Model vs. Picture — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
A model is a three-dimensional representation or a conceptual framework, while a picture is a two-dimensional visual representation.
Difference Between Model and Picture
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A model is typically a physical or conceptual representation of something, helping to make complex ideas more comprehensible. A picture, on the other hand, is a two-dimensional image capturing a scene or subject.
For example, architectural firms often create models of buildings to show clients the tangible aspect of their designs. Conversely, they might use pictures to display the building's intended appearance upon completion.
While both models and pictures serve to represent, the depth they operate in varies. A model exists in three dimensions, providing a tactile or conceptual perspective. In contrast, a picture is confined to a flat, two-dimensional plane.
There's also a metaphorical distinction. In the world of ideas, a model can mean a theoretical framework to explain phenomena. A picture, in a similar metaphorical vein, would be a visual or descriptive representation of a situation.
Understanding both terms, one realizes the comprehensive nature of a model, encompassing physical and conceptual dimensions. Meanwhile, a picture remains primarily as a visual depiction.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A 3D representation or conceptual framework.
A 2D visual representation.
Nature
Can be tangible or conceptual.
Typically visual and flat.
Dimensions
Three-dimensional or theoretical.
Two-dimensional.
Usage in language
Represents an example or a simplified version.
Represents a captured scene or subject.
Metaphorical use
A theoretical framework or standard for others.
A mental image or descriptive representation.
Compare with Definitions
Model
A theoretical representation of a system.
Economists developed a model to predict market fluctuations.
Picture
A situation or set of circumstances.
The economic picture looks promising this year.
Model
A representation of a structure on a smaller scale.
The museum displayed a model of the ancient city.
Picture
A representation of something on a surface.
The child drew a picture of a house on paper.
Model
A small object, usually built to scale, that represents in detail another, often larger object.
Picture
A movie or film.
We watched a picture at the local cinema.
Model
A preliminary work or construction that serves as a plan from which a final product is to be made
A clay model ready for casting.
Picture
A visual representation or image painted, drawn, photographed, or otherwise rendered on a flat surface.
Model
Such a work or construction used in testing or perfecting a final product
A test model of a solar-powered vehicle.
Picture
A visible image, especially one on a flat surface or screen
The picture reflected in the lake.
Focused the picture on the movie screen.
Model
A schematic description or representation of something, especially a system or phenomenon, that accounts for its properties and is used to study its characteristics
A model of generative grammar.
A model of an atom.
An economic model.
Picture
A vivid or realistic verbal description
A Shakespearean picture of guilt.
Model
A style or design of an item
My car is last year's model.
Picture
A vivid mental image.
Model
One serving as an example to be imitated or compared
A model of decorum.
Picture
A person or object bearing a marked resemblance to another
She's the picture of her mother.
Model
One that serves as the subject for an artist, especially a person employed to pose for a painter, sculptor, or photographer.
Picture
A person, object, or scene that typifies or embodies an emotion, state of mind, or mood
Your face was the very picture of horror.
Model
One that serves as the basis for a fictional character or place.
Picture
The chief circumstances of an event or time; the situation
How does the new boyfriend figure in the picture?.
Model
A person employed to display merchandise, such as clothing or cosmetics.
Picture
A movie.
Model
(Zoology) An animal whose appearance is copied by a mimic.
Picture
A tableau vivant.
Model
Being, serving as, or used as a model.
Picture
To make a visible representation of
In this photo, the mayor is pictured with several aides.
Model
Worthy of imitation
A model child.
Picture
To form a mental image of; visualize
I pictured my grandfather as a young man coming to America.
Model
To make or construct a descriptive or representational model of
Computer programs that model climate change.
Picture
To describe vividly in words; make a verbal picture of
Pictured their heroism in glowing language.
Model
To plan, construct, or fashion in imitation of a model
Modeled his legal career after that of his mentor.
Picture
A representation of anything (as a person, a landscape, a building) upon canvas, paper, or other surface, by drawing, painting, printing, photography, etc.
Model
To make by shaping a plastic substance
Modeled a bust from clay.
Picture
An image; a representation as in the imagination.
Model
To form (clay, for example) into a shape.
Picture
A painting.
There was a picture hanging above the fireplace.
Model
To display by wearing or posing in
Model clothes.
Picture
A photograph.
I took a picture of the church.
Model
In painting, drawing, and photography, to give a three-dimensional appearance to, as by shading or highlighting.
Picture
A motion picture.
Casablanca is my all-time favorite picture.
Model
To exhibit (a behavior) in such a way as to promote the establishment of similar patterns of behavior in another
The therapist modeled socially appropriate conversation.
Picture
Cinema as a form of entertainment.
Let's go to the pictures.
Model
To repeat (a behavior observed in another)
The child was modeling her mother's nurturing behavior.
Picture
A paragon, a perfect example or specimen (of a category).
She's the very picture of health.
Model
To make a model.
