「文字」的形成包含形、音、義三者。當藝術家運用「文字」作爲創作媒介時，會因爲藝術家著重文字不同的功能，而有不同類型的藝術形式出現。
在美術史中，有一種是擷取「字形」作爲表現手段，在此，文字與繪畫的功能是融合爲一的，文字本身即成爲一種藝術作品，或者擔負起裝飾的作用。另一種則是擷取文字的「音義」作爲表現手段，這種方法體現在繪畫藝術的領域裡，往往是以「文字介入繪畫」的姿態出現。由於「文字」的功能著重在傳達觀念，表達思想，成爲實實在在的「概念」符號，而「繪畫」則藉由畫面中的圖像、形式、設色或構圖達到美的或者藝術的訴求，因此「文字」與「繪畫」突顯了它們的媒材表現功能而形成差異性，不同於「文字」與「繪畫」合二爲一，這裡所呈現的「文字」與「繪畫」則往往是「並置」在同一畫面的。
「文字」與「繪畫」本身即存在著客觀的界限與差別，那麼，藝術家試圖結合「文字」與「繪畫」的企圖何在？他們如何將兩種不同的藝術媒介安排在一起？而其發展又是如何？本文的目的即試圖爲「文字介入繪畫」的歷史建立一個有系統的脈胳，並嘗試對上述問題做些釐清。
Written language is combination of form, tone and meaning. When artists use written language as a media for painting, various kinds of forms will be presented depending on how they use them.
In the history of fine arts, appropriating the form of written language is one means of representation. That means words themselves are regarded as an art presentation or play a role of decoration. Other ways of using written language in painting is to appropriate written language's tone and meaning. This kind of method we will call "Setting Characters in Painting". The most important function of written language itself is being a symbol of concept. And, painting's character can achieve its goal for beauty through how artists arrange the form, color and composition in their painting.
Thus, written language and painting have their different functions and characteristics. Different from harmonizing written language and painting together, in this way of painting, they are arranged on the same image.
How do those artists try to arrange written language and painting on one image? What is their goal? What will they develop? In this article, I will try to establish the history of "Setting Characters in Painting", and clarify the problems mentioned above.
