The artist appears to be recording exactly what they see, even if it represents an imagined or supernatural subject. In the style of art known as idealism , artists represent things not as they are, but as they ought to be. This style stems from ancient Greek and Roman artists who focused their artwork toward their idea of the perfect human forms. Realism is art seen as is. Idealism is art that is based on subjects that have been idealized by the artist, such as Gods and Goddesses.
Abstract art is a style that strives to capture the essence of the basic form it is emulating.
When comparing realism with abstract art, the difference is that with abstract art, the main focus is the subject in simplest form while reality provides a look at a picture that could have very well been a scene you viewed on the way home two minutes ago. Reality looks to be realistic while abstract has a meaning that has been narrowed down to its simplest form or idea. If you look at a painting from a reality point of view, you may be missing more than what simply meets the eye. For instance, in Thomas LeClear s painting entitled Interior With Portrait , the deeper meaning of the painting is missed if simply looking at it from a reality point of view. LeClear s subjects in the painting were based on children who were no longer living.