Cary A. answered • 03/20/23
Associate Professor of Art, Environment, & Emerging Practices
Photo and painting both have their benefits. It is difficult to judge one as being better than the other. It just depends on what one wants to express or achieve and then choosing the best medium for their purposes. There are many different reasons for taking a photo or creating a painting. The intent of the artist or creative is not always reality, hi-resolution, or one's concept of accuracy. There are many ways to manipulate photo or paint to affect viewers' perceptions, understandings, and emotions. When evaluating a work in any medium we have to consider things like aesthetics and process. Aesthetics include Imitationalism (Does it look real?), Formalism (How's it arranged?), and Emotionalism (How does it make you feel?). Process influences aesthetics, e.g. some creatives might prefer making a painting to taking a photo because of the time it takes -- the ritual involved in doing everything from preparing the canvas to mixing the colors to considering application of the paint. The viewer of the painting might then feel a greater connection to the painting because of the physical evidence of the artists' brush on the canvas or the tactile sensations of the painting as a physical object. While others might prefer the immediacy of digital photography. Each Instagram or Snapseed filter instantly transforms the aesthetics of the pic and conveys a different energy and emotion, then can quickly be shared and distributed. It all depends on your vision and how you wish to communicate your feelings and ideas!
