ART-APP-CHAP-1-4

ART

is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts, expressing the author’s imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

FUNCTIONS OF ART

AESTHETIC FUNCTION

• An artwork functions aesthetically when it becomes instrumental for man to be cognizant of the beauty of nature
• And where the real feelings of joy and appreciation to nature’s beauty are manifested through appreciation and enjoyment when in contact with the artwork.

UTILITARIAN FUNCTION

• Art is serving this function when it is utilized to give comfort, convenience, and happiness to human beings.
• It is used to serve basic needs such food, shelter, clothing medicine, comfortable environment, transportation, entertainment, communication, and expression.

CULTURAL FUNCTION

• Art serves as an aperture towards skills, knowledge, attitudes, customs, and traditions of different group of people. The Art helps, preserves, share, and transmit culture of people from one people generation to another.

SCOPE OF ART

According to Manaois, there are two (2) general dimensions of arts, namely:

1. Fine arts/Aesthetic arts/Independent arts
2. Practical art/Useful arts/Utilitarian arts

According to Custodiosa Sanchez, arts consists of visual arts, literature, drama and theatre, music and dance.

Josefina Estolas

• Grouped arts into major and minor arts

Panizo and Rustia (1995) classified arts into two major divisions:

1. According to purpose
2. According to media and forms

ART APPRECIATION

It refers to analyzing the form of artwork to general audiences to enhance their enjoyment of such works of art. It may be analyzed without reference to subject matter, symbolism or historical context

THE SUBJECT OF ART

Art is a subject it serves as the foundation of the creation of work of art. It is usually anything that is represented in the artwork, it may be a person, object, scene and event

Art works that have no resemblance to any real subject are called non-representational or non-objective arts

MEDIUM AND TECHINQUE

Medium - which comes from the Latin word "medium", denotes the means by which an artist communicates his idea

On the basis of medium, the arts are primarily classified as:

1. Visual
2. Auditory

VISUAL ARTS

- are those whose mediums can be seen and which occupy space

These are group into 2 classes:

1. Dimensional or two-dimensional arts - which include painting, drawing, printmaking, and photography
2. Three Dimensional arts - which include sculpture, architecture, landscape, community planning, industrial designs and crafts

AUDITORY ARTS

- are those whose mediums can be heard and which are expressed in time

Example: Music and literature

COMBINED ARTS

- are those whose mediums can be both seen, heard and which exist in both space and time, they are also known as the "performing arts"

Example: dance, opera, drama, film

TECHNIQUE

- is the manner in which the artist controls the medium to achieve desired effect

THE ARTIST AND HIS MEDIUM

• the artist thinks, feels, and gives shape to his vision in terms of his medium
• an artist employs more than one medium to give meaning to his creative production

ARTIST AND HIS TECHNIQUE

- artists differ from one another in technique even if they use the same medium

MEDIUMS OF VISUAL ARTS

PAINTING

• the art of creating meaningful effects on a flat surface by the use of pigments

WATERCOLOR

• a medium that is difficult to handle because it is difficult to produce warm and rich tones but it invites brilliance and variety hues
• example: gouache method

FRESCO

• a painting on a moist plaster surface with colors ground in water or a lime water mixture
• Example: Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" in the Sistine Chapel ceiling

TEMPERA

• are mineral pigments mixed with egg yolk or white and ore
• they are often used as binder due to its film forming properties and rapid drying rate
• this painting is usually done in wooden panel that has been made very smooth and with plaster called "gesso" (chalk and gum)

PASTEL

• This is a stick of dried paste made of pigment round with chalk and compounded with gum water. Its colors are luminous, and it is a very flexible medium

ENCAUSTIC

• This is one of the early mediums used by the Egyptians for the painted portrait on mummy cases.
• This is done by painting with wax colors fixed with heat.

OIL

• Oil painting is one of the most expensive art activities today because of the prohibitive cost of materials.
• In oil painting, pigments are mixed with linseed oil and applied to the canvas.
• Example: Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”

ACRYLIC

• This medium is used popularly by contemporary painters because of the transparency and quick-drying characteristics of watercolor and the flexibility of oil combined.
• This synthetic paint is mixed with acrylic emulsion as binder for coating the surface of the artwork.

MOSAIC

• Mosaic art is a picture or decoration made of small pieces of inlaid colored stones or glass called "tesserae," which most often are cut into squares glued on a surface with plaster or cement.
• Mosaic art is an important feature of Byzantine churches
• Example: Sta. Cruz Church altar wall depicting “The Sacrificial Lamb above the Tabernacle”

STAINED GLASS

• This is made by combining many small pieces of colored glass which are held together by bands of lead. It is also a kind of patchwork.

TAPESTRY

• This is a fabric consisting of a warp upon which colored threads are woven by hand to produce a design, often pictorials, wall hangings and furniture covering.

DRAWING

• It is the most fundamental of all skills necessary in arts.
• Drawing has always been considered as a very good training for artists because it makes one concentrate on the use of line.
• Example: “The Head of Leda” by Leonardo da Vinci

BISTRE

• is a brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood, and often used in pen and wash drawings.

CRAYONS

• are pigments bound by wax and compressed into painted sticks used for drawing especially among children in the elementary grades.

CHARCOAL

• These are carbonaceous materials obtained by heating wood or other organic substances in the absence of oxygen.
• Charcoal is used in representing broad masses of light and shadow.

SILVERPOINT

• The artist has a technique of drawing with silver stylus on specially prepared paper to produce a thin grayish line

PRINTMAKING

• A print is anything printed on a surface that is a direct result from duplicating process

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF PRINTS

• 1. Woodcut
• The design stands as a relief, the remaining surface of the block being cut away.
• Woodcuts can be identified because of their firm, clear and black lines.
  1. Engraving
• In engraving, the lines of the design are cut into a metal plate with ink and transferred from the plate to the paper.
• The lines of an engraving are cut by hand with an instrument called burin, a steel tool with an oblique point and rounded handle for carving stone and engraving metal.
  1. Relief
• involves cutting away from a block of wood or linoleum the parts of the design that the artist wants to be seen, leaving the portion of the third dimension.
  1. Intaglio
• is a printing process in which the design or the text is engraved into the surface of the place and the ink is transferred to paper from the groover.
  1. Stencil process
• It is a process which involves cutting of the design on special paper cardboard or metal sheet is such way that when ink is rubbed over it, the design is reproduced on the surface.

SCULPTURE

STONE

• Is the hard and brittle substance formed from mineral and earth material.
• The finished product is granular and dull in appearance.
• Stones include sandstone, granite, basalt, marble, and limestone.

JADE

• is a fine, colorful stone, usually green, and used widely in Ancient China. It is highly esteemed as an ornamental stone for carving and fashion jewelry

IVORY

• Which comes from parts of tusks of elephants, the hard-white substance used to make carvings and billiard balls.

