Vol. 3, Issue 8, Part K (2017)

Abstract
Works of art often tell stories. Artists can present narrative in many ways- by using a series of images representing moments in a story, or by selecting a central moment to stand for the whole story. Sometimes, however, Artists invent their own stories, leaving the viewer to imagine the narrative. Narrative illustrations are based on a story, and use visual clues to tell that story. The narrative is usually represented with characters or some sort of action within the art work. Fine art is an umbrella term for almost any kind of art form ranging from abstract to sculpture to hyper realistic portraiture- the common denominator is that it typically stems from a personal place within the artist. My concern here is to highlight the role of narration which tells a story. It often depicts images from religion, mythology, history, literature, or everyday life. The works might be small canvases or large wall sized images. They might have precise brush strokes or large swirls of paint. Narrative art isn’t about a painting style, but rather the content behind it. Whatever the subject, narrative paintings contain elements of realism, with things recognized as structures or figures in the natural world. Prior to advent of literacy, most narrative art was done to educate the masses. Once literacy developed in different parts of the world, pictures began to be organized along registered lines that helped time to define the direction of the narrative. This method of linking seems together led to other ways of telling stories in 20^th century- the newspaper, comic strips and comic books.