Art Concepts: Artists, Arts, and Elements of Art

THE ARTISTS & ARTISAN

  • The Artist: creators of tangible or intangible products (works of art) as expressions of creativity and imagination for purely aesthetic reasons.
    • Examples: painter, sculptor, architect.
  • The ARTISTAN (aka "craftsman"): makers of products or crafts, not only for aesthetic value or decorative purposes but for practical value, such as for business purposes.
    • Examples: pottery maker, carpenter, tailor.
  • Distinction emphasizes purpose: artistic expression vs functional craft.

THE FUNCTIONAL & NON-FUNCTIONAL ARTS

  • FUNCTIONAL ART: arts that have practical usage and serve a purpose beyond aesthetics.
    • Examples: lighting (lighting fixtures), furniture, dishes, school supplies, etc.
  • NON-FUNCTIONAL ART: arts that have no purpose other than giving pleasure, ornamentation, or life enhancement.
    • They usually engage the viewer on intellectual, emotional, or aesthetic levels.
    • Examples: painting, sculpture, and other fine arts.

THE REPRESENTATIONAL & NON-REPRESENTATIONAL ARTS

  • REPRESENTATIONAL ART (aka "objective arts"): depicts something easily recognized by most people; represents an object, person, or subject.
    • Can be abstract or realistic, as long as the subject is recognizable.
  • NON-REPRESENTATIONAL ART (aka "non-objective arts"): artworks with no resemblance to real subjects; you cannot specifically tell what it is.
    • They often appeal directly to the senses through the organization of elements and express feelings or emotions rather than specific objects.
  • Notable examples cited: Mondrian and Kline as representatives of non-representational tendencies.

7 ELEMENTS OF ART (and PRINCIPLES of design)

  • The seven elements of art: LINE, SHAPE, FORM, VALUE, COLOR, TEXTURE, SPACE.
  • Note: Some slides list SHAPE and FORM separately as two distinct elements; others place them together within a broader framework. Here we treat them as two: SHAPE (2D) and FORM (3D).

1. LINE

  • Defined as a path created by a moving point in space; may be 2D or 3D, descriptive, implied, or abstract.
  • Lines have direction and are inherently moving; they come in many forms: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, spiral, wavy, zig-zag, etc.
  • Variants and expressive potential:
    • STRAIGHT LINES: basic, can imply structure but may feel rigid.
    • HORIZONTAL LINES: convey repose and serenity.
    • VERTICAL LINES: denote action, poise, balance, force, aspiration, exaltation, dynamism.
    • DIAGONAL LINES: suggest action, life, and movement.
    • CURVED LINES: suggest grace, subtleness, direction, instability, movement, flexibility, joyousness.
    • REPEATED/ROUNDED or CURVED variants: create energy, energy, or tension (e.g., crooks or jagged lines).
  • Line categories (as per slides):
    • STRAIGHT, VERTICAL, DIAGONAL, HORIZONTAL, CURVED, WAVY, ZIG ZAG, SPIRAL, DOTTED, DASH, CROSSING, etc.
  • Conceptual grouping:
    • Repetition: lines that follow or repeat one another.
    • Contrast: lines that contrast with one another.
    • Transitional: lines that modify or soften the effect of others.
  • Practical note: lines are fundamental tools for artists in composition and expression.

2. COLOR

  • Color is an element made up of three properties: HUE, VALUE, and INTENSITY.
  • HUE: the dimension of color by name (red, blue, green, violet, etc.). Primary hues: blue, red, yellow. Secondary hues: orange, green, violet.
  • Warm hues: red, orange, yellow (associated with sun, fire, heat).
  • Cool hues: blue, blue-green, green (calm, sober, restful, inconspicuous).
  • Meaning of different colors (cultural/psychological associations):
    • RED: passion, energy; fire and blood; warm and exciting.
    • YELLOW: light, cheerfulness, life, splendor.
    • GREEN: vegetation, life, freshness.
    • VIOLET: shadows, mysteries.
    • BLACK: despair, death, pain.
    • ORANGE: warmth, deliciousness.
    • BLUE: sky and deep water; tranquil and peaceful.
  • VALUE (CHIA ROSCURO): lightness or darkness of a color; depends on the amount of light.
    • Higher value = lighter; lower value = darker; adds depth and solidity to paintings.
    • Notation: value can be represented on a scale; white is the lightest, black the darkest.
    • Notation example: V o [0,10], ext{where } 0= ext{dark}, 10= ext{light}.
  • INTENSITY (saturation): brightness or darkness of a color; determines color strength.
  • COLOR HARMONIES (relationships among colors):
    • Related color harmonies can be monochromatic or adjacent (analogous).
    • MONOCHROMATIC HARMONY: multiple tones of a single hue (e.g., orange, tan, brown, and related tones).
    • ADJACENT/NEIGHBORING HARMONY: 2 or 3 neighboring hues on the color wheel used together (e.g., green, yellow, and orange).
  • Tints, Tones, and Shades (color modifications):
    • TINT: Hue + White
    • TONE: Hue + Gray
    • SHADES: Hue + Black
    • Formally: ext{Tint} = ext{Hue} + ext{White}, \ ext{Tone} = ext{Hue} + ext{Gray}, \ ext{Shade} = ext{Hue} + ext{Black}.
  • VALUE and HUE relationships: tinting/lightening, toning, and shading alter perceived warmth/coolness and mood.
  • Color chips and references: slides include color swatches with codes (e.g., RAL numbers) illustrating a broad palette for practical design reference.

