1.

Subject matter
2. Form
3. Content
4. Medium
5. Technique
The subject of art

Refers to any person, object, scene, or event described or

represented in a work of art

The arts that have subject are called representational or objective arts
(painting, sculpture, the graphic arts, literature, theater arts) while
those that do not have subject are known as non-representational or
non-objective arts (music, architecture).
The artist and His Choice of Subject

Involves some personal statement;

Affected by his medium;
Depends largely upon the time in which he/she lives and on the
patronage he gets.
Kinds of Subject
Landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes
Still life
Animals
Portraits
Figures
Everyday life
History and legend
Religion and mythology
Dreams and fantasies
 CONTENT

Refers to what the artist expresses or communicates

on the whole in his/her work.

The “meaning “we derive from the work;

Theme
 ACCORDING TO CLEAVER THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF MEANING:

1. FACTUAL meaning - literal statement

2. CONVENTIONAL meaning – special meaning that a certain object or color has for
a particular culture or group (e.g. flag, cross, etc.)
3. SUBJECTIVE meaning – any personal meaning consciously or unconsciously conveyed
by the artist using a private symbolism which stems from his/her association of certain
objects, actions, or colors with past experiences.
The artistic value of the substance/content of an art work
can be measured by:

Originality
Imaginative quality
Sincerity
Truth
Animation Art Afghan Girl

Architecture

Photography
Painting Sculpture
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Computer Art

Video Art
Tapestry Art

Jewellery Art
Stained Glass Art
Body Art Installation Art
Performance Art
 PAINTING
ARCHITECTURE

Stone, wood, brick, concrete

Watercolor Oil Acrylic Bricks, Clay and Terra Cotta
Steel and glass
Metal, Wire, Sand and Stone
 TECHNIQUE

• Selecting and arranging materials to achieve a

specific effect;
• Mixing/putting together the substance into the
form;
• What makes one artist’s work different from
another.
BRONZE CASTING

CARVING

MODELING

ELECTROPLATING

GILDING -The process of coating an object with a thin layer of gold