METALS

• include any of a class of elementary substances such as gold, silver, or copper all of which are crystalline when solid and many of which are characterized by capacity, ductility, conductivity and peculiar luster when freshly fractured.

BRONZE

• one of the oldest alloys of metal composing chiefly of copper and tin with color and is one of the most universally popular metals for sculpture.

BRASS

• an alloy of copper and zinc, is not popularly used by artists because of its limitations as a medium. Although it has many practical uses, brass does not rust and it takes a brilliant polish.

COPPER

• known for its unique brilliance, is used as a sculpting material. It's shaped by hammering and can be crafted into relief forms.

GOLD AND SILVER

• used as casting materials for small objects like medals, coins, and pieces of jewelry. Because they are quite expensive, they are used for either personal accessories or religious adornments.

LEAD

• a bluish-gray metal, flexible and permanent material, is used for casting and forging.

PLASTER

• made from lime, sand, and water

CLAY

• a natural earthy material that has the nature of plasticity when wet, consisting essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum used for making bricks and ceramics.

GLASS

• a medium that is hard, brittle, non-crystalline, more or less transparent substances produced by fusion, usually consisting of mutually dissolved silica and silicates and contains soda and lime.

WOOD

• an easily carved medium, allowing intricate designs and treatments not feasible with stone. It's lighter and softer than stone but still strong, making it suitable for long pieces without breakage.

TERRA COTTA

• the tenderest of sculptural materials. Most oriental sculpture deals in this medium. This is used in vases, figurines, and in small thins.

ARCHITECTURE

• Is an art
• The art of designing a building and supervising its construction.
• In its broader meaning, architecture is shelter to serve as protection of all activities of men-work, recreation, and sleep. One of the primary purposes of architecture is to fulfill man's needs that led to its creation.

MAN’S NEEDS:

1. Physical needs
2. Emotional needs
3. Intellectual needs
4. Psychosocial needs

FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS

1. Structural Property - workability with tools when used as construction materials
2. Compressive strength
3. Tensile
4. Porosity
5. Lightness
6. Durability
7. Rigidity
8. Gracefulness
9. Flexibility of use
10. Physical Property - aesthetic use of the material for beauty.
11. Texture
12. Tonal quality
13. Color
14. Weakness of the material
15. Rotting
16. Corrosion due to moisture
17. Susceptibility to infection bt “bukbok,” termites and other pests
18. Discolorization
19. Solar radiation
20. Fungus growth
21. Longevity of the material - lifespan of the material
22. 10 years
23. 20 years
24. Half a century
25. More than a century
26. Other inherent properties
27. Weight
28. Water resistance
29. Heat resistance
30. Acoustic values
31. Others (non-inherent properties)
32. Availability
33. Economy

CLASSIFICATION OF ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS

The material used in architecture are classified into three:

1. The materials of nature
2. Materials manufactured or made by man
3. Indigenous materials

(1) MATERIALS OF NATURE

• • Direct product of nature
  • Gift to man from the forests and quarries
  • Require only shaping and minor conditioning
  • May be used directly without preliminary work

STONE

• Oldest
• Most permanent material
• Used in most of the great architecture of the world

1. LIME STONES

• a fine even texture
• darker, bluish from a light cream to a buff from a light gray to a gray
• useful in walls, and exterior parts of the building and lends itself very well to carving

1. GRANITE

• A coarse-grained stone
• Useful for large, bold forms with little carving.
• Hardest and most durable type of stones

1. Marble

• A type of limestone sufficiently close in texture to admit of being polished

Two types of material:

1. Brecciated marble which consists of angular fragments
2. Serpentine marble which is useful for variegated patterns and often used in larger flat planes
3. SANDSTONE

• Consists of various colors from white to different tints of red, brown, blue, or gray
• widely used in buildings that have an informal character

WOOD

• Not a permanent material but with proper care, it will last for a century.
• Common building material before the 90's.

Advantages:

• Abundance, relative durability, and high tensile and compression strength.

Disadvantage:

• Easily destroyed by moisture, insects, and fire.

(2) MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN

• Requires the manipulation of man before they acquire their finished form.

CERAMIC MATERIALS

1. CLAY

• Can be used to make bricks, roofing tiles, toilet tiles, and clay pots.

1. GLASS

• A hard, brittle, smooth, and usually transparent ceramic substance

METALS

• At an early stage, objects of iron and other metals were cast in form.
• Today, rolling and pressing are considered as the most important manufacturing methods.

A. BRONZE

• Permanency and beauty are very prominent
• Used for banking screens, doors and grills, hardware and lighting features
• Capable of receiving numerous textures and colors.

B. WROUGHT IRON

• Elastic and fibrous
• Used for brackets, grills, hinges, locks, gates, balconies. It can have a wood as a backdrop for its design.

1. COPPER

• Is ductile and is adaptable for cornices, spandrels, and roofing.
• Has a protective green carbonate upon its surface which gives an interesting quality to the material.

1. CHROME - NICKEL STEEL

• It is a hard, non-corrosive metal that can lend itself to welding, stamping, and forging.
• Used in interiors for doors, panels, grills or railings.

1. ALUMINUM

• A white metal and is noted for its lightness
• It is non-corrosive and non-staining.
• Can be cast or forged into various shapes
• Used in sculpture and architecture.
• Used for shop fronts, doors, grills, hardware, and exterior covering.

1. MONEL METAL

• A mixture of nickel and copper with an addition of iron, silica, and manganese
• It is a non-corrosive metal.
• It is generally used for doors and grills, balustrades, and screens.

1. NICKEL SILVERS

• Soft and has dull textures and combines well with marble and wood for stylistic types of architecture.
• It is most ideal for interior work.

CONCRETE MATERIALS

• More dominant in architectural building materials in design today because of their availability, durability, fluidity, and other physical properties.
• A very popular building material

PLASTICS

• May be sowed, cut, bent, drilled, and treaded.
• Smooth, hard, permanent, light, transparent or opaque, and durable.
• Can be molded, cast, extruded, and laminated depending on their composition or use.
• They are capable of resisting water, acid, fire, or wear.

INDIGENOUS MATERIALS

• Are found in the locality and are widely used for sculpture and architecture.

A. SAWALI

• The outer covering of bamboo poles as a woven material for cement backing.

B. COCO COIR

• A by-product material of coconut
• Used as sandwich panels for insulation and to minimize the use of cement.

C. BAGASSE

• A sugar cane waste used for insulation or cement backing

D. ABACA

• A fiber material obtained from the leafstalk of a banana plant.
• Found in the Bicol Region.

