Art is a concept which many spend their lives trying to understand and pin down. Some people have come to the conclusion that art is something which cannot be defined, whilst others claim to have developed a precise and narrow conception as to what art truly is. No matter what art’s true definition is, critics, artists and students alike all agree that it is something which comes in numerous forms and shapes.
Some of the most common art forms are painting and drawing, but an art form is something which takes a specific shape of quality. Whatever you choose to use to make your art, the world of artistic expression is truly limitless. With that in mind, here are 4 forms of art which may surprise you, or which you have never heard of.
Anamorphosis
Anamorphosis is a type of art which is created through the technique of drawing images which will only be fully understood when viewed from a specific angle or point of view. In some cases, the image will only fully appear if it is viewed through a mirror. Over the years, the technique has evolved and grown, ranging from street art which mimics potholes to 3D images drawn on paper.
Makeup Artistry
Makeup artistry is a very competitive form of art and is one which many artists claim isn’t a true art form. However, the sheer creation of artistic makeup pieces is one which takes a lot of skill, practice and experience to do. With a much smaller canvas to work on than traditional art, it requires a steady hand and many professional makeup artists train for years to perfect their art form.
Whether it’s recreating iconic art pieces on the face, or creating a unique look, there seems to be no end when it comes to makeup artistry and many artists use props and additional cosmetics to make their creations pop. Halloween glitter makeup is a popular look, where artists create well-known Halloween characters using makeup and then use glitter makeup to make their creations truly stand out.
Photorealism
Photorealism is an art form which began in the 1960s and is a movement which seeks to create lifelike images which are usually an imitation of actual photographs. By copying even the smallest of details which a camera could record, photorealist artists are able to produce “an image of an image of life”.
This movement, which is also known as hyperrealism or super-realism, can encompass sculpture as well as paintings and was heavily influenced by the pop art movement. Whilst pop art ironically removed any commercial images from their accompanying context, photorealism instead focuses on the power of the ordinary, everyday life, which is then recreated as accurately as possible.
Shadow Art
Shadows are, by nature, very fleeting, so it is hard to pinpoint exactly when artists began using them to create art. However, modern shadow artists have certainly reached spectacular new heights. Shadow artists work by using carefully positioned objects in order to cast beautiful shadow images of places, words or people. As shadows have a somewhat creepy reputation, many artists choose to incorporate horror themes or decay into their work.