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Introduction to Art
ART
● Came from the latin word "ars" which means skill or craft
● Humans - possess the highest form of capability and intelligence in art
● One of the human products that reminds them what it takes to be a human.
● Medieval Latin - ars means any special form of book learning such as grammar or
logic, magic or astrology.
● Renaissance Period - ars was defined as a form of craft
● 18th Century - ars made distinction between the fine arts (beautiful arts) and useful
arts.
● Product of human creativity
● Creation of beautiful or significant things
● Superior skill
● Love for beauty
● Internal happiness
● Human activity
POPULAR ART EXPRESSION
1. Visual Arts
- Form of arts that appeals to the sense of SIGHT.
a. Graphic Arts - two dimensional (drawing,painting, photography, etc.)
b. Plastic Arts - three dimensional (sculpture, arki)

2. Performing Arts
- Live art comsisting of 4 elements:
● Time
● Space
● Performer's body
● Rekationship between audience and the performer
3. Literary Arts
- Uses words to express emotions and ideas
- Comes in the form of prose, poetry,and drama.
4. Popular Arts
- Old and new forms of mass media
5. Gustatory Art of Cuisine
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- Not onky appeals to taste but also to sight through creative presentation or food
decoration.
6. Applied Arts
- Incorporate elements of design and style to enhance the aesthetic value

ASSUMPTIONS OF ARTS
1. Art is a product of human skills, imagination, and good taste in doing things.
2. Art is created by people at all places at all times
3. Art is something to be seen, heard, touched, or sensed in general.
4. Art is not nature

SIGNIFICANCE OF ARTS
1. It communicate human emotion/feelings effectively
2. It create ties between and among people around the world.
3. It stimulates thoughts when interpreting the message of an artwork
4. Serves as a tool for learning
5. Reminds us of people's actions
6. Inspires people and brings them pleasure
7. Makes a better surrounding
8. Commermorate certain occasion
9. Can be used as a therapy
10. Transforms us into highly cultured respectable human beings.

SUBJECT, CONTENT, and MEDIUM in ARTS

Subject
- Visual focus, image, or matter that can be taken out of from examining an artwork.

FORMS OF ART SUBJECTS

- Representational/Figurative Art
● Subject EXIST IN REAL WORLD and is RECOGNIZABLE
- Non-Representational/Non-Figurative Art
● Subject cannot be easily recognized
● Elements are translated into emotions/feelings or ideas/concept.
- Abstract Art
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● Departure from reality

● Partly representational
● Partly non-representational

Content
- Meaning communicated by the artist or the artwork

a. Factual Meaning
- Drawn from the identifiable/recognizable forms in the artwork
- Understanding how these elements are related to one another.
b. Conventional Meaning
- Interpretation of an artwork using motifs, symbols, and signs that sigmify
meanings.
c. Subjective Meaning
- Stems from the viewers understanding of the art based on his or her prior
knowledge, experiences, and values.
Medium
- Refers to the material or means which the artists uses to objectify his/her
feelings/thoughts.
Methods of Presenting an Art Subjects
1. Realism
- Present representational or objective subjects
- Depicts nature and cotemporary life accurately and plainly
2. Abstraction
- Moves away from realistic representation of a subject
a. Distortion
- Misshaping the subject or twisting out the shape
b. Elongation
- Subject is lengthened, protracted, extended
c. Cubism
- Geometric shapes
d. Mangling
- Cutting, disfiguring, tearing, or lacerating the subject
3. Abstract Expressionism
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- Displays not the subject but the emotions and expression or the reality of the
artist's mind
- Spontaneous creation of lines, shapes, forms, and colors
4. Fauvism
- French word "Fauve" which means "wild beast"
- Wild, bold use of colors
- Spontaneous distorted look
- Extremely bright and vivid colors
5. Dadaism
- Anti-art
- Opposes worn out tradition of arts
- Aims to create unusual and nonsensical art
6. Surrealism
- Means "superrealism"
- Ordinary to extraordinary
- Found in dreams, fantasy, imagination, and unconscious mind
7. Expressionism
- Exaggerated expression and distortion of details or objects to bring out an
emotional effect
8. Symbolism
- Metaphorical imagery and suggestive forms with symbolic meaning
9. Impressionism
- Work with representational subjects focusing on the effect of light and color to
give more accurate representations of real life equivalents
10. Futurism
- Subjects that show interplay of human and motion through technology
Functions of Art
1. Personal Function of Art
- Self expression
2. Physical Function of Art
- Physical Purpose
- Practical Art (Architecture)
3. Social Function of Art
- Link between individual and society
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- Festivals, Political Art

