ART APPRECIATION HANDOUT
Prepared by: Sheryl D. Galecia
Assumptions and Natures of Art
1. Art is universal.
2. Art is not nature.
3. Art involves experience
4. Art as expression.
5. Art as a form of creation.
Forms of Arts under Art as Expression
1. Visual Arts – Those that appeal to the sense
of sight: paintings, drawings, letterings,
printing, sculptures and more,
2. Film – succession of still images in order to
create an illusion of movement.
3. Performance Art – live art and the artist’s
medium is mainly the human body which
they use to perform.
4. Poetry Performance – Artist expresses his
emotions not by using paint, charcoal, or
camera, but through words.
5. Architecture – Making of beautiful buildings,
thus not all buildings are considered as
architecture.
6. Dance – Series of movements that follows
the rhythm of the music accompaniment.
7. Literary Art – Goes beyond the usual
professional, academic, journalistic, and
other technical forms of writing.
8. Theater – Uses live performers to present
accounts or imaginary events before a live
audience.
9. Applied Arts – Incorporating elements of
style and design to everyday items with the
aim of increasing their aesthetical value.
Functions and Philosophical Perspectives of
Arts
1. Personal Function – Varied and highly
subjective. This means that the functions
depend on the person – the artist who
created the art.
2. Social Function – Addresses a particular
collective interest. Can depict social
conditions.
3. Physical Function – Easiest to spot and
understand. Crafted in order to serve its
physical purpose. – Architecture, jewelry,
interior design.
Philosophical Perspectives on Art
1. Plato – Art as an imitation. He believes in
World of Forms and is threatened by Art
because accordingly it is dangerous
because it is a petty replacement of real
entities that are based from reason.
2. Aristotle – Art as a Representation. Art is an
aid in revealing the truth.
3. Immanuel Kant – Art as Disinterested
Judgment. Art for art’s sake. The purpose of
art is to be purposeless.
4. Leo Tolstoy – Art as a communication of
Emotion.
Subject and Content of Art
Subject (What the art shows)
1. Representational/figurative art – Shows
reality. Can be easily deciphered.
2. Non-representational –does not make a
reference to the real world. Total severance
from the world.
3. Abstract – not the same with non-
representational, but also shows departure
from reality.
Content (Why? Message of the artwork)
1. Factual meaning – Most rudimentary level
of meaning for it may be extracted from
identifiable or recognizable forms in the
artwork and understanding how elements
relate to each other.
2. Conventional meaning – acknowledged
interpretation of the artwork using motifs,
signs and symbols as bases of its meaning.
These conventions are strengthened
through time because of wide acceptance
by viewers or audiences and artists.
3. Subjective – Variety of meaning may arise
based on personal opinions.
Artists and Artisans
Artists – Dedicate only to the creative side.
visually pleasing work only for the enjoyment
and appreciation. No functional value.
Artisans – Manual worker who makes items
with his or her hands. Create things with great
beauty as well as being functional. Before
industrial revolution everything was basically
made by artisans. smiths (goldsmiths,
blacksmiths, locksmiths, gunsmiths) weavers,
carpenters, potters.
Manager – advise, represents or handles the
business affairs of artists.
Curator – person who selects artwork and often
interprets art. Arranges for the setting and
provides information for artists regarding
shipping or documentations needed and
responsible for writing labels, catalog essays
and other supporting content for an exhibition
as well, must have an academic degree in art
and art history.
Dealer – buys art at the right time with the right
price and sells it at the right time with the right
price, but not necessarily deal with artists on a
personal level.
Collector – Person who loves certain pieces of
art/paintings and collect art not necessary to
sell later but the chance is there. “Art lover”
Two forms of artworks that are famous
during Spanish period:
1. Tipos del fais – watercolor paintings that
showcased the different local inhabitants of
the country, and clues to their status and
occupation.
2. Letras y figuras – combined the principles of
tipos del fais as a means to illustrate the
letters of one’s name and surname.
Production Process
1. Pre-production - The artist always begins
with an idea that he wants to express or
communicate with his audience. It may not
be necessarily fully formulated. Explore
exposure, research, and other approaches
to gather idea before actually making the
artwork.
2. Production - Gathering and sourcing the
materials needed for the creation of the
artwork.
3. Postproduction - Process where decision is
drawn as to how an artwork will be
circulated not only in the world of art, but
also in the many publics