Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar, Philippines
Web: uep.edu.ph. Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

HE Arts
in
3 Daily Living

HE 3a (Arts in Daily Living)

Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education- Home Economics

Module 2
The Importance of Good Taste

Tashana Kym A. Dorias, LPT

Part-Time Lecturer
First Semester, A.Y. 2020-2021

Table of Contents
Title
Table of Contents
Overview of the Module
 Purpose of the Module
 Module Title and Description
 Module Guide
Module Requirements
Course Pretest

Key Terms
Learning Plan
Lesson 1
 Activity 1.1
 Activity 1.2
 Self-Check 1.1
Lesson 2
 Activity 2. 1
 Activity 2.1
 Self-check 2.1

Feedback
Summary
References
Suggested Readings

Overview of the Module

Module 1: The Importance of Good Taste
This module contains the following lesson:

Arts in Daily Living 2

  Importance of good taste in art
 Appreciation of creative experience

Purpose of the Module

It implies the belief that art may be so much a part of our daily living that it will help
us to do more beautifully the simple homely things of life as well as the more unusual. As we
surround ourselves with beauty, art actually becomes a part of our life and personality — not
to be set apart for occasional enjoyment, but rather to be sought and enjoyed in everything we
do and in everything we select.

Module Title and Description

This module is designed for you to have an insights about the importance of having a
preferable taste in arts that will be useful in our everyday living.

Module Guide
To get the most of this module, you’ve got to do the following:
 Try to read and understand the learning outcomes. These will tell you what
you should know and be able to do at the end of the module.
 Answer the Learning Activities to measure your knowledge and understanding
about the topic.
 You must be able to appreciate the importance of this course in shaping our
present society and one’s personality.

Did you understand the guidelines in using this module? Great! Now, you are all set
to utilize this module as much as you can. Now remember, if you find it confusing and
challenging, you can always restudy what you have learned. Good luck!

Module Requirements
In going through this module, you are expected to have the following:
 Internet connection to download the module
 Textbook/s and other materials related to Arts in Daily Living

Arts in Daily Living 3

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Know the importance of good taste in art
Appraise the importance of having a good taste in RT
Apply the importance of having a good taste in art in your respective abode.

PRE-TEST
Write T if the statement is correct and F is the statement if not.

F 1 Design in the field of art, is the application of the principles of design to

the problems in life where appearance as well as utility is a consideration.
F 2 The principles of design are static. They should be regarded as flexible
guides to be used in producing a desired result.
T 3 Good taste in art can be acquired by applying the principles of beauty
deliberately until the time is reached when the right thing is done unconsciously.
T 4 Every individual should understand and apply the elements of art, and
principles of design in creation selection and arrangement of interiors.
T 5 Developing good taste in art enables an individual properly to judge
F 6 The selection and arrangement must be uneconomical and beautiful.
F 7 Balance involves the problem of choosing the lines, forms, colors; the
materials used and in addition to create beauty in the finished product.
T 8 Art has a positive impact to people’s moods and perspective.
T 9 Art can give people emotions that can lift up their spirit and make them
more driven than ever.
F 10 Art is an insignificant part of our daily living.