Art and Philosophy: Philosophical Views About the Art
Aesthetic
- Branch of philosophy that examines the art's beauty and taste
Philosophical Perspective about the art
1. Formalism
- Its concern is the importance of formal features of an artwork in determining its
value
- Examines artwork through the interaction of principles and elements of art
Principles of arts
- Proportion
- Pattern
- Rythm
- Balance
- Harmony
- Unity
- Contrast
- Variety; and
- Movement
Elements of arts
- Color
- Line
- Shape
- Form
- Space; and
- Texture
● Aristotle - the art is the formal cause of tragedy
● Kant's Philosophy - judgement of sometjing's beauty is based on the judges
feeling of pleasure in the thing
2. Imitationism
- Plato argues that art is the mere imitation of reality
3. Representationism
- Aristotle believes that art aids philosophy in revealing the truth
● Art represents possible version of reality.
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- Art serves 2 functions:

1. Allows experience of pleasure
2. Teaches audience things about life
4. Expressionism
- Leo Tolstoy
● art conveys to its audience the emotions that the artist experienced.
- Collingwood
● Artist can create beautiful thing through expression of emotion
5. Aesthetic Hedonism
- Hedonism
● Maximize pleasure, minimize pain (philosophical context)
● Aesthetic value of a thing that can be derived from easthetic pleasure
- Assumes that humans like art and they generate pleasure from it.
6. Symbolism
- Literary and artistic movement with french poets in the 19th Century
- Art is an expression of individual emotional experience through the use of
symbolic language.
7. Functionalism
- Aristotle
● claims that everthing in the world has its ending or purpose
● He introduced the word "telos" which means "end" that can only be met
when function is fullfiled.
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LESSON 2 ART AND SCIENCE: PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos
● convey a lot of stories about history and every person’s life
● They carry the most precious and momentous memories that last for a long period of
time.
Photograph
● Vividly illustrate every single and small detail of an experience that is limited for a human
brain to remember.
Photography
● process of recording images through the action of light using a camera with film and
printing them on a photographic paper through a chemical process (Ramirez, Leynes,
and Fajardo, 2008)
● Anything that can be found around can be captured as a subject
Photographic image is composed of the following: (Belt, 2012)
1. Subject
- It tells what the image is about, its meaning or concept.
2. Content
- It is the subject matter which can be a person, place, or thing that is clearly
depicted or identified in the image.
3. Form
- It is the means used to arrange, unify, and present various contents
- includes the traditional design elements such as:
● line
● shape
● value
● texture; and
● color
Exposure
● necessary in producing a good photo.
● It is the amount of light that strikes and alters the photographic media
Density
● (overall lightness or darkness) of the image
Exposure is determined by the following factors:
1. Amount of light in the scene
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2. Photographic media’s sensitivity to light (ISO)