1. BAMBOO

• Has a low degree of elasticity, low concrete adhesion, and wide variable moisture content
• useful in sculptural and architectural forms and designs.
• Used mainly to reinforce concrete.
• Mostly found in Nueva Viscaya and Isabela provinces.

1. PALM FROND STEMS

• Used for non-structural panels certain walls, screens, and base of a house.
• Susceptible to termites and have to be replaced every 4 to 5 years.
• Must be shielded by anti-termite chemicals like solignum or by raising the construction above the ground.

1. MUD BRICK

• Are brittle, have less strength, and cannot stand up well to tension, but they have a low thermal conductivity which has a beneficial effect in hot, dry climates.

MEDIUM OF THE PERFORMING ARTS

• Performed by artists usually on stage and often in places.
• Include music, dance, theatre arts (play or drama), and literature.

MUSIC

Music is art and culture is reflected in art. The more music a person knows, the more cultured he becomes.

Vocal music - the medium of music is the sound produced by man

Instrumental music - the sound produced by an instrument

THE VOCAL MUSIC

• Vocal music is the oldest and natural form of music.
• Our voice is produced by the vibrations of the vocal chords in our voice box.
• The correct position of the body head and mouth will enable the air to vibrate freely.

Correct breathing - The quality and volume of the voice depends upon breathing Diaphragmatic breathing is advisable-a breathing supported by the diaphragm.

Correct placement of the voice - To develop good tone quality, avoid forceful vocalization to prevent throating singing and project the voice upward towards the head.

Correct diction - Good diction in singing involves correct pronunciation, clean enunciation, and distinct articulation, ensuring the song's meaning is conveyed expressively to listeners.

Correct interpretation - The vocalist must effectively convey the song's meaning through their vocal performance, utilizing body language and text to create a captivating and engaging experience.

CLASSIFICATION OF VOCAL MUSIC

Long vocal forms include:

• • 1. opera - drama set to music with action, costume and scenery It consists of overture, areas recitative, ensemble, and chorus.
    2. cantata - a story told in music; no action. It is a smaller version of the oratorio and may be secular or religious.
    3. oratorio - dramatic music, based on biblical stories or contemplative characters, is performed in concert style without costumes, scenery, or action, with a greater emphasis on the chorus and testo.
    4. Moro-Moro - a Philippine drama set to music that depicts Christian and non-Christian conflicts.
    5. zarzuela - a Philippine drama set to music that is similar to the opera.

Short vocal forms include:

1. Folk songs
2. Art songs
3. Kundiman
4. Balitaw
5. Donza-babanera
6. Anthen
7. Motet
8. Madrigal
9. Balled
10. Chorale
11. Round/cannon
12. Area

VOICE CLASSIFICATION

Women's voice:

1. Soprano
2. coloratura soprano - highest and lightest of all voices. The music written for this voice quality is full of runs, trills and light ornaments.
3. mezzo-soprano - it is a medium high in tonal quality.
4. lyric soprano - is less high and flute-like. It is suited to sweet songs like melodies.
5. Alto or contralto

Men's voice:

1. Tenor - the highest type in men's voices.
2. Baritone - the voice is between tenor and bass
3. Bass – lowest and deepest voice quality

THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

1. sonata - a long composition for solo instrument, consisting of large sections called movements. This movements are the allegro, andante, and rondo
2. suite - a series of musical pieces that tells a story. A music that tells a story is called program music and a music that tells no story is absolute music.
3. symphony - a sonata for the orchestra. Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770- 1827) was the great musician remembered for his immortal symphonies
4. concerto - a sonata for solo and orchestra designed to show-off the virtuosity of the soloist.
5. chamber music - written for two solo instruments (violins and flutes) and basso continuo (low string and keyboard) and usually in several movements.

THE DIFFERENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Philippine music features a diverse range of musical instruments, including bowed, blown, and struck types. Common instruments include strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion, listed by range and pitch.

• String instruments
• Woodwinds
• Brasses
• Percussions

THE PROPERTIES OF MUSICAL SOUNDS

PITCH - Pitch, the highness or lowness of a tone in the scale, is determined by the rate of vibration, largely influenced by the vibrating body's length, width, thickness, density, and tension.

DURATION - This property of sound depends on the length of time over which vibration is maintained.

VOLUME - The term refers to force or percussive effects, as a result of which the tone strikes us as being loud or soft.

TIMBRE OR TONE COLOR - sound quality is the unique sound produced by other instruments, influenced by factors like size, shape, proportion, material, and vibration setup.

LITERATURE

Literature and combined arts are influenced by various languages like English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, or Russian. However, translations cannot fully capture the original beauty of a manuscript. It is essential to compare multiple versions by different translators for new insights. English is a flexible medium, but it is not international. Translations can provide new insights into a passage, but may not always be accurate.

METHODS OF ART PRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION

In art production, certain methods are employed in order that such presentation is effective. Likewise, in presenting the art subjects, whether for entertainment or competition in any class or school events, the artist uses different methods to express the idea he wants to make clear.

Different methods used by the artist in the production and presentation of an art are:

REALISM

In painting, this is the attempt to portray the subject as it is. Realists try to be as objective as possible. In realism, the artist’s main function is to describe as accurately and honestly as possible what is observed through the senses.

Realism as a coherent program of literary aesthetics emerged in Western Literature about in 1850. Realism tended to stress the daily life of the common man, often concentrating on the sordid and disagreeable.

ABSTRACTION

Abstract means "to move away or separate." Abstract art moves away from showing things as they really are. The painter or artist paints the picture not as it really looked. The picture is not just like life. It is not "realistic.”

In the field of sculpture, artists began doing abstract sculpture. They ignored the exact form of a real-life object. They feel that the texture and shape of a sculpture were more important to them than the exact form.

Constantin Brancusi's "Bird in Space" is an example.

1. Distortion - This is clearly manifested when the subject is it misshapen condition, or the regular shape is twisted out
2. Elongation - It refers to that which is being lengthened, protraction or an extension.
3. Mangling - This may not be a commonly used way of presenting an abstract subject, but there are few artists who show subjects or objects which are cut, lacerated, mutilated, or hacked with repeated blows
4. Cubism - It stresses abstract form through the use of a cone, cylinder, or sphere at the expense of other pictorial elements. Paul Cezanne's works played in an important part in the development of cubism. It was further developed by George Braque of France and Pablo Picasso of Spain.
5. Abstract expressionism - is a style of abstract painting that originated in New York City after World War II and gained an international vogue. characterized by great verve, the use of large canvases, and a deliberate lack of refinement in the application of the paint.

SYMBOLISM

A symbol in general, is a visible sign of something invisible such as an idea or a quality. It can be simply an emblem or sign like: a lion to represent courage and a lamb to represent meekness.