1
L E S S O N

Arts in Daily Living 4

Importance of Good Taste in Art
 Key Terms

Taste- means knowledge of CREATIVITY

and preference for finest Presentation of the Content
quality in any art. Creativity is exploring thoughts or ideas
Art may be so much that
a partare newdaily
of our or different
living thatinwill
somehelpway
us
Good Taste- in the field of
to do more beautifully, the simple
from homely
previous things asand
thoughts well ideas.
as the
ARTart it is the appreciation of
more unusual. As we surround ourselves
Exploring thoughts andwith beauty,
ideas can art
be
the principles of art and
Art is a form of human expression. Art can actually becomes a expressed
part of byourpeople
life and personality,
in many ways. It can an
design to the problems
be seen as the artist sleight of hand on his occasional enjoyment be rather to bethrough
expressed sought drawing,
and enjoyed in
writing,
where appearance and
mood. everything we do andsinging,
in everything
or we select.
beauty Art is in various media from
is a consideration. even doing something.
posters to public wall of which we call Creativity is different to everyone, but
Genuine
“graffiti”. Art isGood
elusive asTaste-
the use of colors everyone is creative in their own ways.
means discrimination and
shapes and the surface used adds a new Sometimes, in order to be creative, you
judgment based on
dimension. Art portrays various ideas, need to think outside of the box and
knowledge and principles-
feelings such as triumph, love, happiness, begin to think of something that is new
blended of thinking and
sorrow and boredom in loss to mention a
feeling. and different than what is normally out
few. Art is beauty and creativity. there.
Arts- is created with
imagination and skill that is
beautiful or that expresses
important ideas or feelings.

ACTIVITY 1.1
Expand your IDEAS! Note as many words as you can associate to the terms inside the circles
below.

Arts in Daily Living 5

 DESIGN
Design is a visual look or a shape given to a certain
object, in order to make it more attractive, make it
more comfortable or to improve another
characteristic. Designers use tools from geometry and
We are allart. Design is Every
consumers. sometimes
time wedivided
maketoa sub-categories:
purchase, how - Good taste ever
graphic design, buildings and nature design,
humble, we are consciously or unconsciously using our power to consumer
consumer choose. Since art
is involved in most of the
goods objects seen and used every day, one of the great needs of the
design.
consumer is a knowledge
Design isof also
the principles
a conceptfundamental to goodan
used to create taste. Good taste, in the field
object
of art, is the application of the principles of design to the problems in life where appearance
(virtual or not). Design is picturing things using the
as well as utility is a consideration. With the development of our appreciation of these
imagination; as to using perception or memory.
principles, the meaning of the term “principles of design” broadens and deepens. These
principles are never static. They should be regarded as flexible guides to be used in producing
a desired result. It has been said that good taste is doing unconsciously the right thing, at the

Arts in Daily Living 6

right time, in the right way. In Joseph Vance, Dr. Thorpe says, “I keep on hoping for the
development, in Joey, of the faculty of Good Taste. It's a quality of the inner soul that gives a
bias to the intellect.” Few people are born with this rare gift, but, fortunately for us, good
taste in art can be acquired by applying the principles of beauty deliberately until the time is
reached when the right thing is done unconsciously.
Good taste, then, includes the selection and arrangement of all our belongings—our
communal as well as our personal possessions. For the sake of economy as well as beauty, it
is important that every individual should understand and apply these principles of art. Since
the appearance of the things we acquire causes us to enjoy some of them permanently, while
others please for only a little while, it is an advantage to be able to judge discriminately.
Beauty is determined not by the cost but by the quality of the objects chosen. (See figures 1
and 2.) Most people who enjoy the effect of richness would like to know how to appreciate
the restraint which marks the difference between the rich and the gaudy, while others who
like simple things wish to recognize the point where plainness ceases to be beautiful and
becomes monotonous and unimaginative. Training will show where merely a variation of
proportions or the addition of some simple note of contrast will result in a quality and beauty
that might otherwise be lacking. The idea is all too prevalent that art is decoration and that an
ob ject must be ornamented if it is to have “art quality.” This idea must be abandoned before
anyone can have a true appreciation of art. The person who has this appreciation gains perfect
satisfaction from an undecorated object if it is beautiful in shape, color, and texture and is
suited to its purpose. When decoration is used it should be simple. Over-decoration is one of
the worst faults. Taste is molded, to a very large extent, by the things which surround us, and
family taste is trained by the objects selected by the home-maker. It is, therefore, a very great
privilege for children to live in a home in which there is a high standard of beauty. We like to
think of standards for beauty as broad and adaptable, and to regard them as goals that are
never fixed. They shift and change, and each of us hopes that his own standards will keep
moving forward. Although our standards can scarcely be too high, we are obliged frequently
to recognize and accept the fact that it is not always possible to reach them. Nearly always
there are limitations in our way, and so our choices may have to represent a compromise due
to such factors as: what happens to be available at the particular time and place of the
purchase; the amount of money to be spent; and the likes and dislikes of the people who are
going to live with the article purchased. After all, it is important that people enjoy their
possessions, and we study art mainly for the happiness it will bring into our lives. There are
some who believe that people should have what they like even though it is in bad taste. That
is a matter for each of us to decide, but, at least, it is important to know when and why our
choice is bad so that our decision may be deliberate.

