8. Naturalism

                                                       Tiziano Vecelli, Self-Portrait, 1560.

Naturalism is created when an artist reproduces an image making it look extremely similar to the original. The natural proportions are realistic with an added volume and 3-dimensional look. This oil on canvas piece is a good example of naturalism through the realistic proportions of the mans body and the details creating a 3D look.

9. Distortion

Pablo Picasso, Tete de cheval ("Head of horse")

Distortion occurs when an artist takes an object and reproduces it in different proportions, shapes, sizes, colors, ect. than it is in reality. Picasso is a perfect example of an artist very focused on distortion in his paintings. This oil painting shows a horse in shades of gray, black and blue and his head and body are not in proportion of a real horse. 

10. Idealism

Andy Warhol, Barbie, 1985

Idealism is a type of distortion but in the way that it improves reality. Idealism shows no flaws or accidents that are present in the real world. This painting of the classic Barbie doll is an exaggeration of what the makers of Barbie are trying to show as true beauty. Though this plastic figure's waist, breasts, and hip proportions are physically impossible for a human to match (because a real woman wouldn't be able to hold herself upright), many young girls in our society still see Barbie as someone to try and mirror due to her lack of flaws and "perfect" body structure.

Below: Katie Halchishick uses her own figure to show what it would take to have the Barbie doll’s proportions.

11. Abstraction

Franklin Beecham, "The Pond"

Abstraction is a synonym for abstract art. Abstract art is a form of art that does not care about being a literal depiction of the real world. Abstraction may reproduce an object or image from the real world in a different form usually by simplifying its form and ignoring details. This piece depicts a painted vacant piece of land with a picture of a pond surrounded by trees. The blue sky and brown horizontal land are left with no details and completely flat, unlike the real world.

12. Nonobjective Shapes

Helen Frankenthaler, "Mountains and the Sea"

Nonobjective art is similar to abstraction, but rather than only simplifying objects, it only shows shapes. These shapes are not simplified natural forms, they are shapes with no object reference and no subject matter suggestion. This painting was made by dripping paint across a canvas and letting it move around and soak on its own to form shapes. Frankenthaler was known for letting the paint move where it wanted and then naming the piece by what she thought the shapes looked like when it was complete.

13. Rectilinear Shapes

Mark Rothko, Untitled

Rectilinear designs emphasize right angles and rectangular planes by having straight edges on all the planes and giving a sharp, angular visual effect. Mark Rothko was known for his use of rectangle shapes which overlapped each other, forcing them to either take over another color, or let the color beneath show through. This piece shows many different rectangles of different colors put together, some with sharp edges.

14. Curvilinear Shapes

Alphonse Mucha, Bieres de la Mucha

Curvilinear designs are made up of almost all curves with barely any straight lines to be seen. Curvilinear shapes are natural, soft, and flowing just as almost all the shapes in Bieres de la Mucha. This print is full of curved lines on the woman, the blanket on her body, her curly hair, the vines of the trees, ect. This piece even has a curvy text going in a curvy form, reflecting the art nouveau period.