Art Appreciation: Creativity, Imagination, and Expression – Vocabulary Review

Art

A product of human creativity, imagination, and expression; not everything beautiful qualifies as art.

Artist

A person capable of creating art; not everyone is an artist, though all can be spectators.

Art Appreciation

The ability to recognize, understand, and value the beauty and purpose of artworks.

Creativity

The capacity to produce something original, out of the ordinary, and not merely copied.

Originality

A key marker of creativity—when something has not been seen before and is not an imitation.

Imagination

The faculty that embraces the entire world beyond current knowledge and fuels artistic creation.

Expression (in art)

The act of conveying inner emotions through artistic forms rather than merely describing them.

Jean-Paul Sartre (art quote)

Claimed art’s role is to depict the world in a completely different light and perspective.

Albert Einstein (imagination quote)

Stated that imagination is more important than knowledge because it transcends current understanding.

Robin George Collingwood (expression quote)

Argued that an artist does not induce emotion but expresses it, turning feelings into beauty.

Visual Arts

Art forms that appeal primarily to sight, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and digital imaging.

Film

The art of arranging successive still images to create the illusion of movement, valued aesthetically and industrially.

Motion-picture camera

Primary device for capturing sequential images in filmmaking.

Animation Techniques

Methods of creating moving images frame-by-frame, often used in film.

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)

Digital graphics used to create or enhance images and effects in film.

Performance Art

Live art using the human body, often combined with props, sound, or visual elements.

Elements of Performance Art

Time, location, performer’s body, and the audience–performer relationship.

Poetry Performance

Artistic expression that conveys emotion through carefully chosen spoken words, tone, and movement.

Architecture

The art of designing and constructing beautiful buildings that go beyond mere functionality.

Elements of Architecture

Plan, Construction, and Design—three essentials a building must embody to be called architecture.

Dance

A series of movements following musical rhythm, allowing free and creative bodily expression.

Literary Art

Creative writing that communicates emotion through unique style in fiction or nonfiction.

Theater

Live performance portraying real or imagined events before an audience, integrating multiple artistic elements.

Genres of Theater

Drama, Musical, Tragedy, Comedy, and Improvisation.

Applied Arts

The incorporation of style and design into everyday objects to elevate their aesthetic value (e.g., fashion, interior, industrial design).

Personal / Individual Function (of Art)

Art made from personal passion, advocacy, or self-expression of the artist.

Psychological Expression

Use of visual images to communicate thoughts and feelings before written language existed.

Love, Sex, and Marriage (art theme)

Artistic exploration of intimate human relationships, from romance to erotica.

Death, Morbidity, and Illness (art theme)

Art addressing emotions such as anger, fear, and hope related to mortality and sickness.

Spiritual Concern

Art expressing collective ideas about human life in relation to religion or spirituality.

Intellectual Inquiry

Artistic questioning aimed at deeper thought and understanding.

Aesthetic Expression (function)

Art concerned with what is beautiful or pleasing to the senses.

Social Function (of Art)

Art that fosters social interaction and consciousness, like group performances and exhibits.

Economic Function (of Art)

Art’s role in generating economic vitality through crafts, tourism, and cultural attractions.

Political Function (of Art)

Art serving as a platform for ideas, propaganda, or agendas, especially during elections.

Historical Function

Art as a record and preservation of people, events, and cultures across time.

Cultural Function

Art conveying and transmitting new information and values that shape cultural identity.

Physical Function

Artistic design in structures that protect occupants and enrich their living environment.

Aesthetic Function (decor)

Artworks that provide visual beauty and enhance interior spaces through meaningful imagery.