Picture
An attractive sight.
The garden is a real picture at this time of year.
Model
To work or serve as a model, as in wearing clothes for display or serving as the subject of an artist.
Picture
The art of painting; representation by painting.
Model
A person who serves as a subject for artwork or fashion, usually in the medium of photography but also for painting or drawing.
The beautiful model had her face on the cover of almost every fashion magazine imaginable.
Picture
A figure; a model.
Model
A person, usually an attractive male or female that is hired to show items or goods to the public, such as items that are given away as prizes on a TV game show.
Picture
Situation.
The employment picture for the older middle class is not so good.
You can't just look at the election, you've got to look at the big picture.
Model
A representation of a physical object, usually in miniature.
The boy played with a model of a World War II fighter plane.
Picture
(MLE) A sample of an illegal drug.
If you want me to buy your weed I’ll need a picture.
Model
A simplified representation used to explain the workings of a real world system or event.
The computer weather model did not correctly predict the path of the hurricane.
Picture
(programming) A format string in the COBOL programming language.
Model
A style, type, or design.
He decided to buy the turbo engine model of the sports car.
This year's model features four doors instead of two.
Picture
(transitive) To represent in or with a picture.
Model
The structural design of a complex system.
The team developed a sound business model.
Picture
(transitive) To imagine or envision.
Model
A successful example to be copied, with or without modifications.
He was a model of eloquence and virtue.
British parliamentary democracy was seen as a model for other countries to follow.
Picture
(transitive) To depict or describe vividly.
Model
(logic) An interpretation function which assigns a truth value to each atomic proposition.
Picture
The art of painting; representation by painting.
Any well-expressed image . . . either in picture or sculpture.
Model
(logic) An interpretation which makes a set of sentences true, in which case that interpretation is called a model of that set.
Picture
A representation of anything (as a person, a landscape, a building) upon canvas, paper, or other surface, produced by means of painting, drawing, engraving, photography, etc.; a representation in colors. By extension, a figure; a model.
Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects.
The young king's picture . . . in virgin wax.
Model
(medicine) An animal that is used to study a human disease or pathology.
Picture
An image or resemblance; a representation, either to the eye or to the mind; that which, by its likeness, brings vividly to mind some other thing; as, a child is the picture of his father; the man is the picture of grief.
My eyes make pictures when they are shut.
Model
Any copy, or resemblance, more or less exact.
Picture
To draw or paint a resemblance of; to delineate; to represent; to form or present an ideal likeness of; to bring before the mind.
I have not seen him so pictured.
Model
(software architecture) In software applications using the model-view-controller design pattern, the part or parts of the application that manage the data.
Picture
A visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface;
They showed us the pictures of their wedding
A movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them
Model
Worthy of being a model; exemplary.
Picture
Graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface;
A small painting by Picasso
He bought the painting as an investment
His pictures hang in the Louvre
Model
(transitive) to display for others to see, especially in regard to wearing clothing while performing the role of a fashion model
She modelled the shoes for her friends to see.
Picture
A clear and telling mental image;
He described his mental picture of his assailant
He had no clear picture of himself or his world
The events left a permanent impression in his mind
Model
(transitive) to use as an object in the creation of a forecast or model
They modelled the data with a computer to analyze the experiment’s results.
Picture
A situation treated as an observable object;
The political picture is favorable
The religious scene in England has changed in the last century
Model
(transitive) to make a miniature model of
He takes great pride in his skill at modeling airplanes.
Picture
Illustrations used to decorate or explain a text;
The dictionary had many pictures
Model
(transitive) to create from a substance such as clay
The sculptor modelled the clay into the form of a dolphin.
Picture
A form of entertainment that enacts a story by a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement;
They went to a movie every Saturday night
The film was shot on location
Model
(intransitive) to make a model or models
Picture
The visible part of a television transmission;
They could still receive the sound but the picture was gone
Model
(intransitive) to work as a model in art or fashion
The actress used to model before being discovered by Hollywood.
Picture
A graphic or vivid verbal description;
Too often the narrative was interrupted by long word pictures
The author gives a depressing picture of life in Poland
The pamphlet contained brief characterizations of famous Vermonters
Model
A miniature representation of a thing, with the several parts in due proportion; sometimes, a facsimile of the same size; as, a
In charts, in maps, and eke in models made.
I had my father's signet in my purse,Which was the model of that Danish seal.
You have the models of several ancient temples, though the temples and the gods are perished.
Picture
A typical example of some state or quality;
The very picture of a modern general
She was the picture of despair
Model
Something intended to serve, or that may serve, as a pattern of something to be made; a material representation or embodiment of an ideal; sometimes, a drawing; a plan; as, the clay model of a sculpture; the inventor's model of a machine.
[The application for a patent] must be accompanied by a full description of the invention, with drawings and a model where the case admits of it.
When we mean to buildWe first survey the plot, then draw the model.