3. Aperture
● controls the intensity of light striking the media
4. Shutter speed
● controls the duration of time the media is exposed to light
Three Major Elements of Photography (Belt, 2012)
1. Framing
● It is a process of imposing confines of the camera’s format.
● It allows the viewers to easily interpret what is in the frame.
● It allows the photographer to limit the content of the image to its essentials.
Its three important aspects are:
a. Picture planes
● It is the flat, physical surface on which the image is captured
● containing the illusion of distance (near or far) and volume (an object’s mass).
b. Vantage point
● It is the position and distance of the camera in relation to the image contents.
c. Juxtaposition
● It creates meaning through the relationship and interaction among discrete
contents
● results from consciously organizing contents with respect to both picture plane
and vantage point.
2. Focus
● It is achieved through the following:
a. Aperture
● It is the opening of the camera through which light enters to produce an
exposure.
● It controls the amount of light that will strike the photographic medium upon
releasing the shutter mechanism.
● Its size controls the depth of field. The smaller the aperture is, the greater the
depth is.
b. Lens focal length
● The shorter (wider angle) the focal length is, the greater the depth of the field is.
c. Lens-to-subject distance
● It is the distance from the center of the lens to the subject.
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● The farther from the focus distance is, the greater the depth of field is.
3. Shutter speed
● It controls the length of time that the medium receives exposure to light or how
long the aperture is open.
● It creates a broad range of visual effects from freezing to blurring motion.
● Shutter speeds, together with the static nature of the medium (the flat, stationary,
light-sensitive material inside the camera), and the movement are necessary to
record movements.
The manifestations of time and motion in a single moment are divided into three:
a. Frozen time
● It indicates that two things are at play in a photograph
● movement is occurring (in front of the camera, the camera itself or both), and
movement is prevented.
b. Blurred time
● The movement in front of the camera or the movement of the camera itself is
traced, drawn out the picture plane.
c. Static time
● The camera and the subject do not move
● the contents of the image seem at rest.
Factors to Achieve a Good Photo
1. Focal point
● It is the point of interest of a photo where the eyes’ exploration starts.
2. Framing
● A frame in a photo refers to any object in the foreground that gives depth to the
photo.
● It should be part of the environment, with aesthetic value, and appropriate to the
subject.
3. Rule of thirds
● It states that the subject should be placed either above or below the center of the
frame because the viewer’s eyes are naturally drawn to the spaces within the
frame and not to its center.
4. Leading lines
● These are linear elements in a composition that guide the eyes across the image;
and
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● create a three-dimensional quality on a two-dimensional image.

5. Sense of scale
● It is the manipulation of sizes of objects in the composition.
6. Color
● It is the most significant element in a composition for each color has its ‘visual
weight’.
7. Timing
● It can be achieved by:
- sharpening reaction time
- enhancing a fast motor drive
- practicing pre-focus; and
- carefully composing the frame.
Kinds of Photography
These are some of the numerous kinds of photography. The variations basically depend on the
subjects (www.nraismc.com)
1. Infrared Photography
2. Ultraviolet Photography
3. High-speed Photography
4. Aerial Photography
5. Black and White Photography
6. Color Photography
7. Digital Photography
8. Commercial Photography/ Advertising Photography
9. Fashion and Glamour Photography
10. Crime Scene Photography
Science in Photography
Joseph-Nicéphore Nièpce
● a French researcher on photographic techniques.
● Discovered the photography
● Took the first photographic image from the window of his home and was exposed for
eight hours.
Louise Daguerre
● continued the improvement of photography after the death of Nièpce
● Proposed the daguerreotype
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Daguerreotype
● Photographic process
● could produce a photographic image on a highly polished, silver-plated sheet of copper,
sensitized with iodine vapors, exposed in a large box camera, developed in mercury
fumes, and stabilized with salt water or “hypo” (sodium thiosulfate
Talbotype
● Nièpce started the experiment but it was Fox Talbot, an Englishman, who patented it.
Calotype
● improved version of Talbotype
● by a Frenchman Blanquart-Evrard
Collodion Process
● Frederick Scott Archer
● made of nitrocellulose dissolved in alcohol and ether
Gelatin Dry Plate (1880)
● allowed taking photos at night.
● It was succeeded by the manufacturing of more technologized cameras
1869
● Louis Ducos du Hauron
● invention of the color printing using three colored filters.
● It became the basis for modern-day color printing and television.
Sensitometry
● Pat Izzo (NASA)
● “the science of tone reproduction, which involves dissecting the various tones of an
image, converting each tone into a number and then manipulating the numbers to
understand the picture from a scientific point of view"
● process of changing the image from a visual to a numerical representation
The Art of Selfie and Groufie
Portrait
● likeness of a person particularly the face.
● It is not only the physical attributes that are being captured but the character of the
subject as well.
● may consist of one individual or group of individuals
Selfie
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● image that includes oneself (often with another person or as part of a group) and is
taken by oneself using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks
● It was first used on a public forum in September 2002 by an Australian man.
● In 1839, Robert Cornelius (an American pioneer of photography) had the first
self-portrait.
● In 1914, one of the first teenagers who had self-portrait was Grand Duchess Anastasia
Nikolaevna of Russia who took a photo of herself in front of a mirror to send to a friend
(Backer, 2017
● Also known as “art at arm’s length”
Groufie
● was a trademark of Huawei to refer to a new smartphone that can take a “panoramic
selfies”.
● It is a short term for “group selfie”, a photo of yourself with others.
December 1920
● the first photo taken while the photographer was holding the camera.
● It was done by five photographers of Byron Company, a photography studio in
Manhattan.
● These men were standing on the roof of the Marceau Studio with an antediluvian
analog camera that needed two men to hold it.
In the late 1880s
● The self-timer cameras made it easy to create self-portraits.
High-Technology cameras
1. 1900
● Portable Kodak Brownie Box camera
2. 1970
● Instant camera such as the Polaroid
WIDE SPREAD OF TAKING SELFIES
1. 2003
● Sony Ericsson Z1010 mobile phone with front-facing camera was released.
2. 2015
● the Selfie Stick was invented to take not only selfie but groufie as well
PUBLICIZING OF PHOTOS
1. 1860s
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● There was already a massive sharing of Carte de Visite or little photo cards with friends
and visitors.
2. 2016
● the increasing sharing of images through social media became the trend.
March 2014
● the “selfie-related death”, when a man electrocuted himself on top of a train
● There are also reported accidents that led to death because of taking selfies
It is not only about capturing the beauty of a self-portrait but also considering the safety and
security of privacy of the subject.
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LESSON 3: ART AND PSYCHOLOGY: PAINTING

