Visual art is a broad term that encapsulates various art forms that are experienced through sight. Artworks such as paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, and films are good examples of visual art. All these examples can fit into three primary forms of visual art. The main types of visual arts include representational, abstract, and non-objective art, whether the art form is two or three-dimensional. That said, this write-up explores what each of these fundamental forms of visual art types entails.
Representational Art
Representational art is one of the oldest types of art. The image of the Venus of Willendorf, the iconic Paleolithic figurine is one of the oldest examples of representational visual art. Artworks classified under this genre seek to mimic the actual object to the highest degree possible.
Depending on how the artist chooses to express himself or herself, representational art can be further into the following genres:
- Realism
- Impressionism
- Idealism
- Stylisation
Real objects often inspire artworks under these subcategories. And this explains why representational art is widely accepted among the masses. It is worth noting while some representational artworks represent real-life forms, others are subject to the artist”s perception of the subject.
Abstract Art
Like representational art, this type of art is inspired by real-life objects. Unlike representational art, abstraction seeks to express art in a different form from the way they are viewed in reality. Visually, the focal point of attention lies in shapes, colours, or emphasising lines that transform the subject. Some popular subcategories of abstract art include:
- Minimalism
- Cubism
- Precisionism
Ideally, abstraction also happens when the artist opts to draw the subject unconventionally. Abstract art is a relatively new art form that only started gaining considerable attention at the end of the 19th century. It is worth noting that abstraction is often regarded as an intellectual approach to art.
Non-Objective Art
Often confused with abstract art, non-objective art follows a different path. However, for non-objective, the artist creates his art with specifically no reference to reality. Ideally, this form of art is created for aesthetic reasons. Thus, the main objective of a non-objective artist is to incorporate different principles of art in a way that results in the creation of a visually appealing piece of art.
If you are one of those people who have difficulties in differentiating abstract art with non-objective art, the difference lies in the subject matter. The former places key emphasis on the subject, while in the latter, the artists pay no attention to reality.
Visual art forms are primarily created for visual perception. These art types are mostly used to evoke mixed emotions through the expression of skill or imagination. Overall, the beauty of any piece of art lies in how the viewer perceives art.