An example is the giant-sized painting by Juan Luna, entitled "Spoliarium." This artwork was an original painting of Juan Luna, painted in Rome, from July 1883 to March, 1884.

Juan Luna's "Spoliarium" won a first gold medal in the Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts in 1884.

FAUVISM

This was the first important art movement of the 1900's. The fauves flourished as a group only from about 1903 to 1907 but their style greatly influenced many later artists.

Henry Matisse led the movement, and other important fauves included André Derain, Raoul Dufy George Rouault, all from France.

The fauves did not attempt to express ethical, philosophical, or psychological themes. Most of these artists tried to paint pictures of comfort, joy, and pleasure. They used extremely bright colors.

To a fauve, for example, a tree trunk need not be brown. It could be bright red, purple, or any other color

DADAISM

A protest movement in the arts was formed in 1916 by a group of artists and poets in Zurich, Switzerland. The name "dada," a French word meaning "bobby horse," was deliberately chosen because it was nonsensical. The best known dadaist was the French artist Marcel Duchamp.

FUTURISM

It developed in Italy about the same time cubism appeared in France.

Futurist painters wanted their works to capture the speed and force of modern industrial society.

Their paintings glorified the mechanical energy of modern life. Subjects included automobiles, motorcycles, and railroad trains-subjects that express the explosive vitality of a modern city.

SURREALISM

An invented word meaning super-realism.

The movement was influenced by the Freudian psychology which emphasizes the activities of the subconscious state of the mind.

This movement in art and literature was founded in Paris in 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton

Like dadaism, from which it arose, surrealism uses art as weapon against the evil and restrictions that surrealists see in society. Benjamin Mendoza, a Bolivian painter, is well-known in presenting violent and cruel surrealist paintings.

EXPRESSIONISM

This method was introduced in Germany during the first decade of the 20th century. Its influence was felt by the European artists from 1910 up to the present.

ELEMENTS OF ART: VISUAL

Taking off from the scientific reference, elements of art are akin to the atoms that are defined as the units or “building blocks” of matter. Together, in a variety of combinations and formations, they have the ability to create molecules such as water, or the more complex sucrose. These formulations are almost the same with elements of art when they are joined together, in a variety of ways. In the same line of reasoning, the elements of art are the aspects of an artwork that can be isolated from each other.

These elements of art are generally produced when something is done to the medium after the technique is carried out. It must be underscored, however, that all works of art require all elements to be present. Some art forms also necessitate some of the elements as they are inherent in the very nature of them. For example, sculptures automatically have the following elements with or without the decision of the artist to include them: shape, form, and space. Without these elements, there is no sculpture to begin with. Elements are the necessary preconditions for the creation of art

LINE

A line refers to a point moving at an identifiable path-it has length and direction. It also has width. It is one-dimensional; however, it has the capacity to either define the perimeters of the artwork (edges) and/or become a substantial component of the composition. Although a line is "simple," it has, variations in view of its orientation/direction, shape, and thickness. These variations import not only the visual elements into the artwork, but suggest meaning or message being conveyed by the artist.

Known for using lines to provide the outline or contour of the figures he portrays in his work, Keith Haring first executed the public mural "Todos juntos podemos parar el SIDA" (Together We Can Stop AIDS) in Barcelona in 1989. In 2014, it was recreated at the foyer of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art) to commemorate it. Haring battled with HIV/AIDS to which he succumbed to in 1990.

A quality that is ascribed to lines is its ability to direct the eyes to follow movement or provide hints as to a work's focal point. The orientation in which we are most accustomed to such as the assertive force of gravity grounding objects, or the sideways or up-and-down vibration that informs us of an earthquake, the gustiness of wind from the window, or the direction of the rainfall conjures different images of lines.

A. HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL LINES

• Refers to the orientation of the line. Horizontal lines are normally associated with rest or calm. Landscapes often contain these elements as works like these often connote a visual sense of being parallel to the ground. It also alludes to position of the reclined body at rest. Vertical lines, on the other hand, connote elevation or height, which is usually taken to mean exaltation or aspiration for action. Together, these lines communicate stability and firmness.

B. DIAGONAL AND CROOKED LINES

diagonal lines convey movement and instability, although the

progression can be seen. Crooked or jagged lines, on the other hand, are reminiscent of violence,

conflict, or struggle

• diagonal lines convey movement and instability, although the progression can be seen. Crooked or jagged lines, on the other hand, are reminiscent of violence, conflict, or struggle

One of the most important Spanish artists is Francisco de Goya. Known for his prints, he is a master of etched works and use of aquatint. He made use of this medium to articulate his political views about the ills of society, war scenes, and even the dreamlike and grotesque while still engaging with what was happening around him. As with most etchings and other types of prints, lines are dominant visual components.

C. CURVED LINES

• these are lines that bend or coil. They allude to softness, grace, flexibility, or even sensuality

Lines may not necessarily be explicit or literally shown. As what many examples will portray, implied lines may be just as powerful, if not more. In “The Raft of Medusa,” the position and orientation of the bodies that are aboard the raft are predominantly diagonal in direction. This creates not only movement but also tension in the scene. Based on an actual event, the painting depicts the 1816 wreckage of the French government ship called Medusa.

COLOR

Color is perhaps one of the elements that enhances the appeal of an artwork. Its effect has range, allowing the viewer to make responses based on memory, emotion, and instinct, among others. This element is a property of light, as it is reflected off the object. Color is not intrinsic to an object and without light, one cannot perceive color. Much of what we know about colors begins with the notion of a Color Theory that was first unraveled by the experiments undertaken by Sir Isaac Newton I 1666. A ray of sunlight passing through a prism reveals an array of colors akin to that of a rainbow.

An upshot of this color theory is the creation of a color wheel. The color wheel corresponds to the first property of color, hue.

A. HUE – this dimension of color gives its name. It can be subdivided into:

• Primary colors – red, yellow, and blue
• Secondary color – green, orange, and violet
• Tertiary color – six in total, these hues are achieved when primary and secondary colors are mixed

B. VALUE – this refers to the brightness or darkness of color. Often, this is used by artists to create the illusion of depth and solidity, a particular mood, communicate a feeling, or in establishing a scene (e.g., day and night).

• Light colors – taken as the source of light in the composition
• Dark colors – the lack or even absence of light

However, we can identify the color even when a range is presented to us Expectations are also established based on the notion that yellow is within the light value, whereas, violet is in the dark. Each primary color has a range of values based on the addition and diminishing quantity and quality of light.

• Tint – this is a lighter color than the normal value (e.g., pink for red)
• Shade – this is a darker color than the normal value (e.g., maroon for red)
• Monochromatic harmonies – use the variations of a hue. An example is Claud Monet's "Houses of Parliament."

