What Makes a Painting ‘Realistic’ or ‘Abstract’?

Imagine you're looking at a picture of a tree. If it looks just like the real thing, that's realistic art. But if it looks more like a bunch of colors and shapes, that's abstract art. Realistic paintings try to make things look exactly as they are, while abstract paintings focus on how things feel or look in a different way. It’s kind of like drawing a cat versus drawing something that feels like a cat but isn’t quite like one.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. A realistic drawing of a cat has all its fur and eyes clearly visible.
  2. An abstract version of the same cat might look like it's made from circles and swirls.
  3. It’s like looking at a picture of your friend versus looking at a painting that feels like your friend but isn’t exactly them.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity