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If you were asked to choose between an artwork that displayed amazingly realistic rendering or one that is able to express ideas in a very unique way, which would you choose? Are you one of those people that just plain hates all degrees of abstraction in art, praising only those artists who consistently produce work with high levels of realism? On the other hand, do you find photorealism boring and lacking a particular style or unique touch on part of the artist? "Neither is there figurative and non-figurative art. All things appear to us in the shape of forms. Even in metaphysics ideas are expressed by forms. Well then, think how absurd it would be to think of painting without the imagery of forms. A figure, an object, a circle, are forms; they affect us more or less intensely." -Pablo Picasso
In this blog post I will explain the differences and similarities between figurative and abstract art styles, as well as why it is important to make space for both in our artistic journeys. Also, I will be sharing some effective tips and exercises that will help you move towards creating artwork that shows both technical skill and is able to tell a story or communicate a message/emotion.
This is not going to be an opinion-driven post bashing either abstract or figurative artwork or anything in between. This will not be a rant about how much I dislike either style and, much less, a criticism towards artists of any kind. Au contraire, my friend! One of my main philosophies in life is appreciating and learning from all types of things and finding morsels that speak to me so I can create my own unique mishmash of awesome. I believe that there is something to learn from everything, and that if one remains open, there will always be something valuable to take that will enrich us as human beings (and consequently improve our work). I believe exploration and the desire to improve should be an intrinsic part of an artist's life, and feel like constricting oneself to a particular style will not allow as much progress to be made. This said, today I am not going to get into the contemporary kind of artwork that does not really demonstrate any kind of particular knowledge about Art Fundamentals on part of the artist. You know which kind of works I am talking about! Though I do give some of these artists merit for striving to engage with their audience at a philosophical level and attempting to communicate ideas about difficult topics, in this blog post I am only considering work that shows knowledge of Elements and Principles of Art/Design. In my personal case, it didn't take long to realize that I am naturally drawn towards creating figurative artwork. What has been a struggle, however, has been reaching a conclusion about what degree of realism I want my artwork to convey. You see, though I admire and respect hyper/photorealist artists very much, I would like to be able to arrive at some distinctive style that I can call my own someday. Though it requires an immense amount of patience and skill to produce hyperrealism, I want my work to be more than an exact replica of what everyone else is able to see by looking at a picture. I'd like to arrive at an artistic style that demonstrates both skill and is able to communicate an idea or feeling. I know I have a long way to go before arriving at this point, but simply having reached this conclusion tells me I am making progress as an artist. What do the terms Abstract and Figurative mean in Art? Figurative and Abstract are simply two (very broad) categories in which artwork, be it painting or sculpture, can be divided into. It is important to understand that there are numerous degrees of figuration and abstraction, and this can even occur within one same piece. Though some art can be easy to categorize into either pool, others are a bit harder to decipher. There are a few art terms that are often confusing when learning about figurative and abstract art that I want to touch upon. The word representational is often used interchangeably with figurative but these two terms are not synonyms. Both abstract and figurative artworks are usually representational. Why? Because, most of the time, even when creating work that is completely abstract, there is something from the real world that artists are trying to represent. Two artists, one figurative and one abstract, can be creating a painting using the same flower arrangement as reference, and each of their works at the end (though completely different from each other) are going to be a representation of those same objects. Abstract artists simply choose to express what their eyes are taking in in a more expressive and unconventional manner. 
Juan Gris. The Guitar (1918). Oil on canvas.
Also, it is important to note that the term figurative does not solely refer to artworks containing the human figure as subject, though many times they do. This term describes any work that is clearly derived from object (or living) sources, be it a portrait, landscape, still life, etc. In other words, if you are able to instantly recognize what it is your looking at, whether its a house, a flower, or a horse, it can be classified as figurative. Finally, just because an artwork is figurative/representational, doesn't mean that it has to be realistic. Realism in art is created by the ability to render pictures using perspective, value, proportion, form, texture, etc. to depict subjects as closely as they appear in real life. This type of artwork is created with the intention of representing the subject as truthfully as possible. 
