Revisiting the Phenomenon of "Image-ization" in Sketching

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the rapid development of digital information technologies and photographic media, a phenomenon of "image-ization" has increasingly emerged in painting practice, whereby photographs are used to substitute for sketching from life. Taking sketching practice as its primary subject of inquiry, this paper reviews the manifestations of the "image-ization" phenomenon in contemporary painting and the debates surrounding it, and conducts a systematic analysis from the perspectives of the concept of sketching, its essential artistic significance, and the broader context of art education. The study argues that excessive reliance on photographic images not only weakens artists' direct perception of real life and the natural environment but also tends to result in the standardization of pictorial language and a decline in emotional expressiveness. Through a comparative examination of the traditions of sketching in both Chinese and Western painting, together with analyses of representative artistic practices, this article highlights the foundational and creative value of sketching within artistic production. Furthermore, it explores the institutional and practical factors within contemporary art education that have contributed to the replacement of sketching by "image-based" approaches. The research suggests that only by returning to lived experience and direct engagement with nature, while reinforcing sketching practice and aesthetic perception, can the vitality and spiritual depth of painting be restored, thereby promoting the sustainable development of contemporary painting.