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Nature of Art
• Art can be found in the primitive societies.
• True work of art is made by man himself, not imitatively but creatively.
• TRUE ARTIST does not imitate nature but interpret it in his own way (selecting the
essential features of the subject and rejecting the minor one).

DEFINITION OF ART BY VARIOUS AUTHORS

• From latin word ars meaning ability or skill- J.V. Estolas
• From artis meaning craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness, and the
associations that exist between form and ideas, between material and technique-A. Tan
• Art is a product of man’s need to express himself- F. Zulueta
• Art is that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world- Plato
• Art is the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant qualities
of nature such as colors, sounds, lines, movements, words, stones, wood, etc. to express
human feelings, emotions or thoughts in a perfect meaningful and enjoyable way.

4 COMMON ESSENTIALS OF ART

• Art must be man-made
• Art must be creative, not imitative
• Art must benefit and satisfy man.
• Art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates
himself.

IMPORTANCE OF ART IN OUR LIVES

• For communication
• To highlight and heighten the importance of events and keep them in memory.
• Monuments remind us of the heroic deeds of great men

ART AS VALUABLE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

• Delighted by the books we read
• Moved by the music we hear
• Paintings, sculptures and plays capture our attention and stimulate critical thinking.
• Modern architectural designs inspire us to plan and construct our houses beautifully.

WHY ART IS CALLED HUMANITIES

• We get a glimpse of the thoughts, feelings, and the beliefs of the people who lied in the
period.
• We value and appreciate beautiful things as a consequence of our encounter with the arts.
• Our aesthetic experiences can change our ways and behavior.
• They can transform us into highly-cultures, dignified and respectable human beings.
• Arts can beautify our humanity.
• Brings out the good and noble in us.
• We come to know the changing image of man as he:
o Journeys across time
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o Searches for reality

o Strives to achieve the ideals that create the meaning of life.

ART APPRECIATION
• Ability to interpret or understand man-made arts and enjoy them either through actual
and work-experience with art tools and materials or possession of these work of art for
one’s admiration and satisfaction.

THE SUBJECT OF ART

• In any art form- there is always a subject that serves as the foundation of the creation of
work of art.
• Subject is varied.

REPRESENTATIONAL/OBJECTIVE ARTS
• Artworks that depict something easily recognized by most people.
o Painting, sculpture, graphic arts, literature, theatre
o Some paintings and sculpture are without subjects.
o Music and dance may or may not have subjects.

NON-REPRESENTATIONAL/NON-OBJECTIVE ARTS
• Artworks that have no resemblance to any real subjects, they are what they are.
o They rather appeal directly to the senses primarily because of the satisfying
organization of elements.

MODERN PAINTINGS
• Work of art as object itself
• Exciting combination of shapes and colors that fulfill the aesthetic needs without having
to represent images or tell a story.
• Purely visual appeal, literal-oriented spectators cannot appreciate them.

TRADITIONAL SCULPTURE/PAINTINGS
• Have subjects, one expects to recognize the subjects.

FUNCTIONS OF ART
• Every art form has a function since it satisfies a particular need.
• To LAYMAN- art may have little function.
• Some find meaning in its ability to serve the purpose for which it was designed.
o Architecture as functional
o Music and dance in ancient rituals, social entertainment, military.
o Narrate events/portray events
o To instruct (Christian Religion)
o To commemorate individuals or historic events.
o Vehicle for personal expression
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FOUR MAIN FUNCTIONS OF ART

1. Aesthetic function- man becomes conscious of beauty of nature. He learns to use, love,
preserve them for his enjoyment and appreciation.
2. Utilitarian function- art not only enriches man’s life but also improves nature through
landscape gardening, infrastructure, propagation and conservation of natural resources.
3. Cultural function- through printed matter, art transmits and preserves skills and
knowledge from one generation to another.
4. Social function- through civic and graphic arts, man learns to love and help each other.