Realism is also an art movement, but we are talking specifically about styles today. It takes an immense amount of knowledge about Art Fundamentals (form, perspective, shading, proportion, human anatomy, color theory, etc.) and practical experience in order to create realistic artwork. This is not to say that abstract artists know nothing about Art Fundamentals or how to create the optical illusion of three dimensionality! There are amazing abstract artists that are able to combine color, line, texture and shape to create three-dimensionality, movement and many other interesting effects in their work. Consider the artwork below by the great Victor Vasarely. There is simply no way that he could have created pieces like this one without having extensive knowledge of the Elements and Principles of Art, as well as years of practical exploration. 
Victor Vasarely. Gestalt 4 (1970). Serigraph.
Figurative Art ``It takes years for representational artists to develop their skills in mimicking the objects before their eyes.´´ -Kenn Backhaus This term simply refers to artwork featuring subject(s) that retain a fair amount of real-world characteristics. It is always representational and the audience is easily able to recognize what they are looking at, no matter what degree of realism is involved in the creation of the piece. The term figurative became a common term to use in art conversation after the arrival of abstract art. Consider the following two artworks. Sargent and Matisse were both figurative artists, but they had very different styles!
For a very long time in history, realism was sought after by artists and praised by art appreciators. From the time the Greeks became obsessed with the human body and began studying its proportions to create beautiful marble sculptures representing their perfect Gods and Goddesses, to the Renaissance, when Filippo Brunelleschi discovered how to transmit perspective and depth on a flat, two dimensional surface, creating true-to-life art was what all artists strived to achieve. Throughout history, mathematical and scientific advances allowed for both greater knowledge on part of the artist, as well as more effective artistic tools and supplies. It wasn't until the second half of the 19th century, with the surge of Impressionism, that realism started to be challenged by artists who wanted to explore further. Abstract Art ``Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes...Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.´´ -Arshile Gorky Contrary to figurative art, abstract art does not attempt to represent subjects in an accurate or natural way. It is not the objective of this kind of artist to achieve realism, but to communicate emotions or ideas. These artists make use of Elements of Art such as shape, color, line and texture to create visually appealing compositions that are meant to express what is in their mind. As mentioned before, this kind of artwork is usually also representational, as the artist has at least some sort of reference to work from. However, there are artists that do not use any particular reference, but apply their knowledge of Elements of Art and Color Psychology in order to very effectively transmit emotion. Abstract art can range from easily comprehensible to entirely geometrical/organic with no recognizable figures. One of the main characteristics of this type of artwork is that it interacts with the viewer in the sense that it calls out for interpretation. With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution and the invention of camera, artists started seeking new ways to create artwork that went beyond a realistic representation of what they could see. The Impressionists were the first to start exploring use color and paint in new ways that would permit not only the rendering of a beautiful picture, but expression on part of the artist. They wanted to create work that the camera couldn't. It was in this time that the manipulation of color and shape started to occur. Later on, the Cubist movement brought forth an even greater degree of abstraction.
Though the stylized drawings on cave walls and symbolic stone sculptures created by prehistoric people are disregarded by some as simple decoration, they demonstrate that abstraction has been part of human life since its beginnings. Groups of people all over the world used shape, color and line to communicate ideas and created decorative designs on pottery and other tools. This means humans have been creating abstract art since we first had the need to express ourselves. Abstraction is not a completely "contemporary" or "modern" thing, but a style that has been with us all along.
Tips to Explore/Improve Both Art Styles: Figurativism 1. Practice drawing both from life and from quality photographs First focus on shape and proportion to create an effective outline drawing. Worry about detail and shading only after you have been successful in this. Once your ready, explore shading in whatever technique you prefer. Check out this shading tutorial over on my YouTube channel if your into alternative shading techniques like hatching and stippling. Or this one if you're interested in improving your graphite shading techniques. 2. Keep a sketchbook and use it consistently as a means of exploration Check out my YouTube video Why Sketchbooks are Essential Tools for Artists and Best Tips here. Your sketchbooks will be your best friends! 