C. INTENSITY – this is the color's brightness or dullness. It is identified as the strength of color, whether it is vivid or muted. To achieve a specific intensity of a color, one may add either gray or its complementary color.

• Bright or warm colors – positive energy
• Dull or cool colors – sedate/soothing, seriousness or calm

To better understand intensity of color, color harmonies are to be considered. In interior design, we often hear designers refer to color schemes-a guide for selecting not only wall paint but also furniture and decor However, color harmonies are also integral considerations not only for pictorial arts but also for other art forms.

• Analogous harmonies – make use of two colors beside each other in the color wheel.
• Complementary harmonies – involve two colors opposite each other in the color wheel. Since they are at contrary positions, the reaction is most intense.

All in all, color presents a multitude of possibilities that affects how works of art are taken in by the viewer Just taking a look at fiery and passionate reds of the clouds and the sky in Edvard Munch's “The Scream”, would bring oneself to ask Did Munch depict a romantic sunset or a warning of coming horrors? A clue is not in the colors alone, but rather, in the face of the man himself that is prominent in the painting His shriek would point to the latter. What is illustrated is that colors and imagery work together to deliver a message, whether the one intended by the artist, or what is facilitated by our own experiences.

TEXTURE

Like space, texture can be either real or implied. This element in an artwork is experienced through the sense of touch (and sight). This element renders the art object tactile.

Often, texture is commonly associated with textiles. In the portrait rendered by court painter Frans

Pourbus the Younger, Princess Margherita's garb is adorned in opulent bead and stitch work that are

befitting her rank. This was achieved using the techniques employed by the artist in creating the work

Often, texture is commonly associated with textiles. In the portrait rendered by court painter Frans Pourbus the Younger, Princess Margherita's garb is adorned in opulent bead and stitch work that are befitting her rank. This was achieved using the techniques employed by the artist in creating the work.

(a) Textures in the two-dimensional plane texture can be implied using one technique or a combination of other elements of art. By creating this visual quality in the artwork, one can imagine how the surface will feel if it was to be touched Some of the words used to describe texture are the following rough or smooth, hard or soft, hairy, leathery, sharp or dull, etc. To be able to simulate the texture of a surface in a flat, two-dimensional plan is one important skill that an artist must be familiar with, especially if his idea or concept necessitates it.

(b) Surface texture refers to the texture of the three-dimensional art object.

The elements of art make it possible to engage with the visual and tactile qualities of the artwork through a "common language" that may be widely understood. Through these elements, there is something from which the idea, concept, message, or intended mood of the artist may be inferred. It offers a starting point or a baseline from which analysis may take place. This kind of analysis is called formal analysis of art.

ELEMENTS OF ART: PLANES AND PERSPECTIVE

Some art forms work with actual spaces, such as sculptors, architects, and stage designers. However, with pictorial art that is two-dimensional, notions of depth and hence perspective requires the implementation of principles and techniques in creating an illusion that will fool the eye to three-dimensionality when in reality there is none.

Picture plane is the actual surface of the painting or drawing where no illusion of a third dimension exists. Here, the elements lay flat, as if one was looking through a window into what lies on the other side of the glass.

During the Renaissance, specifically in the fifteenth century, chiaroscuro was developed. It made use of light and dark contrasts and tones in which paintings not only looked three-dimensional, but also more dramatic. Aside from this technique, linear perspective changed the way pictorial representation was done. Credited to Renaissance artists, its early proponents include Leon Battista Alberti, Paolo Uccello and architect Filippo Brunelleschi in the early fifteenth century, who were published in Alberti's On Painting in 1435.

Its use was based on the following observations:

There are three types of perspective, grounded on the number of vanishing points used by the artist.

A. ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE – often used in depicting roads, tracks, hallways or rows of trees; this type of perspective shows parallel lines that seem to converge at a specific and lone vanishing point, along the horizon line.

SPACE

In a painting, if the viewer's eyes are led off the canvas, the space is open, or the painting has an open frame. If the viewer's eyes are kept in the center of the canvas and all the characters and action are within the edges of the frame, the artist has composed a closed space or closed frame.

FORM

Form is one of the seven elements of art and connotes a three-dimensional object in space. It describes the structure or shape of an object.

form is also used to describe the physical nature of the artwork, as in metal sculpture, an oil painting, etc.

TYPES OF FORM

REGULAR FORM

• are those whose parts are related to one another in a consistent orderly manner. They are generally stable and symmetrical in about one or more axes.

IRREGULAR FORM

• are those whose parts are dissimilar and unrelated to one another. They are generally asymmetrical and dynamic.

CENTRALIZED FORMS

• Consist of a number of secondary forms clustered to produce a dominant, central, and parent form

LINEAR FORMS

• Are arranged sequentially in a row or a series of forms along a line

RADIAL FORMS

• are compositions of linear form that extended outward from central form in a radial manner

GRID FORM

• are modular forms whose relationships are regulated by 3- dimensional grids. A grid is a two or more intersecting sets of regularly spaced parallel lines. The square grid generates a spatial network of reference points and lines and within this modular framework any number of form and spaces can be visually organized.

VOLUME

The term volume refers to the amount of space occupied in three dimensions. It therefore refers to solidity or thickness. We perceive volume in two ways: by contour lines or outlines or shapes of objects, and by surface lights and shadows.

VALUES OF COLOR

Value is the lightness or darkness of color. Value is the amount of light in an object. A surface that absorbs all colors or light rays will appear black. A surface that reflects all colors equally will appear white. Tints of a color in oil paint or watercolor may be produced by adding white pigment or water respectively. Shade of a color is produced by adding a little black pigment to the color. Similar to the value scale in dark-and-light, value of a color can be shown in seven steps. Black and white are omitted as these are impossible to be represented on paper for obvious reasons. Dark orange is brown and yellowish brown is tan. Colors of light are yellow, while navy blue (blue and black) is shade. Indigo is deep blue-violet and vermillion is brilliant red.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF VALUES IN COLOR

The effects of color values are similar to those in dark-and-light. Light values or tints make the size of objects appear larger because these values reflect light. Therefore, they are more advancing than dark hues.

ELEMENTS OF VISUAL ARTS

COLOR

Color has three dimensions or attributes: hue, value, and intensity. Hue is the dimension of color that gives color its name. When we say the flower is yellow, we are naming its hue. Color names such as red, blue, green, violet, and yellow indicate the color characteristic called hue. Blue, red, and yellow are the primary hues. If these primary hues are mixed in equal parts, the secondary hues are produced. The secondary hues are orange, green, and violet. Orange is produced by mixing red and yellow; green by mixing yellow and blue; and violet by mixing blue and red. Colors may either be warm or cool. Red, orange, and yellow are the warm hues.

