art opens our minds to many other possibilities and forces us to think beyond what we normally would. Consequently, this makes us reconsider our previous thoughts on any subject and our beliefs as well. Visual arts can transfer real emotions into something that is not true, making it a lie that brings us nearer to the truth.

When a painter paints a picture, they can be drawing from their surroundings or real life experiences. Although what they are painting may not be real, it can truthfully depict something in their surroundings. “The Realism painting style depicts life as it actually appears without added glorification, drama or emotion. This movement attempts to keep the artist’s interpretation to a bare minimum. The idea is to present life in its natural environment which often includes the ordinary, the boring and even the ugly” (Mackinnon).

Any message that seems to come from a realistic painting is meant to be a direct result of what was actually happening at that specific moment in time. It is, however, important with this style for an artist to manipulate certain elements for the purpose of more clearly communicating the truth of an event without changing its meaning.

When Van Gogh and other impressionistic artists went out to paint, they made it a point to paint what they saw right in front of them, but their own impression of it. The paintings didn’t look exactly like what other people saw. This is why at first so many people rejected impressionism, because they thought it didn’t accurately portray real events in their life. They thought the paintings were too abstract and just a complete lie.

What impressionistic artists put ...

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...I could and couldn’t do as an artist. I am not in touch with nature and animals, therefore my drawing skills are lacking in that area. As for people, I truly understand the art form of the human body, and I am able portray human beings beautifully in my opinion.

Through understanding different cultural influences, historical backgrounds, and human emotions we are able to gain truth and knowledge from inanimate unreal objects, such as a painting or a sculpture or a photograph. Visual arts are lies that bring us to understanding the truths of the world.

Works Cited

1. Ingo F. Walther, "Picasso", Benedikt Taschen Verlag GmbH, 1999, Köln, ISBN 3-8228-6371-8

2. Mackinnon, John. "Use Realism Painting techniques for Honesty in Art?." (2010): n. pag. Web. .