Why do artists replicate or immitate what is sitting right there in front of their eyes?

Answer 1

If the artist is painting realistically, some consider it a challenge to create a perfect duplicate of the world. To be able to mimic what nature has created is a wonderful test of an artists skill. But most of us like to create our own interpretation of the world, and paint what we see in our artist's eyes.

Answer 2

When an artists is trying to paint a specific person or scene, it is easier to do it with the subject right in front of you. The best landscapes are done in plein air. Out doors with the natural light, But REMEMBER every artist has his own vision. 2 different artists standing in the same spot painting the same subject will usually turn out 2 different paintings. Some artists, as in the case of Picasso again have their own vision and may see their art in different than"normal" ways.

And there are differnt types of painting. A realist paints just what he sees. A naturalist may paint thing that look real but he would change things around for a better composition. Then there is Impressionism, Expressionism,Cubism, Pop art, Op art and many other schools of painting

Answer 3

Because they are using the object to "practice "their profession and their expression- maybe it causes an emotional response in them and they are extending it to their audience. I paint animals because I love their eyes and the textures of their fur etc. Also I am emotionally involved in the whole earth/extinction and enviornment idea so exotic or endangered animals appeal to me. Others may have the same response to merely shadows or the scenes of city life or people. Modern art also carrys emotional response in the sense we don't have to replicate- we have cameras (a separate form in itself) so we can get more abstract or textured or cubistic or whatever. History uses art as a recorder to itself too, but its all expression.

Answer 4

I don't think they do exactly. It is still their interpretation of what they are seeing.

I think I understand what you're asking, and people create art for different reasons. Sometimes it is to capture a moment in time like a portrait or a still life. That exact moment will never happen again.

Answer 5

Do they ?

How much art have you actually looked at?

I don't think Picasso's "Guernica" would have been "right there in front of his eyes" when he painted it. (Link 1).

Even artists who look like they have painted directly from life may change things to suit their purposes. A good example of this would be Canaletto whose views of Venice look like postcard photographs of the city, although he moved buildings in his paintings to suit the compostion. (Link 2)

Answer 6

Only some artists do that: it is a challenge, and very enjoyable as one very rarely really looks at things closely, truly appreciating their colour tecture and form.