Comparative Essay Example: Traditional Art vs. Modern Art

People tend to see art as one thing, as a whole, but when they look closer, they’ll see that art is not bound to one thing. Traditional artists such as Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and more, created not only through talent but also through stricter standards and teachings. Traditional art is learned. Modern art, created by new and upcoming artists, only has one standard, and that’s that there are none. Modern art has no limits. Traditional art and modern art both strive to teach and inspire the artists that come after them. Both of them altered, or will alter, history. Eventually, the two of them will become one and the same, but until then, the two face vast differences from each other, despite how similar they may seem upon first glance. By analyzing the styles, techniques, and effects of modern and traditional art, it is clear that modern art is more growth-oriented than traditional art, despite traditional art setting the original stage for artists throughout history. 

One of the biggest differences, and probably the most noticeable one, is the art styles. When one thinks of traditional art, one usually thinks of portraits, oil paintings, and landscapes. That’s not wrong. Traditional art is known for its balance, harmony, and subject matter, which usually includes high class or religious figures, landscapes, and religious stories. Traditional art was very heavily religion-focused and was used to spread religious messages in a creative way. Traditional art was also not as bright as modern art is. It’s filled with duller colours, clean lines, and realistic portrayals of all things. Modern art, on the other hand, is now a broad term. It can be anything from graphic design in marketing to abstract and pop art. It’s filled with brighter colours, developing techniques, and eye-catching themes. Today’s art is also not as focused when it comes to meaning. Whilst being more freely designed, modern art’s meanings are meant to make people question what they’re seeing. In a way, Modern art is more revolutionary than traditional art because it teaches people how to think and draw conclusions for themselves. Modern artists aren’t telling a story, they’re simply putting the title in place. Modern art has a very diverse style, while traditional art tends to stick to known techniques and subject matter.

One of the biggest things that was built upon the foundations of traditional art was techniques. Traditional art techniques were all about precision and steadiness. One of the most well-known techniques was a fresco. Fresco is a mural painting technique that imprints a painting on a wall forever by mixing dry pigments into the wet plaster. Many artists were hired to design religious murals and create a fresco on church and chapel walls. One of the most well-known examples of this was the Sistine Chapel, done by Michelangelo. The biggest mediums back then were oil paints, plaster, bronze, and marble. One cannot dock points from traditional supplies, simply because artists could only use what was available to them. After much more time and experimentation, modern art was able to thrive with new resources and supplies. Modern art’s medium selection has been expanded due to the accessibility of millions of supplies. Some of which include digital art, acrylic paint, watercolour, and photography. An example of a modern technique is screen printing, where a mesh is used to transfer ink to a new page. A popular example of this is Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych, which features Marilyn Monroe in a bright, comic book-like style. Traditional art techniques are limited and have already been expanded upon by modern art. Modern art techniques continue to be fostered into growth. 

Lastly, there are hundreds of different stories told through art. There are ancient drawings from the Egyptians and the prehistoric ages. They show kingdoms and whole civilizations of people who existed before everything became industrialized and how it is today. Traditional art likes to tell stories. They mostly have to do with religion and historical or important events. The subject of these artworks isn’t as important as the delivery. In the real way it varies, traditional art tells the stories. They leave little up to the viewer’s imagination. Modern art, on the other hand, tends to give people the building blocks for them to make up their own stories, all of them similar, but individual. Modern artists like to experiment with new ways of seeing things by utilizing the materials and subject matter they have. They like to show stories, or introduce them, rather than tell them. Modern art is more about the overall message. Traditional art was also used to teach people concepts of morality and life lessons, while modern art tends to lean more on emotions and symbolism. Overall, traditional art explains the past while modern art leaves the future up for interpretation. 

Art has been through the wringer. It’s gone through wars and peace and the development of the new. Although it’s traveled the world in circles, art will always be influential. Traditional art is classically styled, has dignified and refined techniques, and has provided the building blocks for artists for many years. Modern art has more of an eclectic style with experimental techniques and various effects. Overall, modern art takes the most adaptable resources from traditional art to help foster growth towards artistic expression. It allows artists to appreciate and utilize traditional art in their own ways. Although seeming vastly different from one another, Modern art can be traced all the way back to traditional art techniques. While modern art is headed in the right direction, traditional art provided foundations for art, as a whole, to grow. Art is to create without restrictions, and modern art is nothing but freedom.