A Quick History of How Art and Illustrations Evolved Over Time
Art and illustration have been essential parts of human expression for thousands of years and still remain very significant to humanity. Despite their similarity, they are different, and their histories don’t always intertwine. One serves a more functional purpose, often used to convey specific ideas or information, and the other is more focused on personal expression and aesthetic value.
This article delves into the differences between illustrations and art, their history, and the definition and benefits of using stock art for your creative projects. Keep on reading to learn more!
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A brief history of art and illustrations
Art and illustrations are often considered one and the same. However, this isn’t necessarily true. An illustration is a visualization created by an artist to explain certain information—for instance, visually representing or supporting facts and details.
Art, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily explaining certain information and often allows freedom of interpretation. At the same time, both art and illustration have rich histories that have been intertwined at some point. Let’s explore these histories a bit more:
Prehistoric and ancient art
The first art was created in the form of prehistoric cave paintings and carvings that depicted the daily lives of early humans and the nature around them. These works weren’t just art pieces—they were also functional and often used in rituals or storytelling.
Later, with the development of various ancient civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece), art became more sophisticated. For instance, Egyptians used hieroglyphs and detailed tomb paintings to honor the dead, and Greeks perfected sculpture and pottery, celebrating gods and human beauty.
Medieval and Renaissance art
Art was heavily influenced by religion in the Middle Ages. Back then, illustrations were commonly created to adorn books and manuscripts. Gothic cathedrals were decorated with stained glass windows and sculptures that delivered biblical stories to a largely illiterate audience.
Then came the Renaissance period that marked a rebirth of classical ideals, the rise of oil painting and the use of linear perspective. The most well-known artists of the period were Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo; they emphasized realism, perspective, and human anatomy.
Art during the Baroque and Romanticism eras
In the Baroque era, art and illustrations were dramatic and emotional with bold contrasts. Back then, art was often used to convey complex religious themes and amaze viewers.
The 18th century saw the rise of Rococo, which was characterized by light, playful themes, and Romanticism, which, in turn, focused on emotion, nature, and the sublime. Romantic artists like Francisco Goya and J.M.W. Turner were exploring the depths of human emotion and the power of nature.
Modern art
The Industrial Revolution and social changes shaped modern art and contributed to the creation of diverse art movements. One of them was impressionism, pioneered by Claude Monet. It broke from traditional realism and was focused on capturing fleeting moments with loose brushwork. Then came post-impressionism: artists like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne further pushed boundaries, experimenting with color and form in modern wall art and other paintings.
The 20th century also saw the rise of modern abstract art, used to break away from the traditional representation of reality and stop depicting objects or scenes realistically. Instead, it focused on exploring shapes, colors, lines, and forms as means of expression.
Contemporary art and illustration
Art became more diverse after World War II and started focusing on ideas more than aesthetics. For instance, postmodern art movements like Pop Art blended popular culture with fine art to challenge traditional art forms.
During this time, illustration, once viewed as separate from fine art, gained recognition as an art form in its own right and became widely used, especially in advertising, publishing, and comics. Digital technology has also massively impacted art and illustration as creators started using new techniques and tools. Today, the line between art and illustration continues to blur as more illustrators become recognized in commercial and fine art spaces.
What is stock illustration art and why should you opt for it?
Stock illustration art is a collection of pre-made illustrations that you can buy or download from stock content websites. Visuals are crafted by different creators and made available under various licenses, depending on the platform. For example, Depositphotos features over 250 million royalty-free audiovisual content that you can use for commercial and personal projects.
Overall, stock art covers a wide range of styles and subjects, from simple icons to detailed illustrations and mid-century modern wall art pieces. That’s why image stocks can be a useful source for businesses, marketers, designers, and content creators.
But why should you consider downloading or purchasing stock art? Mostly because it’s affordable and easy to access. You can quickly find illustrations that match your brand’s style or message and use them right away. This is also much cheaper than purchasing custom art. However, using such visuals can lead to less unique branding since others might opt for the same illustrations in their projects. To avoid this, you can look for less common illustrations or modify the stock art to create unique compositions and designs.
To sum up
The rich history of art and illustration shows how important they have always been in human culture and continue to be. Nowadays, with the development of digital technology, these two forms often blend—illustration becomes recognized as fine art, while fine art is often used for commercial purposes, e.g., creating an interior design with mid-century modern art paintings. Nonetheless, the language of images still remains as important as ever, and it will continue to grow and expand as time goes on.