THE SCOPE OF ART

• Various authors classify arts in different ways.
• According to MANAOIS, there are two general dimensions of art
o Fine arts/independent arts- primarily for aesthetic enjoyment, auditory and visual.
o Practical arts/utilitarian arts- for practical us, development of raw materials for
utilitarian purposes.
• Fine arts- music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, dance and drama.
• Practical arts- industrial arts, applied or household art, commercial arts, graphic art,
agricultural art.

• CUSTODIOSA SANCHEZ (2002)

o Art consist of visual arts, literature, drama and theatre, music and dance.
o Those we perceive with our own eyes are called visual arts:

Graphic arts- painting, drawing, photography, graphic process (printing),
commercial art (books, advertisements, signs , posters, and other displays)

Plastic arts- includes all fields of visual arts for which materials are
organized into three-dimensional forms such as structural architecture
(gardens, parks, playgrounds, golf course beautification), city planning
and interior design, dress and costume design and theatre design.

• JOSEFINA ESTOLAS (1995)

o Grouped arts into MAJOR and MINOR arts.

MAJOR Arts- painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, music and
dance.

MINOR Arts- decorative arts, popular arts, graphic arts, plastic arts and
industrial arts.
o She also grouped arts into:

Visual arts- graphic arts and plastic arts

Performing arts- theatre, play, dance, music

Literary arts- short story, novel, poetry, drama

Popular arts- film newspaper, magazine, radio, television

Gustatory art of the cuisine- food preparation and beverage preparation

Decorative/applied arts- beautification of houses, offices, cars, and other
structures
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• PANIZO and RUSTIA (1995)

o Classified art into two major divisions

According to purpose

According to media and forms

ARTS ACCORDING TO PURPOSE

1. PRACTICAL ARTS- directed to produce artifacts and utensils, handicrafts (basket
weaving and mat weaving), embroidery, ceramics, iron and metal crafts, tin can.
2. LIBERAL ARTS- directed toward intellectual growth, such as in the study of philosophy,
psychology, literature, math, sciences.
3. FINE ARTS- creative activity for the contemplation of the mind and the upliftment of the
spirit. Painting, sculpture and architecture.
4. MAJOR ARTS- actual and potential expressiveness such as music, poetry and sculpture.
5. MINOR ARTS- concerned with practical uses and purposes such as interior decoration
and porcelain art.

ARTS ACCORDING TO MEDIA AND FORMS

1. PLASTIC ARTS- which exists in physical space and perceived by the sense of sight
Sculpture and decorative materials
2. KINETIC ARTS- involve the elements of rhythm. Dance is a popular type of kinetic arts.
3. PHONETIC ARTS- utilize sounds and words as medium of expression. Examples are
music, drama and literature.
4. PURE ARTS- take only one medium of expression like sound in music and color in
painting.
Mixed arts

THE ORIGIN OF ARTS

• History of art began with that of humanity.
• Indigenous form of art accompanied ancient rituals and ceremonies.
• Perform dances to entertain, to worship their gods and goddesses, to invoke success and
blessings.
• Their music and poetry chronicles the life and works of their ancestors as well as
legendary origins of heroes, heroines and gods.
• Tribalist cultures often wore body paintings during ceremonies.
• Cave paintings and drawings are believed to reflect ancient religious beliefs and visions.
• Most sculptures were associated with religion, with gods and goddesses.

ACTIVITY
Seatwork. Answer the following questions in 3-5 sentences each.
1. What is your definition of art? art appreciation?
2. How can art be an aid to better citizenship? Give examples to illustrate this.
3. Why is introduction to art appreciation an essential subject in the curriculum?
4. Why are music, painting, and, sculpture called fine arts?
5. In what way does art contribute to the physical, social, spiritual well-being of a man?
6. What are the functions of art in the context of enhancing your personality?
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Assignment
Bring 1 piece short bond paper and some coloring materials.