Arts in Daily Living 7

Arts in Daily Living 8
 Accordingly, we should like to emphasize this well-known bit of advice: Never be
forced to make a poor choice through a lack of the information which would have helped in
making a good one.

Good taste in art and design:

o Every individual should understand and apply the elements of art, and principles of
design in creation selection and arrangement of interiors.
o The selection and arrangement must be economical and beautiful.
o Developing good taste enables an individual properly to judge.
o Beauty is determined also by the quality of the objects chosen.
o When decoration is used, it should be simple.
o Over decoration is one of the worst faults.
o Taste is molded to a very large extent, by the things which surround us.
o The taste of the family member is influenced generally by the objects selected by the
home maker.
o It is a privilege for children to develop a good taste, who live in a home in which there
is an orderliness in selection, arrangement where in beauty and good taste are
automatically achieved.

Art and Design in home furnishing

Design is the selecting and arranging of materials, with two aims i.e. orderliness and
beautifying. So, Design is any arrangement of lines, forms, colors and textures. It involved
the problem of choosing these lines, forms, colors; the materials used and in addition, create
beauty in the finished product.

The Importance of Art in Daily Life

Art surrounds life, all people in every location, without us being aware of it. Since time
immemorial, art has existed as long as man has. It is a huge part of our culture, which shapes
our ideas, and vice versa, and provides us with a deeper understanding of emotions, self-
awareness, and more.
Many people fail to realize how art impacts their daily life. Everyone uses art on a continual
basis. The majority doesn’t know how much of a role art plays in their lives and just how
much we rely on art, in all of its forms, in our everyday lives.
Why is art important in our daily lives? Because we are surrounded by art, and without it, the
human race will not be as you know it.

Arts in Daily Living 9

Art in the Home

Arguably, almost everyone has some form of art in their home—a painting, a framed
photograph, a table centerpiece, and even the main layout and design of a house is art. Art is
not purely for looking at and admiring, a lot of it is functional too, especially when it comes
to our homes. Everything from a delightfully patterned quilt on the bed or even your
decorative tea towels and teacups can be considered a form of art. Our brain is just
conditioned to think that these type of items are not art when it’s only for decoration.

Art and Music

Music, same as art, is a universal language and its importance to our daily lives is undeniable.
Subconsciously, we hear music through television shows, commercials, radio and through
other media. Sounds, songs and music can make life extremely joyful and can have a huge
effect on our mood.

It has a positive impact to people’s moods and perspective. It can boost productivity and
one’s motivation and determination. Similarly, when stress is high, many people find that
relaxing to calming music is something that eases the mind.

Site-Specific Art

Art, in any form, can give people emotions that can lift up their spirit and make them more
driven than ever. One of the most common trends in the tourism industry is hospitality art,
which utilizes art to invite guests and engage them more throughout their stay. Corporate art
inspires workers and boosts productivity using art inside the workplace. Hospital art, or
healing art is also one way of helping patients recover faster and their family and healthcare
workers to regain their composure and stay calm.
Art is everywhere, influencing us on a daily basis, whether we realize it or not. And this is the
mere reason why art is important in our daily lives. With the art that we are surrounded by,
whether it’s a painting, music or even videos can have a huge impact on our mood and
emotions.
People think that science and technology are superior to art. But art makes life worthwhile. It
may not be vital to fulfill our basic needs, but it does make life joyful. As we continue our
journey of a fast-paced life with moments of quick decisions and fragmented thoughts, art
allows every moment to be memorable. Understanding our emotions can help us heal, grow
and improve ourselves. Increasing our self-awareness through art can lead to more success
personally and professionally.