Painting
● form of graphic arts
● the process of applying pigments or colors on a surface to create the desired image.
● Though it is a two-dimensional art, there are so-called three-dimensional paintings that
appear as if they are real
Elements of Painting
1. Line
● It is a point moving at an identifiable path with length, width, and direction.
● It is the most primitive and simplest element of visual arts.
● Different kinds of lines signify varied meanings.
2. Shape
● It has height and width.
● It can be geometric that originated from mathematical propositions (e.g. square)
and organic that is naturally possessed by a thing (e.g. shape of petals).
● Shape can also be implied.
3. Form
● Relative to shape, form has height, width, and depth.
4. Space
● It is inferred from a sense of depth in relation to shape and form.
● The white space is the negative space
● A positive space is the area where shadow is heavily used.
5. Color
● It is a property of light reflected on an object.
● Like lines, every color signifies meaning.
The three properties of color are:
a. Hue
● gives color its name; divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary colors.
b. Value
● lightness or darkness of color
c. Intensity
● brightness or dullness of color; bright colors are warm colors while dull colors are
cool colors
6. Color harmony – It can be:
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a. Monochromatic by using variations of a hue

b. Complementary which involves two colors opposite to each other in the color wheel
c. Analogous or using two colors beside each other in the color wheel
7. Texture
● It adds an emotional effect to the artwork.
● It can be experienced through the sense of touch (real) and sight (implied).
8. Perspective
● It depicts distance and depth based on the following principles.
a. The object appears smaller as it becomes farther.
b. Parallel lines that seem to converge at one point both disappear.
c. Three types of perspective are:
● One-point perspective
- shows parallel lines that seem to converge at a specific and lone
vanishing point, along the horizon line
● Two-point perspective
- uses two vanishing points, which can be placed anywhere along the
horizon line
● Three-point perspective
- uses three vanishing points, each corresponding to each axis of the
scene;
- can be recognized by looking at a scene from above or below
Principles of Painting (Caslib,Jr., Garing, and Casaul, 2018)
1. Balance – It is the distribution of the visual elements in view of their placement in relation
to each other or the visual weight in the painting. It can be:
a. Symmetrical
● placement of similar objects or elements on both sides
b. Asymmetrical
● elements on both sides are not the same (or not of the same weight)
c. Radial
● elements or objects are distributed relative to the central point in the
composition
2. Scale
● It pertains to size in relation to what is normal for the figure or object.
3. Proportion
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● It is the size of objects or components in relation to one another. It can be:

