VISUAL ARTS

It is an art form that expresses their message, meaning, and emotion through visual means. An
example of these are paintings, drawings, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video
making, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture.
Reading visual arts is the ability to read, analyze, and critique the works of visual arts. Reading
is the process of forming a perception based on the imagery, form, and language of the text,
translated through the experience of the reader (Cramer, Ortlieb, and Cheek 2007). Visual
reading is the ability to find meaning through imagery.
PURPOSES OF VISUAL ARTS
Ceremonial purposes
Some visual arts are used to celebrate an event, a season, or an era. These are used to
celebrate something significant in terms of worship or culture.
Example: Adornments on religious scrolls, vessels, masks
Artistic Expression
Some visual arts are used for self-expression. Arts can convey emotions, experiences, and
ideas. This type of art is sometimes, but not always, abstract or non-objective.
Example: Photography, performing arts, painting
Narrative purposes
Some visual arts are used to tell a story. These are used to illustrate and describe experiences
and communicate ideas.
Example: painting
Functional visual arts
Some visual arts are used to beautify things that can be used in everyday life. Arts that can be
used such as furniture, pottery, and jewelry that has a function.
Example: tables, chairs, lamps, lights, crafted furniture
Persuasive arts
Some visual arts are used to promote philosophies, products, ideas, ideologies, goals, and
designs.
Example: advertising material, propaganda, marketing products
Conveyance of beauty
Some visual arts represent beauty for its own sake.
Example: any art that represents beauty
Why do we need to study art?
 To develop self-exploration and self-expression
 To understand varied cultures
 To develop strong analytical abilities
 To develop better interpersonal and intrapersonal skills
 To enhance communication skills
 To develop higher-order thinking skills (HOTS)
 To help in conceptualizing, problem-solving, and critical thinking
 To develop self-discipline
 To adapt and be creative

Elements of Visual Arts

1. Color - a crucial component of an image’s composition. There are ways to look into color.
Hue – the actual colors of painting.
Saturation - purity of a color in relation to its appearance in the color spectrum.
Value – lightness and darkness of a color.
2. Line – the distance between two points.
Kinds of lines:

 Curved  Zigzag
 Straight  Spiral
 Thick  Diagonal
 Thin  Dotted
 Horizontal

3. Space – the distance between or within shapes, forms, colors, and lines.
Types of space:
Positive space – refers to the area of the composition that the subject occupies.
Negative space – refers to an empty or open space that surrounds the subject.
4. Form – the overall form taken by the artwork; the physical nature of a work of art
5. Shape – the result of closed lines, either two-dimensional lines or flat lines.
6. Value – the gradual change of color from lightness to darkness.
7. Texture – the way art is felt by touching and seeing
Principles of Arts
1. Pattern – the repeating unit of space or form. It is the repetition of a visual element.
Types of Patterns:
Man-made patterns - refers to the patterns based on patterns of nature.
Examples: shape of the leaves, shells, or fishes
Natural patterns - refers to the patterns that are both structural and decorative in purpose.
Examples: patterns of waves, or trees
2. Balance – is how each element of art relates to the other within a composition. Balance
creates a visual equilibrium.
Two types of balance:
Asymmetrical balance - when both sides are different but is arranged so that it looks balance.
Symmetrical balance - refers to a sense of formality, order, and performance.
3. Emphasis – the focal point of art to attract a person’s attention. Artworks may have one or
more areas of emphasis.
4. Contrast – the difference in art. It is the arrangement of opposite elements, such as smooth
and rough textures, small and large shapes, and light and dark colors.
5. Harmony and unity – it gives an art a senses of cohesion. It is when an artwork achieves a
certain point of wholeness. An artwork becomes complete because all the elements work
together in a composition.
6. Variety – it takes place when an artist uses different elements in a composition. The artist
chooses to vary in exposure, color, angle, shapes, and sizes.
7. Movement – is the physical movement in art. Movement can also be shown through
repetition, like lines repeating over and over again.
8. Proportion – in art means the relationship of two objects in a composition or an object’s
relationship referred to as a whole.

Visual Arts Forms

Types of Visual Arts and Media Forms
1. Painting – Painting is often called the most important form of visual art. It is about putting
colors on a canvas or a wall. Painters express their ideas through a mixture of colors and
different brush strokes. Painting is also one of the oldest forms of visual art.  In old caves
prehistoric people painted hunting scenes onto walls. Paintings became important
in ancient Egypt, where tombs of pharaohs were covered with scenes of everyday Egyptian life.
Glazing Techniques in a Painting
Glazing techniques in oil painting are when you apply a transparent layer of paint over another
dried layer of paint. It is similar to placing a sheet of colored transparent acetate over a
monochrome photograph. When glazing in oils you apply multiple layers and each layer affects
the final oil painting. The process is the same when glazing in acrylics.
Advantages of glazing
luminosity – Glazing creates a unique “shine through,” luminous stained-glass luminous effect
that you cannot get by directly mixing the paint. In the past artists used the glazing painting
technique because they did not have the brilliant colors that are available today. For example,
high-saturation purples, greens, and oranges were either rare and unstable. To create purple
they glazed blue over a reddish underpainting or vice versa.
Corrections – You can use a glaze to correct a part of a painting.

