Prelims Art Appreciation

Art Criticism

involves the description, analysis, and evaluation of artworks.

theory of beauty

Art critics usually critique art in the context of aesthetics or the _____.

rational basis for art appreciation

One of criticism's goals is the pursuit of a ______.

Description

• Five-Step System for understanding visual art

• a work of art from an objective point of view – its physical attributes and formal construction.

Analysis

• Five-Step System for understanding visual art

• a detailed look at a work of art that combines physical attributes and subjective statements based on the viewer’s reaction to the work [how parts are organized to form a whole]

Context

• Five-Step System for understanding visual art

• historical, religious, or environmental information that surrounds a particular work of art and which helps one to understand the work’s meaning [factors that shaped a work]

Meaning

• Five-Step System for understanding visual art

• a statement of the work’s content; a message or narrative expressed about the subject matter [a comment on the subject]

Judgement

• Five-Step System for understanding visual art

• a critical point of view about a work of art concerning its aesthetic or cultural value.

Medium

What is it made of?

Subject

What is it about?

Style

What is its style?

Function or Purpose

What is it for?

Evaluation

Is it any good? How good is it?

Organization/Composition

How are the parts put together to form a whole?

Theme

What does it say about an aspect of human life?

Ars

in ancient Latin it meant a craft or specialized form of skill, like carpentry. In medieval Latin, it meant any special form of book-learning, such as grammar or logic, magic or astrology.

Art

• the activity of creating beautiful things

• works, such as paintings or poetry, resulting from such activity

• the aesthetic values of an artist as expressed in his work

• a craft or trade and its methods

A work of art

is an expression of a feeling, idea or experience, skillfully formed using a medium.

expression

visual, auditory, or any other sensory expression

medium

paint, sound, word, body, etc.

Art Appreciation

is the practice of studying and valuing art. A twofold purpose of this is to delight and to instruct

Humanities

comes from the Latin humanus, which means human, cultured and refined

Assumptions of Art

1. Art has been created by all people at all times; it lives on because it is liked and enjoyed.

2. Art involves experience.

3. Art is not nature.

Philosophical Perspectives on Art

1. Art as Imitation

2. Art as Representation

3. Art as a Disinterested Judgment

4. Art as Communication of Emotion

5. Art for Art’s Sake vs. Art for Man’s Sake

6. Art as an Escape

Art as Imitation

Art is a mere copy of the original (the true and eternal entities) that can be found only in the World of Forms. -Plato

Art as Representation

Art provides a vision of what might be reality. Art is an aid to philosophy in revealing the truth.- Aristotle

Dulce et Utile

Art serves a twofold purpose: to delight and to teach. (Horace)

Art as a Disinterested Judgment

Art, particularly the judgment of art, is impartial, free of self-interest. - Immanuel Kant

Even subjective judgments in art are based on universal criteria.

Art as Communication of Emotion

Art is a language, a communication device, to articulate feelings and emotions that are otherwise unavailable to the audience or readers. -Leo Tolstoy

Functions of Art

physical, social, and personal.

Physical Function

corresponds to the practical function of an art work

Social Function

it addresses a particular collective interest.

Examples: political art, photography, performances for social purposes

Personal Function

Depends on each person, and is subjective.

Examples: art for self-expression, therapy

Works of Art

can describe things, tell stories, impart information, embody beauty, engage us emotionally, elevate our spirit or inspire us, express ideas, challenge notions about art or other matters, or cause us to react to or act on pressing social issues.

Artisan

• a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand (often in a traditional way)

• a craftsman, skilled worker

Subject of Art

whatever is represented in a work of art

Sources of Subjects of Art

1. Nature (landscape, seascape, etc.)

2. History

3. Literature, incl. mythology and folklore

4. Religion (sacred texts, stories of saints, etc.)

5. Man-made objects and structures

6. Experiences

7. Imagination, dreams, etc.

8. Other works of art

Elements of Visual Art/ Basic Tools of Visual Communication

1. Dot

2. Line

3. Shape

4. Direction

   • Direction and Lines

   • Direction and Shapes

5. Tone

6. Color

7. Texture

8. Scale and Proportion

9. Dimension

10. Perspective

11. Movement

12. Space

Composition in Art

Refers to the ordering of relationships: among details, among regions, among details and regions, and among these and the total structure.