a. Natural
- Realistic size of the visual elements in the artwork
b. Exaggerated
- unusual size relations of visual elements
c. Idealized
- achieving the most ideal size relations
4. Emphasis
● It is the detail or element of an artwork that receives greater attention from the
viewer.
5. Contrast
● It is the difference between elements in a composition.
6. Unity
● It is the sense of accord or completeness in the artwork.
7. Variety
● It aims to retain the interest by allowing patches or areas that both excite and
allow the eye to rest.
8. Harmony
● It is achieving a sense of flow and interconnectedness of elements or objects in
an artwork.
9. Movement
● It is the direction of the viewing eye while going through the artwork guided by
lines, edges, shapes, and colors.
10. Rhythm
● It can be achieved by repetition of objects, continuity of lines, and progression of
sizes. It gives the eyes an invisible path that serves as a guide in exploring the
artwork.
11. Repetition
● It is the recurrence of lines, shapes, colors, and other elements, which create a
pattern in an artwork.
Perception
● it allows our brain to interpret or to give meaning to objects, events, and other things
around us through our senses.
Visual perception
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● allows us to experience art and to recognize its beauty by examining the elements and
principles embedded in it.
● The mere looking at a visual art requires perception. Individuals have different ways of
perceiving things.
Form of Perceptual Constancy (Perceiving an artwork)
a. Brightness constancy
● The brightness of a detail is perceived as unchanging despite the
changing amount of light reflected.
b. Color constancy
● The color of a detail does not change in a wide range of illumination
conditions.
c. Size constancy
● The size of a detail is unchanging despite the change in the size of the
image reaching the retina (visual receptor).
d. Shape/Form constancy
● The shape of a detail appears in standard shape regardless of the
viewing angle.
e. Location constancy
● The details retain their same position even as the viewer moves about.
Depth perception
● allows the viewers to see three-dimensional space and judge distances accurately.
● In visual arts, perspective is applied to experience depth perception.
Gestalt Principles in Painting
Gestalt
● Is a psychological perspective that adheres to the principle that “the whole is more than
the sum of all its parts”.
● Is a German word which means “unified whole”
Gestalt theory
● perception and imagination do not conform to rational rules;
● Instead, they follow and testify to an aesthetic order of sensual experience through art
production.
● Researchers have found out that Gestalt theory can be applied in visual arts, music,
literature, and performing arts
Key principles of Gestalt
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1. Reification
● The experienced percept has more explicit spatial information than the sensory
stimulus on which it is based.
2. Emergence
● An image is perceived based on the proximity of its details; details that are close
to one another are viewed as a group.
3. Multistability
● It is the tendency of an ambiguous perceptual experience to pop back and forth
unstably between two or more alternative interpretations.
● Figure-Ground Principle
- It is perceiving an object in a way that one part stands out (figure) and the
rest seems to remain in the background (ground).
4. Invariance
● In this principle, simple geometric objects are recognized independent of rotation,
translation, scale, elastic deformations, different lighting, and different component
features.
5. Prägnanz
● German term for pithiness
● It is organizing an experience in a regular, orderly, symmetric, and simple way.
Laws of Prägnanz
a. Law of Closure
● Incomplete images are viewed as complete because the human mind tends to fill
in the gap in an object.
b. Law of Similarity
● It is a grouping of similar objects based on color, size, brightness, shape, and
other commonalities.
c. Law of Proximity
● The spatial or temporal proximity induces the mind to perceive a collective;
(almost similar to emergence principle).
d. Law of Symmetry
● Symmetrical images are perceived collectively.
e. Law of Continuity
● Visual, auditory, and kinetic patterns are perceived as a whole.
f. Law of Common Fate
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● It is a grouping of elements with the same moving direction.