Disadvantages of glazing
slow  – Since you have to let the underpainting dry before you can apply a glaze, this method of
painting takes a long time.
limited to studio – It is not a suitable method when painting plein air, or the alla prima method
of painting. As a primary method of painting, it is only suitable for studio work.
unpredictable – It is very difficult to anticipate the final effect the glaze will have on the finished
painting. It is difficult to determine accurately how thick or thin the glaze-paint should be. If your
glaze is too thick you can alter a paint layer’s color too much.
fixed – After you have glazed over an underpainting, you cannot alter the underpainting.
attracts attention – Due to its transparency, a glaze produces an optical depth that attracts the
viewer’s eye more than the surrounding layers of opaque paint. You might not want to attract
attention to that area.
photographic  – The method tends to produce a photographic effect, and so loses a lot of the
interesting quality of brushwork that enhances a painting and makes it more engaging to look at.

2. Drawing – a visual art form that uses different instruments to place a mark on a paper or
any two-dimensional medium. Colored pencils, charcoal, or a pencil can be used.

12 Principles of Constructive Drawing

Using constructive drawing principles is the way of drawing what you know instead of copying
what you see.

 Drawing objects as if they are  Using virtual lines of alignment

transparent
 Drawing axes of symmetry
 Using principles of linear perspective
 Drawing planes of objects
 Measuring and using proportions
 Using contours
 Knowing and applying proportions of
a human body
 Knowing and applying human
anatomy in figurative drawing
 Applying strokes of tonal rendering
along contours
 Knowing and using the sequence of
drawing steps
 Knowing and using golden
proportions
3. Sculpture – a form of visual art that uses two- or three-dimensional representatives by
carving stones, plaster, metal or wood.

4. Printmaking – a form of art that makes pictures or designs through the method of print.
5. Photography – is the practice or method of creating images by the means of an image
sensor. It is the art of producing images by the action of radiant energy using a camera. ting.

6. Architecture – is the art of designing buildings and other physical structures. It is also
the method of constructing physical structures.

7. Video making, vlogging, or filmmaking – is the process of producing video content using
a camera. It uses moving images. Editing, directing, and cinematography may be involved.

8. Textile Art – is the process of creating something new using fabric or fibers.
9. Digital Art – is the use of digital technology to create something new or a new form of art.
10. Installation Art – is a form of art that is three-dimensional. It is usually made on a
large scales and it is usually constructed. It is also made in specific place and designed for that
exact space.

11. Calligraphy – is an art form that produces decorative handwriting using a pen, pencil,
or brush.

Writing the Film Review

Although there is not a set formula to follow when writing a film review, the genre does have
certain common elements that most film reviews include.

1) Introduction
- In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film. You may include
the film’s name, year, director, screenwriter, and major actors.
- Your introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to evaluate the
film, and it should allude to the central concept of the review. A film review does not have to
contain a thesis or main claim, but it should focus on a central analysis and assessment.

2) Plot Summary
- Remember that many readers of film reviews have not yet seen the film. While you want to
provide some plot summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details that would spoil the
viewing for others.

3) Description
- While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is about, also
include a more detailed description of your particular cinematic experience watching the film.
This may include your personal impression of what the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In
other words, what stands out in your mind when you think about this particular film?

4) Analysis
- In order to explain your impression of the film, consider how well the film utilizes formal
techniques and thematic content. How do the film’s formal techniques (such as cinematography,
editing, mise-en-scène, lighting, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the
way the film looks, feels, and sounds to you? How does the thematic content (such as history,
race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment) affect your experience and interpretation?
Also, do the formal techniques work to forward the thematic content?

5) Conclusion/Evaluation
- The closing of your film review should remind the reader of your general thoughts and
impressions of the film. You may also implicitly or explicitly state whether or not you recommend
the film. Make sure to remind the reader of why the film is or is not worth seeing.
One of the best ways to learn how to write a film review is simply by reading good film reviews.
You can find examples in most major newspapers and magazines. Check out the arts and
entertainment sections of The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The New
Yorker, The Atlantic, or Rolling Stone.