The Subject of Art

1. Realism The first style is realism in which the subject is done the way it actually looks. An example of
this is the painting of Araceli Dans, the Bridal White.

2. Distortion The artist uses his or her imagination and alters the subject according to his or her desire. A
stylized work is a form of distortion like Norma Belleza’s painting, the Fiesta.

3. Abstraction The artist breaks a part a subject and rearranges it in a different manner. The paintings of
the National Artist Vicente Manansala belong to this category.

4. Non Objectivism In here, there is no subject at all-just an interplay of pure elements, like line, shape
or color, and so on. A good example of this is the painting of Roberto Chabet which is on Acrylic paper.

Elements of Art

1. Space  Space in visual arts can be defined as a void, an emptiness which can either be positive or
negative.

2. Line  Line is the extension of a point, a short or long mark drawn or carved on a surface.  This
refers to a prolongation of a point or a mark on a surface. Solid lines can be used in order to define form
while broken lines are typically used to suggest hidden forms

3. Shape and Form  When the ends of a line meet, they form a shape. It can also be described as a
figure separate from its surrounding area or background.

4. Color  Probably the most striking art element that catches the eye is color. It is a sensation created
by visible wavelengths of light caught in a prism.  This refers to visual perception that allows a person
to differentiate objects due to the way various wavelengths of light are reflected. Color is a very
important element because it can communicate information and emotion to the viewer. These are the
three properties of color: 

Hue, which refers to the basic or pure color, and is represented in the color wheel. 

Value, which refers to the lightness and darkness of color. A light color or tint is the result of adding
white to a hue, while a dark color or shade results from adding black to a hue. 

Saturation, which refers to brightness and dullness of color. It is also referred to as purity of the color. A
bright color can be produced by adding more pigment to the same hue, while a dull color can be
produced by adding gray or the color’s complement to the pigment

5. Value  In visual arts, value is the degree of lightness and darkness of a color.

6. Texture  Texture is the surface of an artwork. A texture can be actual or tactile, meaning, it can
really be felt by touch, or it can be simulated or illusory, which mean it can only be seen, not felt.  This
element refers to the feel or appearance of a surface. Person may describe as actual or implied. Actual
texture can be felt tangibly based on the material that is used for the artwork while implied texture can
be exhibited, for instance, in a painting of fur of an animal.

7. Time and Motion  Movement in the visual arts can either be an illusion or an actual motion. An
illusion of movement is more common in two-dimensional artworks. On the other hand, actual motion is
easily seen in kinetic sculpture that moves with the wind or are vibrating with the surrounding air.