Value, sometimes called chiaroscuro, refers to the lightness or darkness, of a color. It is a quality which depends on the amount of light and dark in color. They give the expression of depth and solidity and lend form to paintings.

ELEMENTS OF PERFORMING ARTS

A. MUSIC

Music, as an auditory art, uses a particular language to know its elements in order to understand the musician's mode or technique of manipulating sounds in order to create meanings.

Elements of Music:

There are seven elements of music and they are…

• Rhythm
• Melody
• Pitch
• Harmony
• Tempo
• Dynamics
• Timbre

RHYTHM

Patterns of sounds in a song. In music, its most fundamental component is beat, i. e., the recurrent pulse found in most music. In music, the beat is that to which we clap our hands or tap our feet.

One way of measuring rhythm is by means of meter. Meter is the arrangement of rhythm in fixed, regular pattern with a uniform number of beats in uniform measures. It is also the way beats are grouped and measured so that some beats receive accent while others do not.

MELODY

Main sequence of musical notes that stands out and easy to remember.

It refers to pitches or tones sounded one after another in a logical meaningful series. It is also defined as succession of tones arranged in such a way as to give a musical sense.

PITCH

Is how high or low a sound is in a song.

The slower the vibration, the lower the pitch and the faster the vibration, the higher the pitch.

An examination of the pattern of pitches reveals the fact that there is a relation between one pitch and another. This relation of one pitch to another is called an interrul.

When certain patterns of intervals are repeated at a different pitch, then it is called a sequence.

HARMONY

Combination of different musical notes played or sung at the same time to create a pleasing sound

Harmony is the sounding of a series or group of tones at the same time or simultaneously, instead of a single tone.

The tonal combination of two or more tones sounded at the same time is called a chord.

If the combination or chord seems to produce an impression of agreeableness or resolution to the listener, it is called concord. If it does not the combination is called discord or dissonance.

TEMPO

Refers to the speed and pace of a music piece

Tempo may be slow, quick, or moderate. An unsuitable tempo can ruin a song. Here is a list of terms commonly used to indicate tempo:

• largo — very slow
• adagio — slow and stately
• andante – at a walking pace
• andantino — alternatively faster or slower than andante
• allegretto — moderately fast
• allegro — fast
• presto — very fast
• accelerando — gradually becoming faster
• ritardando —gradually becoming slower

DYNAMICS

The variation of volume from soft to loud or vice versa. it is basically the strength or volume of the sound

TIMBRE

Refers to the tone quality. This element helps differentiate one type of voice to another or one instrument from another.

B. DANCE

Dancing is an art and a recreation. As an art, it tells a story, a set of moods, or expresses an emotion. Dances vary in form. Some forms of dances are religious dance, magical dance, commemorative dance, ceremonial dance, recreative dance and testimonial dance

Types of Dances:

1.) Folk Dance/ Ethnic Dance

• are social dances that portray the beliefs, interest, habits, customs, and practices of the native.
• These dances often reflect the history, customs, and identity of a particular community, featuring unique movements, costumes, and music.
• They are passed down from generations and are considered to be the cultural heritage of a region or country.

2.) Ballroom Dance

• are dances of public entertainment, usually in pairs in ballrooms, nightclubs, auditoriums or in public places.
• These dances are categorized into two main styles: Standard and Latin.
• Standard includes dances like waltz and foxtrot, characterized by smooth and flowing movements
• Latin includes dances like cha-cha and rumba, known for their rhythmic and energetic nature.
• Ballroom dancing emphasizes communication between partners and precise footwork, making it a popular and formalized style of social dance.

3.) Theatrical Dance

• are performed for the entertainment of the audience in a theater.
• These dances are often choreographed for the stage and may involve a combination of various dance styles, acting, and sometimes even singing.
• Examples are ballet, modern dance, musical comedy dance, and tap dancing

The Dance and it’s Elements:

There is always movement in a dance. But not all movements signify a dance. To be a dance, it must consist of the following basic elements.

• Theme
• is the most basic element of a dance. It conveys the message of a dance. Thus, a dance that does not convey a message, even if there is movement, is not a dance.
• Design
• Is the pattern of movement that involves how dancers move through time and space. In terms of time, it's about organizing movements into beats or measures, while in terms of space, it's about the path the dancers' feet follow on the floor and the different levels at which they move.
• Movement
• refers to the bodily actions of the dancer that include his steps, gestures of the arms, hands and body, and facial expression.
• Technique
• is the skill of movement executed by the dancer to perform steps with accuracy and efficiency
• Music
• is the auditory background to which a dancer moves. A dance is always accompanied by any form of music.
• Costume and Body Paraphernalia
• are properties worn by the dancer that help reflect the message, customs, beliefs, and setting of the dance.
• Choreography
• refers to the figures and steps in dancing that enable the dancers to perform a dance in an organized manner.
• Scenery
• refers to the background or setting where the dance is performed to make it more realistic and enriching.

LITERATURE

It shows well express idea or feelings through symbolic presentation, usually through short stories, poetry drama or play and among others.

CLASSIFICATION OF LITERATURE

ESCAPE LITERATURE

• For entertainment purposes, that is, to help us pass the time in an agreeable manner of life.
• Enables us to temporarily forget our troubles

INTERPRETATIVE LITERATURE

• Understand our troubles

USES OF LITERATURE

For moral values - is to present moral values for the reader to understand and appreciate; the moral values may be directly or indirectly stated.

For propaganda - found not only in history books and advertising and marketing books but also in some books describing one’s personal success and achievements in life.

For therapeutic value - looked on as a sophisticated modern elaboration of the idea of catharsis ---- an emotional relief experienced by the reader thereby helping him recover from a previous pent-up emotion.

GENERAL ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

According to Sanchez and others (2002), not all written works can be considered literature. It is undeniable that the medium of literature is language, and language is composed of words that are combined into sentences to express idea, emotions or desires.

In other words, a writer should bear these objectives in mind:

• • To strive in raising the level of the readers humanity
  • To accomplish the purpose of making a man a better person, giving him a high sense of value.

The important elements of literature are:

• Emotional appeal
• Intellectual appeal
• Humanistic value

EMOTIONAL APPEAL

Emotional appeal is attained when the reader is emotionally moved or touched by any literary work like

INTELLECTUAL APPEAL

The Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of Jose Rizal are good illustrations of literature of intellectual appeal.

Both add knowledge or information and remind the reader of what he has forgotten. Specifically, in one of Rizal’s philosophical ideas, he said:

“Don’t you realize that it is a useless life which is not consecrated to a great idea? It is a stone wasted in the fields without becoming part of anu edifice.” (Simon to Basilio)

HUMANISTIC VALUE

Humanistic value can be realized when the literary work affirms the dignity and worth of all people.