Arts in Daily Living 10

Art can make a community more beautiful. It also makes the places we visit and spend time
more interesting. Through art, we gain a better understanding of cultures, history and
tradition; as well as help people in the present build better and more complete lives.

ACTIVITY 1.2
In your own words, briefly discuss the significance of having a good taste in art in
your respective abode. Make use of the graphic organizer.

Arts in Daily Living 11

 Developing good taste enables an
individual properly to judge.
Good taste” tends to
correlate with “depth.” It is a
mixture of self-criticism to be
aware of cognitive biases,
self-awareness; a result of
curiosity, having quality
knowledge, synthesizing
The importance of the
stoicism and genuineness,
delicacy of taste is that the contemplations of passion
more delicate our tastes are, and the objective perspective,
the greater our ability to SIGNIFICANC neither being excessively
notice and appreciate the E OF HAVING esoteric nor shallow, doubting
most subtle aspects of a A GOOD the norm, searching from the
piece of art. We increase the TASTE IN perspective of “good artists
delicacy of our taste by ARTS
experiencing and comparing copy, great artists steal,”
Taste can be summed
greater numbers of pieces of being open-minded, lateral
up as the experiences
art. and abstract thinking,
one has growing up,
taking into embracing autonomy,
consideration likes as embracing the inexplicable-
well as dislikes. ness, having a sense of
righteousness, and the
prevention of vulgar ethos.

Self-Check
Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided.

Arts in Daily Living 12

 A 1. A principle that should never be static. They should be regarded as flexible guides to
be used in producing a desired result.
a. Design c. Form
b. Balance d. Art
A 2. Every individual should understand and apply these in creating, selecting and
arranging interior design.
a. Good taste in art c. Genuine taste
b. Principles of art d. Elements of art & design
B 3. It involves the problem of choosing the lines, forms, colors; the materials used and
in addition to create beauty in the finished product.
a. Form c. Art
b. Design d. Balance
B 4. In the field of art it is the appreciation of the principles of art and design to the
problems where appearance and beauty is a consideration.
a. Genuine taste c. Balance
b. Good Taste d. Art
C 5. It is created with imagination and skill that is beautiful or that expresses important
ideas or feelings.
a. Balance c. Arts
b. Beauty d. Artwork

2
L E S S O N
Arts in Daily Living 13
Appreciation of creative experience

Presentation of the Content

When a person is appreciating a beautiful object, he is engaged in a creative

experience, for the active enjoyment of art is a form of participation in it. Furthermore, the
interpretation of that impression to another so that he, too, may learn to appreciate beauty is
another of the aspects of this many-sided experience we call art.

ACTIVITY 2.1
Give your insights about the following words mentioned below and its relevance to art.

Arts in Daily Living 14

Beauty
It is so hard to define beauty. We can say that it is a characteristic of a person
who gives rise to a sense of satisfaction. It is also a quality or an attribute that
is much sought after.
Anything that is joyful to behold that captures our heart is beautiful. It could
be in a flower, a baby, even in the serenity of an old woman, the love of a
parent or the playfulness of a puppy. Like it has been rightly said; beauty lies
in the eyes of the beholder. Not everyone sees beauty in the same thing.

Naturalness
For me naturalness is The state or quality of being natural. From the word
natural, it is somewhat present already in one thing that hasn't done or
processed with any chemical substances. If were to relate it to a facial beauty,
it is more likely to be simple and original.

