Do all paintings have to represent something?

Question: Do all paintings have to represent something!?

Do all paintings have to represent something!? (Life, Death, Hope, Virtue, Strength, etc!.!.!.)
I paint just for the sake of practice!. What about you!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I think that you actually, like others on here, answered what your paintings represent!. You practice, which means you do studies!. This is what your paintings are representing, an artist praticing your craft, at least that's what it means to you, wether you realize it or not!. But when an outside viewer looks at your work the representation changes to fit them!. I feel that your question is about artist personal ideas about their work and not about veiwers opinions about representation!. Because veiwers of art always bring their own ideas of what the painting represents!. People can't look at a visual image without usign it as a jumping point for the mind!.

Painting is a visual language and by using language there is an idea that is trying to be conveyed to another, you are trying to express yourself!. So by definition there is an idea being represented!. There is motive behind making art, you have to be naive to not believe it!. You make choices about size and color and subject and technique, where to start and where to stop !. You may not be aware but there is a reason you choose all of these things and they do represent something that your are trying to express and it may not be clear until years down the road!. Some artist are just more intune with what their process is all about!.

I see abstract being thrown around a bit on this answer and abstract is about something!. If it's just a representation of aestetic qualities or the process that created it!. Abstract painting is about painting it's self, the process, the qualities of paint, the relationships of color, it has a meaning!. Wether the veiwers get the idea or not!. If you just look at art to enjoy it on a surface level you still have a communication with it and it represents pleasure and aestetics and that is a valid way to view art, but it still represents something!.

The artist and the veiwers of a painting all bring their own interpretations to art!. As humans it is impossible for us to look at something at just face value, we always bring baggage along!. If you see a painting of an apple you see the apple and the painting represents an apple in our mind but it also represents, maybe, adam and eve or a childhood memory linked to apples or some other personal symbology!.

But clear subject matter always represents the object it's self first and usually an idea second!. abstract represents the process of painting first and the idea second wether you intend it or not!. There is no art for art's sake and it is my feeling that artist who use this are just lazy or are afraid to actually get intouch with why they really do something or just oblivious to what is going on!.

There isn't a real professional artist who doesn't have an artist statement that elaborates on key ideas that drive their work!. They may not be direct idea's like symbolic notions of love and death and strength ect!.!. but they are the driving ideas represented in the work!. Over time the representation changes to viewers just think about the Mona Lisa!. It represents so much more than it's origianl intent!. I was just a portrait with it's own symbology of it's own time and now it is a representation of fine art it's self, the most recognizable painting in the world!.

I might have been a bit long winded on this but it was a very good question to debate!. I wonder if an object represented in a painting can ever be just what it's representing and nothing else!. Is a painting of a lion ever just a lion!?

read up on semiotics it is a interesting look at the way the brain works and it's ties to art and creating art!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm with you, though I don't paint!. When I look at a work of art, I don't necessarily want an interpretation!. I just want to enjoy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

They do not have and they do not many times!. I paint figural compositions, and I do not include any symbols there!.
http://culturexy!.blogspot!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com

Paintings are expressions however primitive they are!. Any creative artwork that originates from the mind must have meaning or virtues because one cannot create from a mental vacuum!. When you splash paint on paper or make a stroke of paint on canvas, you are saying something!. I do paint as a profession!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

no paintings do not really have to represent anything at all!. take abstract expressionism and how it focuses on the elements of art and is devoid of subject matter!. one can certainly paint simply just to paint and not have a deeper meaning to it all!. i think that people believe that all paintings have some sort of meaning and end up reading too deep into many paintings!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

not all paintings some art is just out of the ordinary so
just go with your heart and name itWww@QuestionHome@Com

mine don't, i just create!!
www!.silkpaintingsbykt!.co!.ukWww@QuestionHome@Com

No, paintings don't all represent things!. Some people try to find those things in paintings, but sometimes they really aren't deliberate!. I mean, look at abstract art!. Most of the time, they are just random things, and people try to interpret them, but they are hard to interpret sometimes, because they might not be meant to interpret!.

Me, I paint because I like to!. also, like you, I do it to practice!. Painting is fun, and is a good way to show your creativity!. It doesn't matter if people think they are no good, it's just a way to relieve stress sometimes!.

So, that's what I do and the answer to your first question!. =DWww@QuestionHome@Com

No, all paintings don't have to represent something!. In all art, I believe that you have the motivation and the intention, the action and execution or process, the accident or 'gifts' from chance and the uncontrollable, the time and place where it is received, and the input of the receiver--even if the receiver is only the artist!.
Leonardo da Vinci is credited with something akin to looking at the cracks in a plaster wall and saying that one could find an image in them, if looking for it!. And Rorschach created an ink blot test, wherein he determined the range of "normal" responses to randomly created ink blots!. So, if everyone else sees a butterfly or a face in an inkblot-- and I see my mother killing someone with a knife-- then who's the psycho!? Just kidding around here!.
I guess I'm saying that it is human nature to either see 'something' in painting, or to deny that there could be anything there!. Good question!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

http://www!.picable!.com/Art/Painting/Deta!.!.!.
this is one of my paintings!.!.!.

what does it represent!?!? I am not sure!.!. just I did it from a picture that I liked of one of our rare breed sheep - he is at a funny angle!.!. I know - thats what I found cool too

they have to be captivating!.!.!. if they have a "meaning" that makes them more powerful!.!.!.

if you click my name on the link you will see pics and paintings by me!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have never thought of any of my artwork as representing anything!. I draw or paint whatever comes to mind!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

me tooWww@QuestionHome@Com