13 Diverse Artistic Styles: The History and Art of Painting

1. Impressionistic Style of Painting

The impressionistic style of painting emerged as a result of the art movement known as Impressionism in the country of France in the late 1800s. The root cause of this impressionism art movement was the strict rules and conventions of academic painting in the country, which certain artists violated and they were called Impressionists. These Impressionists often painted the outdoors in bright light with distinct brushstrokes. Apart from the official Salon, which disapproved of their pieces for being incomplete and incompetent, they also planned their own exhibitions where a critic coined the name Impressionism as a review of Claude Monet's artwork in the First Impressionist Exhibition.

Characteristics of Impressionistic Paintings:

• Tiny, noticeable brushstrokes that convey spontaneity and a sense of movement.
• Vibrant and diverse hues that are frequently used without blending or mixing.
• Emphasis on how natural light affects things and how it varies throughout time.
• An open arrangement that alludes to a scene that is bigger than the frame.
• Common subjects that portray urban vistas, landscapes, and daily life.
• Unusual viewpoints that give the impression of perspective and depth.

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Style	Impressionism
Emergence	19th century
Named by	Louis Leroz
First Impressionist painting	Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
Famous Impressionists	Claude Monet, Frédéric Bazille, Gustave Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne

 

 

2. Futuristic Style of Painting

The Futuristic Style of Painting was a result of the art movement namely Futurism that started in Italy in the late 1900s. Futurism was sparked by the idea to glorify modernity, uniqueness, and innovation in the present and future while rejecting the art of the past. The new technologies of the vehicle, airplane, and industrial city served as inspiration for futurists, who celebrated nationalism, aggression, speed, and power. Moreover, they disapproved of conventional wisdom, establishments, and modes of expression including libraries, museums, and classical art.

 

Characteristics of Futuristic Paintings:

• The usage of bright and lively colors.
• The integration of technical and urban components, including factories, cars, trains, and airplanes.
• Denial of harmony, perspective, and reality in the paintings.
• Expression of aggression, ferocity, and vitality that reflects the futurism movement's love of revolution and warfare.

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Style	Futurism
Emergence	Early 20th century
Named by	Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
First Futuristic painting	The City Rises by Umberto Boccioni
Famous Futuristic Artists	Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini, Carlo Carrà, Giacomo Balla,

 

3. Abstract Style of Painting

The abstract style of painting emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century in Europe. Abstract painting was raised as an outcome of the above-discussed art movement Impressionism, and other movements like Expressionism and Romanticism which challenged classical and academic norms of art. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, abstract art has developed and expanded, with numerous artists and movements examining various facets and applications of abstraction.

Characteristics of Abstract Paintings:

• It uses forms, colors, lines, and other components to create compositions that may have their own meaning or expression rather than attempting to replicate or depict the observable world.
• This style is subjective, non-representational, and the exact opposite of figurative, realistic, or Renaissance art.
• In order to create harmony or confusion, it focuses on the balance or unbalance of form, line, composition, and color.
• It captures the viewer's imagination and provokes a unique emotional response.
• It comes in a variety of forms and styles, including hard-edge painting, minimalist abstraction, action painting, expressive abstraction, and conceptual abstraction.

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Style	Abstraction
Emergence	Late 19th century - Early 20th century
Named by	Wassily Kandinsky
First Abstract painting	Aquarelle abstraite by Wassily Kandinsky
Famous Abstract Artists	Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Kazimir Malevich, Robert Delaunay

 

4. Decorative Style of Painting

Decorative Style of Painting, in contrast to realistic or emotional painting, emphasizes the aesthetic and ornamental qualities of art. Paints with decorative effects can be used on a variety of surfaces, including metal, pottery, fabrics, walls, and furniture. Moreover, decorative painting can borrow elements from various artistic genres, including folk art, flower art, and oriental art. Decorative painting is frequently used to express cultural and personal meanings, as well as to improve the aesthetic appeal and practicality of things and settings.

Characteristics of Decorative Painting:

• They are made for a certain use or function, such as keeping objects, covering surfaces, preserving liquids, or beautifying areas.
• They are often crafted by proficient artisans or craftsmen, who employ diverse methods, instruments, and materials to create one-of-a-kind or superior items.
• The aesthetic choices, cultural norms, and social settings of those who create and utilize them have an impact on them; these factors may represent their identity, social standing, or personal preferences.