Techniques

are the ways artists go about applying the principles of composition

Elements of Art

• Auditory Elements in Literature

• Transcreation: Dance to Visual Art

• Text to Visual Art

• Fusion of Elements in Combined Arts

Principles of Visual Art

1. Balance

2. Pattern

3. Movement and rhythm

4. Proportion

5. Unity

6. Variety/Variation

7. Emphasis

8. Gradation

Balance

refers to the equilibrium of visual forces. _____ may be either symmetrical or asymmetrical (among other types).

Symmetry

A form of balance achieved by the use of identical balance compositional units on either side of a vertical axis within the picture plane.

Radial Symmetry

A form of balance that is even, radiating out from central points to all four quadrants of the shape’s constraining plane

Approximate Symmetry

A form of balance achieved by the use of similarly balanced compositional units on either side of a vertical axis within the picture plane.

Asymmetry

A form of balance attained when the visual units of balance either side of a vertical axis are not identical but are placed in positions within the picture plane so as to create a ‘felt’ equilibrium of the total form of concept.

Pattern

results from the repetition of elements in an artwork

Movement and rhythm

refer to the way a painting controls the motion and pace of our vision

Movement

it is the path our eyes follow when we look at a work of art, and it is generally very important to keep a viewer’s eyes engaged in the work.

Diagonal lines

A strategy used to evoke a sense of movement

Rhythm

A continuance, a flow or a feeling of movement achieved by the repetition of regulated visual information.

Proportion

refers to the emphasis of relationship achieved by the scaling of sizes of shape..

Unity

refers to the togetherness of details and regions to the whole despite contrasts

Harmony

is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar, related elements

Variety/Variation

refers to the contrasts of details and regions to complement unity and create visual interest, particularly in a pattern.

Contrast

results from marked difference (in size, values, hues, etc.)

Emphasis

is the principle that creates a center of interest by putting more importance to one element over other elements in a composition. It involves both dominance and subordination.

Gradation

refers to a continuum of changes in the details and regions (areas) such as the gradual variations in shape, color value, and shadowing, etc.

Composition in Art

refers to the ordering of relationships: among details, among regions, among details and regions, and among these and the total structure.

Rule of Thirds

splits an image into thirds vertically and horizontally, as shown in this grid. Artists will often separate the foreground and background content by using the horizontal lines.

Golden Ratio

a mathematical ratio that artists use to create balance and proportion in their work

Illusion of Depth may be achieved through:

1. Overlapping of shapes

2. Making distant shapes smaller, darker and less detailed

3. Placing distant shapes higher

4. Moving from higher to lower saturation

5. Moving from heavier to lighter textures

6. Shading from light to dark

7. Using less saturated and cooler hues in the distance

8. Slanting lines inward (to a vanishing point)

Hue

the name of a color

Saturation

The intensity or purity of a hue

Value

The degree of lightness or darkness of a hue

Tone

A hue produced by adding grey

Tint

A hue produced by adding white

Shade

A hue produced by adding black

Monochromatic Scheme

Using one hue and adding white, black or grey to create tints, tones, and shades

Primary colors

can be mixed to create all other colours (red, blue, yellow)

Secondary colors

created by mixing primaries (Purple, Green, Orange)

Tertiary colors

created by mixing primaries and secondaries

Warm colors

reds, oranges, yellows

Cool Colors

Purples, Blues, Greens

Color Schemes

reference the color wheel to choose an appealing color scheme

Monochromatic Scheme

using one hue and adding white, black, or grey to create tints, tones and shades

Complementary colors

colors sitting across from each other on the color wheel

• red & green

• purple & yellow

• orange & blue

Split-Complementary Scheme

A base color and the two colors adjacent to its complementary color

Analogous Scheme

2-4 colors next to each other on the color wheel

Triadic Scheme

3 colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel

Tertradic (rectangle) Scheme

four colors arranged into two complementary pairs

Yellow

• A happy color with positive qualities like joy, intelligence, brightness, energy, optimism, and happiness.

• Negative feelings that include caution, criticism, laziness, and jealousy.

Green

• Symbolizes nature and has a healing quality

• Associated with growth, harmony, and money

• Negative can show greed or jealousy

Blue

• peaceful and caring

• exudes stability and expertise

• symbolizes trust and dependability

• negative: depression, coldness and passiveness

Red

• symbolic of fire & power

• associated with passion and importance

• stimulates energy and excitement

• negative: anger, emergency and rage

Orange

• associated with happiness, joy and sunshine

• evokes childlike exuberance

• negative: still somewhat aggressive, symbolizes ignorance and deceit