Alice Peden, Traci Newberry, Ginger Nelson, and Cuong Nguyen discuss Leonardo da Vinci's "Paragone"

     In his Paragone discussion, Leonardo da Vinci asserts that sculpting is more physically demanding and painting is mostly mentally demanding. While some may find this to be true in some instances, it is not always the case. Both painting and sculpting have the potential to be demanding in each way.
     In sculpting you have to create a vision in a block of stone. You must also be able to have an image of the outcome of every move that you make. When sculpting our blocks of soap, most of us found that it was very easy to make mistakes. It was easy to take off too much in one area, thus throwing the proportions off. Sculpting could also be mentally demanding because of the extraordinary amount of patience that would be required to carve something with such precision out of a block of stone. Sculpting is physically demanding because of the sheer strength it would take to handle the stone and tools and to exert the force you would need to chip away at the rock.
     Painting can also be both physically and mentally demanding. Consider works that are very large or set up in a difficult way (ex. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel). These would most likely prove to be more physically demanding than smaller pieces. When painting, the mental faculties must also be used to imagine the work that you are creating. The painter must be able to work out things like perspective, colors, and texture and patterns. They are trying to use all of these elements to turn something that is 2-dimensional into something that you can see as multi dimensional. There is also a lot more room for error in painting. In most cases, mistakes can be covered up with another layer of paint, whereas if you make a mistake while sculpting, it is much harder to mask.
     To prove that one art form is superior to the other would be difficult. Both paintings and sculptures have their purpose and place. A lot would depend on the intended use of the piece and where it was to be displayed. For example, if you were looking for a piece of art to display in a courtyard or garden, obviously you wouldn’t look for a painting. Likewise, if the intended usage was indoors, you might not have ample space to display a large sculpture.
     A lot also depends on the strengths of the artist and what the artist is trying to express -- both of which are internal factors rather than anything specific to either branch of art. Each artist has his or hers skills and technique when expressing their work. If a person has pride and passion in their work, he or she will be able to create art.
      We do not believe that a discussion such as the Paragone is of much use other than to see the opinion of such an influential artist. Art is in the eye of the viewer. Some people may appreciate paintings over sculptures, just like some people appreciate music over paintings. It is personal preference and appreciation. There is no right or wrong, no one art form that is more or less superior.