An important element of literature is embodied in the Holy Bible, as the Gospel of St. John 3:16 states:

“For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

Classified as Escape and Interpretative Literature.

Interpretative - illuminates some aspects of human life or behavior.

Short Story - work of fiction that can be read in one sitting (McDougal, 2006), and develops one major conflict.

• Plot
• Sequential arrangement of events in a story.
• Comprises exposition, complication, climax, resolution, and denouement.
• An example is "The Life of Cardo" by Amador T. Daguio which exemplifies a short story with related events.
• Characters and Characterization
• Characters are individuals or animals involved in the story's action.
• Characterization involves presenting characters and there’s 2 types:
• Direct characterization: Writer explicitly describes character traits.
• Indirect characterization: Reader draws conclusions from character actions, speech, and reactions.
• Point of View
• Refers to the perspective from which events are narrated.
• Can be 1st person (observer or participant) or 3rd person (omniscient, limited omniscient, or panoramic).
• Setting
• Locale or place where events occur, creating atmosphere and meaning.
• Setting functions as a symbol and motive force in the story.
• Theme
• Message communicated by the story and is the central insight that explains various elements in the story.
• Subordinate themes are called Motifs
• Irony
• Contrast between appearance and reality.
• Types: dramatic, situational and verbal
• Symbolism
• Represents something beyond its literal meaning.
• It can be objects, persons, situations, actions, or recognizable things implying additional meanings.
• Examples such the cross for Christianity or a sword for war, carry a double meaning—both tangible and intangible.
• Style
• Involves controlling material through literary and figurative language.
• Encompasses precise language use and the overall execution of a short story, considering elements like character, plot, theme, and setting.

ELEMENTS OF POETRY

Poetry- branch of the humanities that imaginatively and figuratively expresses man's thoughts and feelings, usually in verse form.

• Language - refers to a poet who uses every resource of language:
• Denotative language (actual meaning).
• Connotative language (implied meaning).
• Poetic language (considers diction, vocabulary, and level).
• Figurative language, often using simile and metaphor.

Poetry writing is challenging due to word and grammar choice, the interaction of denotative and symbolic meanings, and structural limitations.

• Tone
• Refers to the atmosphere, feeling, attitude, or stance in poetry.
• Tone can be serious, ironic, bitter, joyful, or resigned.
• Imagery
• Image - "image" is the mental duplication of a sense impression.
• Representation of sense experience through sensory suggestions.
• Visual imagery is most common imagery, allowing readers to "see" what the author describes.
• Sounds
• Sounds in poetry can be characterized as pleasant (full, open vowel sounds) or unpleasant (short, abrupt, irritating vowel sounds).
• Rhythm and Meter
• Related to the beats of hearts and the flow of air from lungs.
• Rhythm involves regular and irregular patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables.
• Meter is the arrangement of accents at approximately equal intervals of time.
• Verse with end rhymes has words with the same final sound at the end of lines.
• Some poets embrace "free verse," not adhering strictly to rhyme and meter.
• Thought/Meaning
• refers to the experience the poem expresses
• two meanings are distinguished: Total and Prose meanings
• Total- idea in a poem, a portion of the total experience it communicates.
• Prose- prose meaning is the value and worth of the poem.
• Shape of the Poem
• pattern of arrangement of the words on the page
• Most poems consist of lines grouped into stanzas. Each stanza has its distinct features of thought similar to a paragraph.
• Speaker
• the voice that talks to the readers
• In some poems, the speaker identifies himself as "I" and "me" while in others the speaker remains in the background. The speaker may or may not be the poet or author/writer.

ELEMENTS OF THE ESSAY

ESSAY

• is a literary composition on a particular subject
• is usually short and it expresses the author's personal thoughts, feelings, experiences, or observation on a phase of life that has interested him

Essay may be grouped as:

• FORMAL ESSAY - the essay is heavy, informative, and intellectually stimulating
• INFORMAL ESSAY - the essay is light, humorous, and entertaining.

1. The issue introduced - This reflects the actual purpose of the writer.

2. The writer's viewpoint and thought - The final stand of the author, whether he is for or against the issue he has discussed.

3. The relevance of the issue to the life of the reader - This refers to the reader's perception, responsiveness, and enjoyment of the theme.

ELEMENTS OF THE NOVEL

NOVEL

• is a long work of prose fiction dealing with characters, situations, and scenes that represent real life
• The purpose of fiction, whether long (the novel) or short (the short story), is to give us moral lessons and brings us pleasure.
• Setting
• covers the time, the place, and the background
• involves not only geography but also the entire climate of beliefs, habits, and values of a particular region and historical period.
• Plot
• is the skeleton or framework which gives shape and proportion to the novel
• can also be described as the order of events or happenings in the novel
• Conflict is an important element of the plot.
• To understand the plot better, we should determine the ideals, motives, ambitions, or aspirations of the main characters
• Theme
• is compared to the subject of painting.
• is the universal truth found in the novel, the main idea or topic.
• Theme does not mean moral value, for the latter is the message that teaches the reader.
• Characters
• are the moving spirit of the novel.
• They do not only act but also manifest the moral, emotional, and intellectual qualities endowed to them by the author.
• Characters are categorized into:
  • • • 1. Morality - tell us the good guys from the bad guys.
        2. Personality - includes speech, hairstyle, hobby and attitude toward work, and all of the complex attitudes and feelings that define the individual. important in literature because as most authors have discovered, people are interesting.

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

DRAMA

• is a presentation made up of words, sounds, and actions of characters.
• all dramas must be performed or acted out by character on stage, on film, radio, television, or outdoors.
• Drama may either be tragedy or comedy.

Two Aspects of DRAMA:

a. Drama as a Script - is a dialogue read by the persons representing characters

b. Drama as a Play - is a script coming to life and is the director's interpretation of a script and acted out by the actual participants