Picture
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
Model
Anything which serves, or may serve, as an example for imitation; as, a government formed on the model of the American constitution; a model of eloquence, virtue, or behavior.
Picture
Show in, or as in, a picture;
This scene depicts country life
The face of the child is rendered with much tenderness in this painting
Model
That by which a thing is to be measured; standard.
He that despairs measures Providence by his own little, contracted model.
Picture
A visual representation in the form of a painting, drawing, or photograph.
She showed me a picture of her family.
Model
Any copy, or resemblance, more or less exact.
Thou seest thy wretched brother die,Who was the model of thy father's life.
Picture
An image formed in the mind.
The book paints a vivid picture of medieval life.
Model
A person who poses as a pattern for an artist; as, the artist used his daughter as a model for an Indian maiden.
Model
A person who is employed to wear clothing for the purpose of advertising or display, or who poses with a product for the same purpose; a mannequin{1}; as, a fashion model.
A professional model.
Model
A particular version or design of an object that is made in multiple versions; as, the 1993 model of the Honda Accord; the latest model of the HP laserjet printer. For many manufactured products, the model name is encoded as part of the model number.
Model
An abstract and often simplified conceptual representation of the workings of a system of objects in the real world, which often includes mathematical or logical objects and relations representing the objects and relations in the real-world system, and constructed for the purpose of explaining the workings of the system or predicting its behavior under hypothetical conditions; as, the administration's model of the United States economy predicts budget surpluses for the next fifteen years; different models of the universe assume different values for the cosmological constant; models of proton structure have grown progressively more complex in the past century.
Model
Suitable to be taken as a model or pattern; as, a model house; a model husband.
Model
To plan or form after a pattern; to form in model; to form a model or pattern for; to shape; to mold; to fashion; as, to model a house or a government; to model an edifice according to the plan delineated.
Model
To make a copy or a pattern; to design or imitate forms; as, to model in wax.
Model
A simplified description of a complex entity or process;
The computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems
Model
A type of product;
His car was an old model
Model
A person who poses for a photographer or painter or sculptor;
The president didn't have time to be a model so the artist worked from photos
Model
Representation of something (sometimes on a smaller scale)
Model
Something to be imitated;
An exemplar of success
A model of clarity
He is the very model of a modern major general
Model
Someone worthy of imitation;
Every child needs a role model
Model
A representative form or pattern;
I profited from his example
Model
A woman who wears clothes to display fashions;
She was too fat to be a mannequin
Model
The act of representing something (usually on a smaller scale)
Model
Plan or create according to a model or models
Model
Form in clay, wax, etc;
Model a head with clay
Model
Assume a posture as for artistic purposes;
We don't know the woman who posed for Leonardo so often
Model
Display (clothes) as a mannequin;
Model the latest fashion
Model
Create a representation or model of;
The pilots are trained in conditions simulating high-altitude flights
Model
Construct a model of;
Model an airplane
Model
Worthy of imitation;
Exemplary behavior
Model citizens
Model
A physical representation of an object.
The architect built a model of the skyscraper.
Model
A standard or example for imitation.
She is a model student, always punctual and diligent.
Model
A person employed to showcase products in advertising.
The model showcased the latest fashion on the runway.
Common Curiosities
Can a picture represent a model?
Yes, a picture can capture the visual aspect of a model, but it won't provide the tactile or three-dimensional experience.
Are all models physical objects?
No, models can also be conceptual, like mathematical or economic models.
Can the term 'picture' refer to movies?
Yes, "picture" can be used colloquially to refer to movies or films.
What's the main distinction between a model and a picture?
A model is a three-dimensional representation or a conceptual framework, while a picture is a two-dimensional visual representation.
Which is more abstract, a model or a picture?
While both can have abstract elements, models, especially conceptual ones, are often more abstract than pictures.
What's the difference between a model of a molecule and a picture of a molecule?
A model of a molecule would be a three-dimensional representation, while a picture would be a flat, two-dimensional image.
Do both models and pictures serve the purpose of representation?
Yes, both serve to represent, but they do so in different dimensions and manners.
Are there digital models?
Yes, digital models, often used in software and simulations, represent structures or systems electronically.
Is a photograph considered a model or a picture?
A photograph is considered a picture.
How are models used in the fashion industry?
In fashion, a model is a person who showcases or promotes clothing and other products.
Can a diagram be considered a picture?
Yes, a diagram is a type of picture used to represent data or information visually.
Are paintings considered pictures?
Yes, paintings are a form of picture, representing scenes or subjects on a flat surface.
Is a picture always a faithful representation of reality?
No, pictures, like paintings or edited photos, can be abstract, stylized, or altered representations of reality.
Can a model be interactive?
Yes, some models, especially digital ones, can be interactive, allowing users to engage with them.
In what fields are models predominantly used?
Models are used in various fields, from architecture and engineering to economics and biology.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