Psychoanalysis in Painting
Sigmund Freud
● is known for his Psychoanalytic Theory.
● Psychoanalytic Theory
- This theory advocates that human desires and primitive impulses are the central
factors of behavior.
● Freud postulated that the existence of unconscious mental processes influence the
individual’s behavior in different indirect ways.
● He was the first psychoanalytic theorist who applied psychoanalysis to art.
● He explored the psychology of art, the artist, and aesthetic appreciation
Approaches in Merging of Art and Psychoanalysis
1. The psychobiography investigates the relation of an artist's life to his/her work.
- This was the approach that Freud used when he analyzed the paintings of
Leonardo da Vinci and the artist’s life.
2. Psycho-iconography examines the iconography of a work as determined by
convention and theme.
3. The origin and nature of creativity and symbolization
The Virgin and Child with St. Anne,
● Painting of Leonardo da Vinci.
● This artwork depicts the image of baby Jesus guarded in the arms of Virgin Mary while
she is peacefully sitting on the lap of her mother, St. Anne. The Virgin Mary is reaching
for her child while Jesus is stroking a lamb.
● Freud called this painting “Leonardo da Vinci and His Memories”.
● The shape of the Virgin Mary’s clothing
- illustrates a bird (resembles a vulture) when the painting is turned sideways.
- For Freud, the vulture symbolizes a mother (from the idea that vulture depicted
the term “mother” in ancient Egypt).
● He associated it with da Vinci’s repressed homosexual desire triggered by his unclear
memory of suckling at his mother’s breast.
● The presence of two mothers
- interpreted by Freud as a representation of da Vinci’s biological mother and
stepmother.
Color Psychology
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● Selection of colors in painting has something to do with the meaning that a color
signifies.
Some of the qualities commonly associated with colors.
● White
- purity, cleanliness, and neutrality
● Blue
- trust, longevity, formality, logic, calmness, coolness, serenity, intelligence, and
communication
● Yellow
- optimism, hope, confidence, and friendliness
● Red
- strength, power, reliability, warmth, nature, heat, support, and seriousness
● Violet
- royalty, luxury, quality, and authenticity
● Gray or Silver
- neutrality, cleanliness, sophistication, dependability, and sturdiness
● Black
- glamour, integrity, stability, efficiency, and status
● Pink
- childishness, comfort, fragrance, friendliness, calmness, and innocence
Half circle
● is associated with femininity because of its womb-like shape.
● It also resonates eternity since it has no corners.
● It signifies social equality as well.
A triangle
● suggests a relationship.
An implied line or line movement
● in a painting leads the viewer to a focal point of the subject matter.
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LESSON 4 ART AND ANTHROPOLOGY: VISUAL ARTS AND DANCE

Art
● is one of the cultural universals.
Visual arts
● created and shared within a cultural group serve as a manifestation and preservation of
the members’ treasured beliefs, customs, and traditions.
● give its members shared cultural identity.
- These products are beautifully crafted based on their legitimized meaning of
beauty in art.
The diversity of culture
● is translated to its components. There are forms of visual arts present in one cultural
group but seem to be unacceptable in other groups. Cultural groups even tend to create
their own standards of beauty as they judge an art. Thus, it is necessary that we
consider the
culture
● is relative.
● All cultural practices must be viewed as equal, no superior or inferior culture.
Aesthetic Relativism of Art
● is a philosophical view stating that the judgment of beauty is relative to the context where
the thing being judged belongs
● It adheres to the premise that there is no universal standard of beauty.
● In judging an artwork, one must consider its cultural context including the
individuals/groups producing it as well as their motives and bases of creating the
artwork.

T’nalak: The Art of Weaving

● The T’bolis of South Cotabato, Mindanao

● is a woven textile made of the whitest abaca that has many traditional uses.
● is used for:
1. ritual purposes
2. as an offering to the spirits
3. during festival celebrations.
4. paying a price for a bride
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5. in making a sacrifice to cure an illness.

● It can also be exchanged between families for food and supplies as a part of their barter
economy.
● The level of skill involved in creating t’nalak is relative to the wearer’s status and position
in the village.
● exclusive to T’boli women only.

T’bolis’ popular belief

Fu Dalu
● a spiritual guardian that guides the t’nalak weaving .
● is the spirit of the abaca tree.
● The preparation of t’nalak also involves a sacred ritual where a male T’boli must recite a
special prayer to Fu Dalu before cutting the abaca plant.
● T’nalak weaving is a ceremonial process which must conform to the beliefs and warnings
to please him.
● The T’bolis believe that:
- the weaver must make sure that the cloth would not touch the ground. They
ought to stay at one place while completing a piece of cloth.
- Children are prohibited from playing with the abaca fiber.
- The non-weavers are not even allowed to touch the fibers.
T’nalak cloth
● is made of abaca fiber that has three distinctive colors:
1. white
- for the pattern
- or bukoy
- symbolizes souls who died untimely or by their own hands.
- It also represents the color of the sky.
2. red
- for the relief elements
- Or hulo
- signifies the souls who died violently by a bullet or blade
3. black
- for the background
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- or hitem
- is for the souls who died peacefully of natural causes

● These colors symbolize the resting places of souls after death.

