Realism

1. interest in or concern for the actual or real, as distinguished from the abstract, speculative, etc.
2. the tendency to view or represent things as they really are.
3. Fine Arts .
a. treatment of forms, colors, space, etc., in such a manner as to emphasize their correspondence to actuality or to ordinary visual experience.
b. a style of painting and sculpture developed about the mid-19th century in which figures and scenes are depicted as they are experienced or might be experienced in everyday life. (Dictionary.com)

what is realism ?  Realism in relation to art is when the subject of the artist is shown in a realistic manner, as close to 'reality' as possible - the way the subject actually looked. For my understanding realism is something that is realistic; something that real which have less fantastic element. Something that representative with exact detail of real life object. art the are almost accurate as photography. for example that image below

we hardly realize which is real apple and which is apple. Realism is still apply by artist nowadays although camera is available. By using their skill they trying as hard as possible to draw or record down the detail to process a final outcome as accurate as the real life object. but is the object inside painting that the designer draw is real or still exiting ? maybe some are create by the designer memory.

for example the painting below

"If you see something that... looks human and isn't, you keep your eyes on it and you feel for your hatchet."

— Mr. Beaver, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

girl in the painting is draw with full detail but does this girl still exit? 

the Masahiro Mori's the uncanny valley theory can help us to explain the question above

this is a video to explain what is uncanny valley.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzxBpz7Xjl0)

Written by Nick Hayden & Marc Fennell

Directed by Aaron Smith, Nick Hayden & Marc Fennell

Edited by Nick McDougall

For the image on top we can place it the uncanny valley, when we found out it was a painting, because the painting had reached a level that look exactly like real human. But after we find what the painter reference on real human to process this painting, people will accept it and like it. By that time the painting will reach the target level of healthy human. From the video, we know that from the level of industry robot status is some technology that created by mimic the human movement. The industry is growing, and the robot industry have evolve, the robot have slowly improve not only the design and even the visual is mimic the real human. When it reach the level that it look exactly like a human people  at first will not accept it. At that level is the uncanny valley. But when people understand the concept and what they are referencing at people start to accept it.

The theory have been apply in all kind of source. Gaming industry it the most recognizable due to the technology now, the gamer want something that are real so while the playing it give them a feeling that they are in the game.  And even in japan they are using robot human as a concierge or receptionist to give human a more friendly experience instate of taking to a screen.