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5. Minimalistic Style of Painting

Reacting against the subjectivity and complexity of abstract expressionism, minimalism is an art movement that originated in New York in the early 1960s. The idea of minimalist art was to exclude any kind of subjective or sentimental expression in favor of geometric, straightforward designs. The goal of minimalist art is to produce geometric, abstract, and uncomplicated compositions devoid of any emotional or personal content. To be precise, these types of paintings are opposite to decorative paintings where the painting is given with various colors and objects in order to beautify them.

Characteristics of Minimalist Painting:

• They employ solid colors, typically monochromatic or chilly tones, and straightforward geometric designs that are frequently organized in grids or patterns.
• They eliminate all extraneous or ornamental components in order to concentrate on the fundamentals of form and color.
• They produce objective artworks that stress the paintings' physical existence and spatial interactions while avoiding any personal or emotional expression.

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Style	Minimalism
Emergence	Late 20th century
Named by	Kasimir Malevich
First Minimalistic painting	Pinstripe by Frank Stella
Famous Minimalistic Artists	Frank Stella, Kasimir Malevich, Carl Andre, Jo Baer

 

6. Realistic Style of Painting

Realistic Paintings gained importance in the mid-19th century with the motto of producing more realistic paintings with realism and every minute detail as such in the real world. In response to Romanticism and historical painting, realism emerged as a literary and artistic movement in France in the late 1800s. The goal of realism painting was to accurately and truthfully portray modern life and environment without idealizing or embellishing them. Since realism questioned the established norms and principles of painting and sculpture, it had a profound effect on the evolution of modern art. It also prepared the way for later creative trends like Naturalism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism.

Characteristics of Realistic Painting:

• Paintings of photographic quality with exact detailing of elements that are being painted.
• Rejection of the historical, mythical, and exotic themes of Romanticism and History painting.
• Use of natural and realistic colors to create a sense of harmony and coherence.

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Style	Realism
Emergence	Mid-19th century
Named by	Champfleury
First Realistic painting	The Stone Breakers by Gustave Courbet
Famous Realistic Artists	Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet, Honoré Daumier, and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

 

7. Conceptual Style of Painting

The 1960s saw the emergence of Conceptual art, a critique of the dominant modernist movement at the time and its emphasis on the aesthetic. Typically, art from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s is referred to by this phrase. Conceptualism elevated the idea or notion of a piece of art above its real technical or artistic merits. Conceptual artists conveyed their thoughts through the use of materials and shapes that best suited their needs. Depending on the artists involved and the location, conceptual art produced a range of influences and results. Dadaism, minimalism, and Marcel Duchamp's readymade were a few of the primary influences.

Characteristics of Conceptual Painting:

• They dematerialize art by using sparse, nontraditional materials.
• They are motivated more by an idea or notion than by conventional artistic ability.
• They discuss or comment on societal norms or cultural values.
• They are avant-garde and self-referential.

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Style	Conceptualism
Emergence	Mid-19th century
Named by	Henry Flynt
First Conceptual painting	the readymades by Marcel Duchamp
Famous Conceptualists	Henry Flynt, Robert Morris, and Ray Johnson

 

8. Contemporary Style of Painting

The early 20th century saw the rise of creative avant-garde movements like as Dadaism, Surrealism, Futurism, Expressionism, and Futurism, which are all connected to the history of contemporary paintings. By exploring fresh approaches to abstraction, representation, and expression, these movements questioned the rules and regulations of conventional art. One of the most famous artists Pablo Picasso, known by almost everyone is a part of this contemporary art time-period.

Characteristics of Contemporary Painting:

• The use of strong brushstrokes, vivid colors, and dynamic patterns and shapes.
• Exploration of various mediums, materials, and methods, including digital art, performance art, installation art, and collage.
• The exploration of conceptual, symbolic, and abstract meanings; often questioning the accepted ideas about representation, reality, and identity.
• the active involvement in social, political, cultural, and environmental issues that frequently lead to activism, criticism, or awareness-raising.

  

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  Style	Contemporary
  Emergence	Late 20th century – Early 21st century
  Named by	Roger Fry
  First Contemporary painting	Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard Manet
  Famous Contemporary Artists	Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko

   

   

9. Pop Art Style of Painting

Pop art was born in the US and the UK in the early 1960s in opposition to the then-dominant abstract expressionism, which placed a strong focus on emotion and self-expression. Pop artists sought to capture the essence of their modern civilization, which was shaped by popular culture, consumerism, and the media. They drew inspiration and content from advertisements, comic books, publications, films, and objects from daily life.