Patterns and designs

● are passed from mothers to daughters.
● they create come from their dreams, which manifest the collective subconsciousness.
- The patterns and designs revealed by the dream weavers in the t’nalak cloth are
preserved for many generations

T’bolis attach meanings to the patterns of t’nalak

hafak menaul
● is a pattern that describes a wild eagle stretching its wings as it soars through the sky.
bwengkel
● is a live crocodile that reminds them of a tale about an illicit love affair.
eben lobun
● describes the formation of nimbus clouds.
● Eben is also interpreted as a sling tied to carry a baby as through in a cradle of clouds.
mugul
● signifies a place where souls, whose death is natural go.

Batok: The Art of Tattooing

Body painting and tattooing

● are painting-related techniques in which the human body or the skin serves as the
surface where pigments are applied.
● The early Filipinos - wearing tattoos as a part of their culture of clothing and
ornaments.
● Tattoos among:
- men suggested manliness and bravery
- women also put tattoos to enhance beauty.
● Bisayans - full of tattoos all over their bodies, which gave them the name Pintados.
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Apo Whang-od Oggay,

● Preserved the traditional tattooing
● The oldest traditional tattoo practitioner in the Philippines.

The pambabatok
● is a tattooing technique of the Kalingas particularly the Butbut people.
● Is at least a thousand year old intangible cultural heritage element.
● It is mainly done through hand-tapping.

The technique of tattooing

● is applying rhythmic and repetitive pricks on the skin using the traditional tools

Traditional tools of tattooing

● Lemon Thorn needle
● Small bamboo stick
● Ink
- Made out of water and soot mixture
Origin
● batok
- (Kalinga term)
- is called the “cutaneous bodily archive” as it communicates the wearer’s personal
identity and documents his/her biography
● whatok
- (Kalinga Butbut term)
● can be traced from the:
- ullit (legends and stories)
- amamtum (riddles and proverbs); and
- excerpts from ullalim (epic stories)

manwhatok or mambabatok
● traditional tattoo practitioner

Different motifs of batok and their associated meanings

 25

● study of Salvador-Amores
● they narrate personal and ancestral milestones of the wearer such as:
1. to display achievement in war
2. to record the year when they first voted
3. to inscribe instructions for weaving
4. to display wealth of their elders.
● The designs of tattoos are embedded in the culture of Butbut.

Traditional designs
● Symbols of nature and geometric figures
● Some designs depict images of:
- snake,
- centipede,
- ladder,
- fern plant,
- hindleg, like rain, criss-cross and alternate lines

Beliefs and customs of Butbut people about Tattoos

● Tattooing is symbolic for the Butbut people
● the traditional tattoos signified a:
- painful rite of passage,
- a body decoration,
- a shield against wicked forces,
- bravery,
- religious and political affiliations; and
- a symbol of status or affluence.
● Tattoos served as:
- repository of stored memories,
- experiences; and
- information.
● In relation to gender, tattoos were used to symbolize:
- beauty,
- eligibility for marriage; and
- child-bearing for women.
 26

● For Women
- The tattoo was a sign of a girl’s transformation into a woman, which allowed them
to get married and bear an offspring.
- more tattoos, more attractive to men.
● For elders, tattoos could:
- cure infertility and
- other illnesses.
● For men, tattoos meant triumph in wars.
- When they won the battle against other tribes, they would cut off the enemies’
heads. As a reward, they would be inked with tattoos that displayed victory

emben a whatok
● invented tattoos for local and foreign tourists.
● A new tattoo process coined by the Butbut elders
● portions of traditional tattoos called whatok sa awi

Whatok sa Awi
● tattoos of the past.