3. Whatever your subject or choice may be (portraits, landscapes, still life, etc.), study the elements involved independently For example, if you wish to be a portrait artist, make time to study only eyes, then focus on noses, then lips, and so on before attempting to draw or paint a complete realistic face. If you want to do landscapes, make time to study different types of trees, how to paint clouds, water, and so on before attempting to create a complete realistic landscape. Explore your medium of choice and practice creating different colors and textures with it. 
Pencil eye studies by Erika Lancaster.
4. Always keep learning and elevating your knowledge of Art Fundamentals No matter what your artistic style is or even what subject you wish to specialize in in the future, always make time to practice things like form, perspective, anatomy and effective compositional arrangement. I created a blog post for beginners about perspective and drawing three dimensional shapes which includes free worksheets to practice with that you can read here. For immediate access to a library of 50+ classes and workshops that cover all Art Fundamentals (designed to be worked through in sequential order), join the $15 tier over on my Patreon. 
Female anatomical and pose study by Erika Lancaster.
Head angle studies by Erika Lancaster.
Hand form and position study by Erika Lancaster.
Abstraction 1. Practice the deliberate creation/manipulation of Art Elements (color, shape, line, texture, etc.) to transmit ideas or emotions Maybe for you this will mean simply starting to use colors that are slightly more unnatural, bright or contrasted in order to make your drawings or paintings more impactful. Maybe it means arriving at your own, stylized version of a human figure. Maybe you wish to bring out only a certain part of your drawing or painting by adding more detail to that area. Whatever this may be for you, think about the message behind your work and how you can modify reality in order to impact the viewer. Don't be afraid to break the rules! 2. Try using art supplies that force you to pay less attention to small details This goes especially if you are naturally prone to want to create high levels of realism. If you paint, try using larger brushes and/or creating a picture using less brush strokes! If you draw, try using a medium like charcoal or oil pastels that don't really allow for high level of detail. Try to discern between what a picture has to necessarily include in order to portray what you want to portray, and what can be left out. Also, try using techniques that will allow you to work faster and looser. The following pieces have been explorations I have done in the past in order to gain practice at working faster and more loosely. This has been hard for me because I am prone to want to add detail, but I am seeing much progress with time. 
Charcoal raccoon drawing by Erika Lancaster.
Experimental palette knife city oil painting by Erika Lancaster.
Watercolor portrait sketch in grayscale by Erika Lancaster.
For a full list of my current favorite art supplies, go here. 3. Experiment and explore with unconventional supplies Use ready-made things you have laying around in your studio or home like fabric, paper, pieces of plastic, etc. and think of them in terms of shapes, color and texture. How could they complement each other to create one same composition? Make your collection and think, are you drawn to these particular objects for a specific reason? One of the best (and most fun) ways for me to explore shape, texture and color is by creating collages. They are something I start with no particular idea in mind, but new ideas always pop into my head throughout this process! 
Magazine cutout collage by Erika Lancaster.
4. Look inwards and use inner influences instead of external influences to create your work Give importance to getting to know yourself and think about what ideas and themes are important to you as a human being. Consistently write and brainstorm what comes into your mind. Pay attention to how life experiences make you feel and the thoughts that come into your mind on a daily basis. Start works based on these ideas instead of working from images or objects that exist beyond you. How can you use color, shape, texture, etc., to transmit your idea? Making Time to Explore Both Styles "What interests me is all the stuff that goes into abstract and abstract-figurative art. Not the styles, but the stuff that, in various combinations, make the styles: mixing and matching painting methods and ideas." -Ed Askew As artists, we should make time to explore both representational/figurative and abstract art throughout our journeys because it will enhance the outcome of our work. I believe we should always seek improvement and be willing to step out of our comfort zones. On one hand, it's incredibly important to learn the rules before attempting to break them and to always make time to go back to the basics, no matter what level of expertise we have achieved. This will help us maintain our observational and rendering skills fresh. On the other hand, we should explore new techniques that will enable more effective communication with our audience because, well, isn't that the point? Great art is engaging at a visceral level and makes people feel and/or think. Personally, some of the artwork that has called out to me the most combines both figurative and abstract techniques within them. This is what I seek to achieve some day with my work.
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