Characteristics of Pop Art Painting:

• Pop paintings are defined by the use of vivid, bright colors that are frequently complementary or contrasting to produce a stunning visual effect and grab the attention of the observer.
• They often feature identifiable and well-known images and symbols from popular culture, such as celebrities, brands, goods, headlines, cartoons, and logos.
• Pop paintings frequently use image simplification, exaggeration, repetition, or distortion to convey sarcasm, humor, parody, or criticism.

 

Style	Pop Art
Emergence	Mid-20th century
Named by	Lawrence Alloway
First Pop art painting	Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? By Richard Hamilton
Famous Pop artists	David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol

 

 

10. Expressionistic Style of Painting

Expressionism is a European art movement that mostly originated in Germany in the late 19th century and exactly before World War I. The actual reality of the outside world was not the focus; rather, it sought to convey the artist's subjective feelings and reactions. Painting in the expressionistic style places more emphasis on the artist's personal sentiments and emotions than the external world's objective reality.

Characteristics of Expressionistic Painting:

• Use of paintbrush strokes, splashes, or drips that are loose, rough, or impromptu to convey energy, spontaneity, or disorder
• Prioritization on expression and emotion over correctness and technique
• Form and perspective are distorted to convey the artist's vision.
  Using color to convey symbolism, mood, and atmosphere.

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Style	Expressionism
Emergence	Late 19th century - Early 20th century
Named by	Julien-Auguste
First Expressionism painting	The Scream by Edvard Munch
Famous Expressionism Artists	Emil Nolde, Edvard Munch

 

 

11. Cubism Style of Painting

Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque created the art movement known as cubism in the early 20th century. The conventional standards of perspective, realism, and color in painting were questioned by cubism. It also had an impact on literature, architecture, and sculpture, among other artistic mediums. Also, Cubism was a groundbreaking and significant movement that created new avenues for creative exploration and expression. Numerous painters were influenced by it to produce their own takes on Cubism. Moreover, Dada, Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and Futurism were also influenced by Cubism. One of modern art's most significant and innovative contributions to cultural history is thought to be cubism.

Characteristics of Expressionistic Painting:

• They simultaneously display items from several angles, giving a flat surface an illusion of depth and dimension.
• They simplify and abstract the forms of objects and people by representing them with geometric shapes like cubes, cones, spheres, and cylinders.
• With a monochromatic color scheme primarily consisting of browns, grays, blacks, and whites, they prioritize the subject matter's structure and shape over a realistic rendering of hues and textures.

 

Style	Cubism
Emergence	Early 20th century
Named by	Louis Vauxcelles
First Cubism painting	Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso
Famous Cubism Artists	Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger

 

 

12. Illustration Style of Painting

Illustration is a type of visual art in which concepts, sentiments, and feelings are expressed through pictures, frequently combined with written words. The numerous ways that illustrators use diverse techniques, mediums, and aesthetics to create and show their artwork are known as illustration styles. Illustration styles come in a variety of forms, including realistic, cartoon, caricature, comics, watercolor, flat, vector, and more. Every style has a distinct background, traits, and uses.

Characteristics of Expressionistic Painting:

• Use of perspective, color, line, shape, and texture to produce visual effects and express meaning.
• The illustrator's distinct voice and style serving as a vehicle for expressing their individuality, inventiveness, and vision.
• The adjustment of the illustration style to the project's setting, target audience, and message (books, periodicals, websites, games, etc.)

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13. Surrealism Style of Painting

Surrealism in Art The 1920s and 1930s saw the emergence of painting as an artistic movement in response to the atrocities of World War I and the rationality of contemporary society. Using myth, symbolism, and imagination, it sought to convey the unconscious, illogical, and dreamy parts of reality. It was impacted by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theories, which examined the repressed and hidden facets of the human psyche.

Characteristics of Surrealism Painting:

• It employs symbolic imagery and dream-like settings that defy reason and logic.
• It produces atypical, nonsensical combinations of realistically rendered things taken out of their typical settings.
• It tries with a range of mediums and methods, including painting, frottage, collage, and automatic writing, to create impromptu and unexpected results.

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Style	Surrealism
Emergence	Early 20th century
Named by	Guillaume Apollinaire
First Surrealism painting	The Song of Love by Giorgio de Chirico
Famous Surrealism Artists	René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst

 

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