Formality
Formalities of interaction have an irreplaceable role, especially on certain
occasions. They set a context that encourages good dispositions, and they set
boundaries within which we can exercise creativity. When a suitor comes to
introduce himself for the first time to the parents of a young lady, the meeting
is usually, and rightfully, fraught with a certain pressure. Here formality,
rooted in tradition, is freeing; it aids all involved to navigate a complicated
reality.

Arts in Daily Living 15

 Too often it is thought that art is synonymous with drawing and Appreciation painting
and sculpture, and the fact that pictures and statues are but experience two of many kinds of
art expression is often overlooked. More and more it is coming to be realized that ability is
involved not only in the creation of works of art, but in appreciation as well. How many times
have we heard, “I'm no artist. I can't even draw a straight line.” As a matter of fact the man
who can draw the straightest line may not have a particle of artistic ability, and the one who
cannot draw may be an artist in one of the best senses of the word. The woman who selects
beautiful furnishings for her home or the salesperson who chooses the right suit and hat for a
customer has done a piece of work that calls for much the same kind of knowledge as that
possessed by a designer or painter. These are all questions of art or design, and the only real
difference is in the materials used.

The objectives in creative experience of planning the interiors are as follows:

Beauty is not the only objective in planning and furnishing a home. A home should be
expressive of the personality of the owners and should function effectively. One simple
definition of beauty is “that combination of qualities that is pleasing to the trained eye or
ear”. According to an Oriental proverb, “One man’s beauty is another man’s ugliness.”
Ultimately, beauty leads to aesthetics and the underlying basic factor in esthetics is the
elements of art.

Expressiveness is one way to approach the subject of selecting, decorating, and furnishing a
home is to seek or express some definite idea or theme. Some of the ideas that are expressed
in homes, consciously or unconsciously are naturalness, sophistication, intimacy, formality,
warmth, coolness, delicacy, strength, freshness, antiquity.
Formality- A home that expresses formality usually also expresses dignity, strength, reserve,
and impressiveness. Features that contribute to this effect in a house are- unbroken lines,
large spaces, and a symmetrical façade. The furniture though not necessarily traditional in
style but arranged with formal balance.

Informality- An outstanding characteristic of life of today is informality in all walks of life.

Naturally informality is desired in interiors and home furnishings also. Simplicity,
informality productiveness, friendliness, hospitality, intimate charm, bright warm colors and
comfortable furniture are the characteristics of informality in interiors and home furnishing.

Naturalness- A house of this character may express the following themes: simplicity,
handmade quality, sincerity, thrift, naiveté, playfulness, rugged force, unpretentiousness,
originality, or protest against artificiality. Among the factors that contribute to the attainment
of the natural effect are the use of native materials and styles, handwork showing natural

Arts in Daily Living 16

irregularities in structure, direct treatment, inexpensive materials and primitive colors. Fine
finish and imitations are avoided,
Modernism -Indicates the importance of functionalism in a modern house. The families that
choose modern furnishings are usually young courageous, experimental, impersonal, and
logical. For instance, the furnishings may be unrefined unpolished; showing lack of skill in
workmanship, still may be functional and comfortable.

Functionalism - The personality of the owner determines the idea to be expressed in a home.
The homes of today should function well. They should give the maximum of services,
comfort and pleasure for the minimum of care. Those who are building new houses should
make no compromises or sacrifice functionalism. Every phase of home planning and
furnishing should be based on function. Home should give the maximum of service. The
selection of individual articles should be governed by a critical judgment of how well they
fulfill their functions. Every phase of the home planning and furnishing should be based on
function. The number of rooms and their arrangement depend on how best they serve the
family. Furniture is arranged in functional groups, like for study, reading, sleeping and
conversation. Further of garden furniture should be waterproof and upholstery should be
durable.

ACTIVITY 2.2
Cut a photo of your desire interior design applying the objectives in creative
experience of planning the interior.

