Research On Painting Languages Similarity Between Modern Artists And Children

Visionary artists generally find an interesting phenomenon in the process of their studying and working, that paintings by modern famous artists are extremely similar to children's in method and expression. This phenomenon is common, but not absolute. They usually summarize objects using simple curves or geometric shapes depending on subjective feeling, while not just pursuing the painting styles of these objects. Moreover, painters always use the methods of exaggeration and transfiguration to deal with the targets that they want to express in their pictures. In particular, they mainly use purer colors to simplify or extract; and they try to simplify the shades of grey to enhance the efficiency of color expression. In visual expression, they present the typical state of material existence by plane technology, omitting depth and not emphasizing natural details. The structures of figures that they want to express in their pictures are relatively simple. They also add or rearrange the objects to strengthen the content. But it is not possible that famous artists are just imitating children's simple paintings. What is their purpose?I was attracted by children's paintings because of their wonderful imagination, mystical colors and interesting inner worlds during my studying and working. We can touch the colorful inner worlds of children through their productions. The productions are mirrors which can reflect their inner worlds relating to their psychological growth. When we compare children's paintings with those of famous artists, we can conclude that the expressions of children are spontaneous. They simplify the objects coming from instinctive reflection without active consciousness. It means that they do not realize the meaning of painting; they just record the objective materials, maybe including some simple details and some physical feeling or psychological emotions, but not including more experiences of life. At the same time, these expressions are not confined by other artificial factors existing in realistic society. In contrast, famous artists often combine deep life experiences and spirituality in their productions when they want to express feelings similar to children's. All the images that are used by famous artists are typed and extracted, and are visionary symbols which contain special meaning. The expressions derive from subjective extraction and subjective re-creation of objective materials. For example, Pablo Picasso used the method of exaggeration to express the inner emotion of a woman's sadness using irregular lines and typical colors when he created the work named"Crying Woman". It made this sadness stronger when he utilized blue and white colors in the woman's face; moreover, the woman's internal emotion was externalized by using exaggerated tears. Pablo Picasso just pursued this kind of the most intuitional expression. Children also adapt similar images, tears, to express the same emotion. Even if they chose the same images, they express different meanings. Children simply record with their pictures- she is crying; but Pablo Picasso combined all kinds of visionary factors to express this sadness including objective, subjective and deep emotions and life experiences. So at this moment, this kind of grief which is not a simple physical reaction or shallow psychological feelings is different from the visionary presentation of crying and sadness.Modern artists pursue a kind of level which combines deeply artistic cultivation with intuitional, fierce, free and efficient expressions in their products. Pablo Picasso said :"I'd rather my paintings look like children's". Famous artists in the world learn from children, because the sincere and pure instinct of children is hard to reach for adults. The highest level of art is going to express the sincere and pure instinct of artists, which is totally free and unique. The difference is that artists pursue style with deliberateness from regularity to irregularity, while children with unconsciousness from irregularity to regularity.By comparing children's paintings with those of famous artists, we can draw conclusions. Firstly, the similarity of the shapes is external, while they are obviously different in many aspects such as style, content, structure and technology. Secondly, the purpose of children's drawing is spontaneous and intense, for accepting or reflecting stimulation from the outside world. They treat all kinds of materials coming from life to irregular shapes because of lack of experience and knowledge, whereas famous artists derive the visionary elements they used from deliberateness, analysis and summary. They want to use the freedom of children's painting, children's intuitive way of observing, children's spontaneity of expression and children's sincerity. Finally, children's paintings show external existence and irrational possibility; but famous artists want to show the reality of human beings, associating their life experiences. This is a higher attainment, returning to nature, from'original me'to'without me', eventually to'the real me', beginning with some rules and going to no rules. Furthermore, the artists want to pursue not only regression but also the exception inside the rules, to emphasize their aspiration and the real meaning of visual arts.