True Art Is Realistic: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

Ah, fiction. Isn't it a beautiful thing, with all the creatures, forms of magic, various scenarios of fantastical warfare, and technological advancements. Sadly, according to some groups of people, this is not what the true quality is. It's mainly about how well it recreates the real world, it's real people dealing with real issues and what life throws at them. As for things, like violence, this is downplayed intentionally to show how gruesome it really is. This is done to [[Deconstruct]] the fantastical elements with [[Real Life]] consequences. That way more cynical audiences can enjoy it themselves as well; the flipside is playing it straight within science-fiction and fantasy stories can be viewed as [[Narm]] in comparison. To advert some really unfortunate stereotypes that associated with them, numerous fantastical works have tried to go down this path, though with [[YMMV Trope|very mixed results]]. Also, things, like [[Necessary Weasel]] and [[Acceptable Break From Reality]] won't cut it.

 

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* [[Real Robot]] works are usually considered more mature and artistic than their [[Super Robot|super robot anime]] counterparts.

 

== Film ==

== Live-Action Television ==

* In the crime genre, if one wants to be critical acclaim, it helps to show over-worked, under-resourced cops cutting corners and fighting their own bureaucracy as much as the criminals, who themselves not totally unsympathetic and clearly products of the ghettos they operate in (which you also show in great detail). Basically, it helps to make [[The Wire]]. By contrast, if you choose to adapt [[Agatha Christie]] or make a latter day homage, like [[Midsomer Murders]], it'll mostly be treated as camp fun at best.

 

== Myths and Legends ==

* In [[Greek Mythology]], Pygmalion gave this trope as the reason he had for not marrying to Aphrodite, and he refused to marry until he had made the most realistic depiction of the most beautiful woman in the world. Her, to be exact. The end of the myth takes the trope even farther, {{spoiler|As Aphrodite brings the statue made in her image to life for Pygmalion to marry because his masterpiece had become so real to him he wanted to be with for the rest of his life, so his "art" truly became 'realistic' in the literal sense because Aphrodite was pleased with his request.}}

 

== Tabletop Games ==

== Western Animation ==

* One of the key factors during (and responsible for) the [[Animation Age Ghetto]]. Animated works were mostly stereotyped as "little kid fantasies". Of course, animated works that do have realism are relatively ignored by this particular crowd.

 

== Web Comics ==

* In ''[[Better Days]]'', the "realistic" artist is rewarded by having her pictures sell at a decent price, whereas the snobby [[True Art Is Incomprehensible]] artists' pieces went unsold.

 

== Other Media ==

* Within [[Science Fiction]] fandom, this is the stance taken by many fans of [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness|hard sci-fi]].

 

== Real Life ==

* Realism is this trope itself. Naturalism is this trope [[Up to Eleven]], though not always. Modern art averts this more or less, same with certain arts with its highly formalized cultural specific styles, an example [[Ancient Egypt|Ancient Egyptian]] art (Or what has been preserved for us).

 

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