• Plot
• is the soul of the drama, or its summary.
• is divided into:
  • • • 1. exposition/introduction
        2. inciting action
        3. rising action
        4. crisis or turning point
        5. falling action
        6. denouement or resolution
• Character/Dramatic Personae
• are make-believe persons, either protagonists or antagonists and whose personalities are carefully brought out by their appearance, speech, actions and what other characters say of them
• The characters must be shaped to fit the needs of the plot, and all parts of the characterization must fit together.
• Conflict
• In drama we find a struggle, clash of wills and conflicts.
• Irony
• arises from a recognition of discrepancy between the expected and actual, the apparent and real
• Theme or idea
• refers to the dramatic situation that may be taken from the Bible, myth, legend, history, or anything familiar to the audience.
• is a conviction about the real world we live in, and it may be complex with contradictory evaluations
• Climax
• is the scene or incident that is the fruition of the accumulated suspense, and that stirs the most intense feelings or emotions.
• Is different from the other big scenes by its greater intensity and its structural relationship to the denouement and development
• Music and Spectacle
• is a theater convention which is a part of the total appeal of the drama, and which shows the relationship of script, actor, audience, author producer, society, genre, stage and others.
• Aside from "background" music, there is music of speech and of movement.
• Spectacle intensifies emotions, whatever these emotions are. In theater arts, the element of a spectacle heightens the atmosphere, whether of vitality or terror or sorrow.
• Costumes and Makeup
• Every costume should be comfortable and securely put together so the performer doesn't have to worry about it once it is on.
• The make-up crew should be allowed plenty of time to their work after each actor is dressed
• Everything in the make-up area should have its own place and be covered when not in use
• Dialogue
• is the conversation between and among the characters of the drama.
• Setting Scenery and Lighting
• Scenery and lighting, furniture, painted backdrops, or large props, should appear real
• The scenery may be simple, for it is supposed only to suggest the scene.
• Proper lighting can add a great deal to the realism of the play.
• Stage lighting is always electrical, and only the assigned and responsible persons should touch the electrical equipment

IMPORTANCE OF READING LITERARY WORKS

Literary works of art like poetry, short stories, novels, essays, and plays are worth reading because they do not only entertain or give pleasure but also, we learn moral values that can improve our life. Reading literary works helps us acquire knowledge and information on man's progress and achievement, to serve as inspiration.

PERCEPTION OF ART

Perception of an art is governed by different principles of art design that guide the artist in making the art become more beautiful and interesting to the observers.

Design is the overall organizational visual structure of the formal elements in a work of art.

PRINCIPLES OF ART DESIGN

HARMONY

The art principle which produces an impression of unity through the selection and arrangement of consistent objects or ideas. It is the quality which unifies every part of an arrangement. There are five aspects of harmony. These are:

LINES AND SHAPE

Lines are made harmonious by either repeating the shape of the line or by connecting transitional lines to contrasting lines.

• Transitional lines
• Repetition
• Contrasting/opposing lines

SIZES

This refers to good size.

COLOR

A color combination or harmony means the use of two or more colors in decorating an article or object. It does not mean the mixing of the colors.

TEXTURE

The character of texture can be determined by feeling the object with the fingertips or by looking at it.

IDEA

It is not enough that shapes, sizes, and textures have something in common. There must be harmony in the idea presented together.

BALANCE

In art, balance refers to the distribution of visual elements within a composition to create a sense of equilibrium and stability.

Visual Weight is the “quality which gains and holds attention”

TWO KINDS OF BALANCE

FORMAL OR SYMMETRICAL BALANCE

• This is the balance of equal visual weights placed at equal distances from the axis.

a. Bisymmetrical Balance (absolute or perfect balance). Balance of identical objects placed on each side of central axis and equally distant from the center.

b. Symmetrical Balance (obvious balance). Balance of objects with nearly identical descriptions

INFORMAL OR ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE

• It is the balance of unequal visual weights, the heavier one being nearer the axis and the lighter one farther.
• Synonyms: occult and free balance

a. Slant or Diagonal Balance is a form of informal balance in which the objects are balanced on a diagonal axis. Informal symmetry is more difficult to recognize and to use than the formal one.

PROPORTION

• Proportion is the art principle which shows pleasing relationships between a whole and its parts and between the parts themselves. It is the arrangement of space divisions in pleasing relationships.
• Size relationships of one part to another part or whole.
• This is a real sense of proportion in each of the two paintings at the side. Without the effective use of the principle of the proportion, you would not experience the majesty of the mountain cliffs in the painting on the left or the beauty in the right.
• The standard Greek proportion for two dimensional or flat surfaces is the Greek oblong or a rectangle whose ratio is two is to three (2:3)
• The Parthenon, a building in Athens, Greece is considered the most perfectly proportioned architectural structure in the world
• A Greek standard for three- dimensional objects or solids is the ratio, 5:7:11 which is especially used in the buildings in determining the proportion of margins for framed pictures

THREE ASPECTS OF PROPORTION

1. Proportion in the grouping of objects
2. Proportion in space divisions
3. Proportion in scales

RHYTHM

• Basis of mostly all primitive arts
• Principle which is most quickly felt
• Most universal, dynamic and pleasing art principle
• Found also in music, dancing, and poetry

UNIT OR MOTIF

• Dominant feature or part which is repeated in a design or decoration
• Repetition of a unit creates a feeling of movement or rhythm
• Said to be regularly repeated when the sizes and distances of the unit from one another are the same
• One direction – border design
• Two directions – surface or all-over pattern
• To avoid MONOTONY in the repetition, there must be variety in form and arrangement of the unit

CLASSIFICATION OF RYTHM

FORMAL OR UNIFORM RHYTHM

• Repetition of a motif in uniform and regular arrangement

INFORMAL OR FREE RHYTHM

• Repetition of a motif with variation in form, size and arrangement

EMPHASIS

Principle of art which tends to carry the eyes from the center of interest or dominant part of any composition to the less important or subordinate parts.

METHODS OF EMPHASIZING OBJECTS

By arrangement or grouping of objects

• If objects are grouped together, the one to be emphasized should be located at the center and should be the biggest and brightest in color

By decoration

• Objects which have decorations are better or more emphasized than those without them

By color contrast

• Contrasting colors such as the complementary combinations and the triads are more emphatic than analogous or any other related harmonies.

By the use of plain background space

• Simple decorations which are placed against sufficient plain background will be more emphatic than when the background space is small.

By the use of unusual lines, shapes, sizes of color

• Novelty or newness, a minor art principle, applies to this method. Very extraordinary figures or subjects tend to carry the eyes first to them

By action or movement

• Dynamic illustrations usually attract more attention than passive ones.

OTHER ART PRINCIPLES

NOVELTY OR NEWNESS

• A new style of dress or dance appears more attractive and interesting than ordinary dress design or dance. Novelty provides the best opportunity for developing one’s creative ability.

VARIETY OR VARIATION

• A set of furniture which is arranged in a certain way and remains as it is for a long period of time appears to be monotonous in the long run. Variation in arrangement or style of furniture makes the furniture more interesting and attractive

UTILITY, ADAPTABILITY, OR FUNCTION

• A work of art must not only possess beauty but also utility. The object must be adaptable to the purpose for which it is made. This is especially true to all practical arts. In designing modern structures, function is now the first consideration

CONTRAST

• This is synonymous to opposition or contradiction. This principle has some relationships with balance and emphasis. Two contrasting lines or colors may balance each other. The center of interest in a composition is in contrast with the subordinating parts in the same compositions. Nature provides many examples of contrasting objects. Colors of flowers contrast the color of the leaves. Man is the contrast with his opposite sex.