3. VALUE

  • Reiterates lightness/darkness of a hue; white is the lightest value; black is the darkest.
  • Value scale concept: progression from dark to light creates depth and volume; helps imply form.
  • Tints/Shades/Tones relate to value changes via adding white, black, or gray respectively.

4. TEXTURE

  • Texture refers to the way things feel or look as if they might feel when touched.
  • Two varieties:
    • Physical Texture: actual tactile surface feel that can be sensed by touch.
    • Visual Texture: illusion of texture on a flat surface achieved through drawing/painting techniques.
  • Perceptual impact: texture influences how a viewer perceives temperature, mood, and realism.

5. SPACE

  • Space defines positive and negative areas around, between, or within components of a piece.
  • Positive space: occupied or light areas.
  • Negative space: unoccupied or dark areas.
  • Space can be open or closed, shallow or deep, and 2D or 3D.
  • Artistic trick: space can be implied or illusionary, not always physically present.
  • Negative space and positive space interplay affects composition and emphasis.

6. FORM

  • Form is the element that is 3D and encloses volume; includes height, width, and depth.
  • Also describes the overall design and structure of an object; guides visual weight and eye movement.
  • Forms can be regular or irregular and contribute to the sense of balance and proportion.
  • Visual weight relates to how mass appears in a composition.
  • Types of form (6 categories):
    1) REGULAR FORMS
    2) IRREGULAR FORMS
    3) CENTRALIZED FORMS
    4) LINEAR FORMS
    5) RADIAL FORMS
    6) GRID FORMS
  • Each type influences composition differently (e.g., centralized forms cluster around a dominant form).

7. SHAPE

  • Shape is a two-dimensional area defined by edges.
  • Two main types:
    • GEOMETRIC SHAPE: precise, named, often mathematical (e.g., squares, circles, triangles, hexagons).
    • ORGANIC (FREE-FORM) SHAPE: less precise, irregular, often found in nature (e.g., leaf outlines, irregular puddle shapes).
  • Note: Shape is used by artists to convey meaning; Mondrian and Miro are cited as shape-focused artists; Picasso used shape in his cubist period.
  • Shape can contribute to realism when artists break down images into basic shapes during the drawing process.

CONNECTIONS TO PRACTICE AND REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS

  • Artistic roles and craft: understanding the distinction between Artist and Artisan informs how practices are valued in culture, industry, and education.
  • Function vs aesthetics: designers and artists balance practicality with beauty depending on intended use (e.g., furniture vs sculpture).
  • Visual communication: knowledge of the elements and color theory informs effective design, branding, and user experience.
  • Historical references: Mondrian, Miro, and Picasso illustrate how shape and form carry expressive and stylistic significance across movements.
  • Color choices: warm vs cool hues influence mood, audience perception, and cultural associations; appropriate color harmonies improve readability and aesthetic appeal.
  • Ethical/philosophical note: art communicates values, emotions, and identities; designers and artists should be mindful of cultural meanings and impact on viewers.

SUMMARY OF KEY DEFINITIONS (LATeX-FORMATTED)

  • Tint, Tone, and Shade:
    • ext{Tint} = ext{Hue} + ext{White}
    • ext{Tone} = ext{Hue} + ext{Gray}
    • ext{Shade} = ext{Hue} + ext{Black}
  • Value scale (concept):
    • V
      ightarrow [0,10], ext{where } 0= ext{dark}, 10= ext{light}
  • Color harmony relationships:
    • Monochromatic: multiple tones of a single hue (e.g., orange family).
    • Adjacent/Analogous: 2–3 neighboring hues on the color wheel (e.g., green, yellow, orange).

ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR STUDY

  • Be able to identify examples of each element and explain how they affect composition.
  • Recognize representational vs non-representational artworks by subject recognizability and intent.
  • Practice creating a small color study using the concepts of hue, value, and intensity, then apply a monochromatic and an adjacent harmony to compare effects.
  • Review historical artists mentioned (Mondrian, Miro, Picasso) to understand how they employed shape, form, and space in their styles.