Arts in Daily Living 17

What are the creative experience of planning that you use? Explain why you choose it.
"The original living room was two stories, but I dropped the ceiling to make the
space more cozy. We completely remodeled the fireplace, adding paneling and mirrors
to again bring a lighter and reflective feel to the room. I covered the sofa in a soft
chenille and paired it with a more formal damask on the two French-styled chairs. Silk
pillows add to the formality for a lush yet inviting finishing touch. By lowering the
ceiling, I was also able to create a wonderful library area above that includes three
charming reading niches.
The hearth room I designed for large family gatherings. My clients wanted to
maximize the seating as much as possible. I also wanted to take advantage of the
fireplace and view as much as possible. Because there was so much space, I got to layer
many textures and patterns in the room through fabric choices. The soft blue couches
are offset by the large check fabric on the chairs, with highly textured and richly
colored pillows. The floral window treatments complemented the outside view. I
anchored the large stone fireplace with built-in cabinets stained to match the kitchen
island" - interior designer I choose
this photo as my desired interior desin because I can say that The overall feel of these
spaces is a soft and inviting formality—bright and clean yet filled with depth and
character. The goal of a designer is to create the home that clients wants, and will love
living in.

Self-Check
Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

Arts in Daily Living 18

 1. An objective in creative experience that expresses dignity, strength, reserve, and
impressiveness.
a. Formality c. Naturalness
b. Informality d. Functionalism

2. It should give the maximum of services, comfort and pleasure for the minimum of
care.
a. Informality c. Functionalism
a. Naturalness d. Modernism

3. An objective in creative experience where the family chooses modern furnishings that
are usually young courageous, experimental, impersonal, and logical.

a. Beauty c. Naturalness
b. Modernism d. Informality

4. One way to approach the subject of selecting, decorating, and furnishing a home is to
seek or express some definite idea or theme.

a. Modernism c. Expressiveness
b. Naturalness d. Formality

5. It is the “combination of qualities that is pleasing to the trained eye or ear”.

a. Beauty c. Naturalness
b. Formality d. Informality

FEEDBACK

Arts in Daily Living 19

 Congratulations for finishing the 2nd chapter of your module. Try to examine your
strengths and weaknesses. Try to improve in the weaker areas by reading more. Your time
management, self-reliance and independent learning will help you much.
If you are able to answer all the learning tasks without any mistake, congrats you may
now proceed to the next module. If you get a score less than 75 percent of the total number of
items, I suggest reading again the lesson and try to answer the said activities. If you get more
than 76 percent of the total number of score try to review and focus to those items that you
fail to get the correct answer. Don’t worry, all is well, sooner or later you will be able to get
all the correct answer.
Congratulations! You did a great job! Rest and relax a while then move on to the next
Module.
God bless!

SUMMARY

 Good taste, then, includes the selection and arrangement of all our belongings—our
communal as well as our personal possessions
 Design is the selecting and arranging of materials, with two aims i.e. orderliness and
beautifying. So, Design is any arrangement of lines, forms, colors and textures. It
involved the problem of choosing these lines, forms, colors; the materials used and in
addition, create beauty in the finished product.
 The objectives in creative experience of planning the interiors are as follows: Beauty,
Expressiveness, Expressiveness, Formality, Informality, Naturalness, Modernism and
Functionalism

REFERENCES
Anna Hong Rutt (1973). Home Furnishing, Wiley Eastern private limited, New Delhi.

Arts in Daily Living 20

 Harriet Goldstein and Veita Goldstein (1954). Art in Everyday Life, Fourth edition,
Macmillan Publishing Co., INC.
Ruth Morton, Hilda Geuther. and Virginia Guthrie (1970). The Home its Furnishings
and Equipment. Webster Division, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
P.parimalam, A. Andal and M.R. Premalatha (2008). A text book of Interior
Decoration, Satish Serial Publishing House, Delhi

SUGGESTED READINGS
Harriet Goldstein and Veita Goldstein (1954). Art in Everyday Life, Fourth edition,
Macmillan Publishing Co., INC. pp. 15-20.

Arts in Daily Living 21