Art is a cultural universal. Every corner of the globe has a style of art that can be identified by its uniqueness. While some styles have had long periods of dominance and others have had their share of followers, virtually every culture has an art style that is traditional to their land. Some art styles have been popular for nearly every period of art since the dawn of civilization, while others have had brief periods of popularity and have since become extinct.
The most traditional art styles are, of course, those based on the history of the people who created them. There are many different forms of painting and artists throughout the world, but few styles are more famous than the Western style of painting. Let’s get to know more of the style of art known in the west.
Painting In The Western Style
The western painting style is a term used to describe a painting style consisting of central figurative figures painted in illusionistic space. A background, middle ground, and foreground are not prominent. The illusionary space is generally not in a one-point perspective but reaches from the foreground to the horizon. The background, if present, is far enough away or indistinct to be beyond the focus of interest (for example, as in trompe l’oeil). Any elements in the picture that can be thought of as “real” are painted in a relatively naturalistic manner.
Surrealism
It is not easy to define Surrealism, and its style is highly experimental. Surrealist artists create works that are dream-like and can make viewers feel strange and confused. The subject matter for Surrealism ranges from scientific objects to dreams, animals, body parts, etc. Surrealist artists found objects such as clothes, food, everyday objects, etc., to represent something else in the early stage of the movement.
The movement of Surrealism began in Paris in the year 1924. It was started by André Breton. The reason for the movement was to free the unconscious mind and to release it from the pressure of reason.
Modernism
The term modernism is used to describe the different styles that happen in the 20th century. The word itself was created in the mid-19th century and was used to describe the styles and art that were happening at that time. However, modernism was only used until the mid-20th century, when the word modernism was only used to describe the art and architecture that took place in the 1900s.
Cubism
Cubism is a painting style developed by the artist Pablo Picasso and is best known for the introduction of geometric forms into art. The word “Cubism” was coined by the art critic Louis Vauxcelles in 1908 in a satirical review of the Salle Henri-Martin show in Paris, where the first cubist works were shown. Vauxcelles described the works of art shown as “bizarreries cubiques” or “cubic oddities.”
Expressionism
The word “Expressionism” is derived from the word “expression,” which in the art world refers to an artist’s self-expression. The word itself has been used in different art disciplines, such as literature, poetry, theatre, and even music. Expressionism is an art style that emerged in Germany around 1905. This movement was based on the idea that art is the product of an artist’s emotions and subjective experiences.
Impressionism
This is a style that is based on the observation of light. In impressionist paintings, we can see that the main colors are blue and yellow. The impressionists were fascinated by light, and they tried to capture it in their paintings. At that time, the technology wasn’t very good, so impressionists tried to bring light to their paintings. To do that, they used many strokes of a brush.
Abstract Art
Abstract art, a style of painting and visual art characterized by a lack of representational imagery, is one of the most important art movements of the twentieth century. Its influence is still felt today. So what is abstract art? Abstract art is often said to be a painting or drawing that does not depict anything visible. However, this definition is too broad because it would also include paintings of visible things, like landscapes painted in transparent colors. Abstract art is a painting or drawing that does not depict anything visible.
So, what is the western painting style? Simply put, it is a form of painting that is generated from the west. It has become one of the most dominant styles of painting in the world today.
It was given life during the Renaissance and has since been used to produce many great works of art.