Batik: The Art of Cloth Decoration

“batik”
● is an Indonesian word that came from the root word “titik” or “tik”, which means “a little
bit” or “a drop”
● It is also believed that batik came from the word “ambatik”, which means “a cloth with
little dots”
● It is both a method of producing colored designs on textiles by applying wax to the parts
of the fabric to be left uncolored, and a piece of fabric as a product of such method.
● Literally, batik means “wax writing”
● reflects the well-preserved culture that governs the Indonesians’ lives from cradle to
grave.
- Infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols that signify good luck
- the dead are covered in funerary batik.
● garments
 27

- play a symbolic role in some rituals like the ceremonial casting of royal batik into
a volcano.
● Proud craftspeople do the batik by drawing designs on fabric using dots and lines of hot
wax, which resists vegetable and other dyes and allows the artisan to color selectively by
soaking the cloth in one color, removing the wax with boiling water and repeating it if
multiple colors are desired.

The preparation process of Batik

1. washing of mori fabric to be ready made as batik;
2. starching; and
3. ironing.

The process of making batik covers

1) Adhering batik wax on fabric to create a motif;
2) dyeing batik thru
- dipping
- dabbing
- painting
- printing); and
3) removing the wax from the cloth.

Different Techniques of Batik Motifs

1. using the copper block
- batik stamp
2. using a brush
- batik painting
3. using a printing machine
- batik printing; and
4. using an embroidery machine
- batik embroidery

Historical Findings of batik

● evident in the fragments of sculpture from a 12th century-temple in Java, with figures
wearing garments accessorized with patterns similar to those of contemporary batik.
 28

● was a pastime of aristocratic ladies in the Javanese courts.

● In the Javanese court (Kraton)
- batik was one of the “high arts” studied by the cultured Javanese gentry.
● The creation of batik was associated with the development of spiritual discipline. The
Javanese tradition adhered to the belief that more than the design on the cloth is the
meaning of the design that was deeply engraved in the soul of the artisan. The
popularity of batik allowed men and women of all social classes to wear batik.

In Indonesia
● batik patterns vary depending on the area.
● In each area, the patterns were relative to availability of dyes and preference of color,
and incorporated symbolism and regional fauna and flora.
● there are more than 3,000 recorded patterns of batik.
Basic Patterns
- These patterns have Indian or Chinese influence
kawung
● (from Central Java)
● consists of four ovals or ellipses that represent the kapok fruit
● arranged like the petals of a flower and repeated geometrically and
● elaborated with tiny floral motifs.

Parang
● ragged rock/chopping knife
● came from Solo, Central Java.
● It is characterized by ornamented diagonal stripes running across the fabric with
scalloped borders.
Tjeplok
● is a continuous symmetrical pattern with stars, crosses or rosettes which form circles of
squares.
Animal or plant designs
● incorporated into the geometrical shapes.
Semen patterns
● illustrate trees or vines spreading over a stylized background.
 29

LESSON 4 ART AND ANTHROPOLOGY: VISUAL ARTS AND DANCE

Dance
● is defined relatively as it varies from one society to another.
● it is the patterned and rhythmic bodily movements
● performed to music
● used for communication and expression
● it is the art of gesture and movement.
● It is a composition of organized movements driven by physical energy within time and
space.
Dance in Anthropology
● is a cultural practice
● a social ritual
● a means of aesthetic pleasure
● and a means for establishing ties and structure in the community.
Elements of Dance
1. Body
- parts of the body, initiation, patterns, body shapes, and inner self
2. Action
- non-locomotor and locomotor
3. Space
- size, level, place, direction, orientation, pathway, and relationships
4. Time
- metered, free rhythm, clock time, and timing relationships
5. Energy
- attack, weight, flow, and quality
Dance and Culture
Dance
● is a medium of cultural and social interaction.
● Dance implies differences on normative components of culture.
Folk and ethnic dances
● reveal not only the movements prominent in a particular ethnic group but also the
cultural meaning and significance of the movements.
The evolution of dance
● suggests how the characteristics of generations have changed over time.
 30

● Anthropological researches generate findings on the relevance of dance to

- ideology
- social class
- nationality
- ethnicity
- sexuality and gender; and
- other cultural patterns.
In the cultural study
Andrée Graun
● Anthropologists
● Tiwi community in Australia
● she found out that the dancer’s space distribution was determined by kinship relations.
In Africa
● dance was performed collectively to express the life of community.
● It was participatory as there was no boundary between the performers and the audience
except for spiritual, religious or initiation dances.
● Africans danced to the grounds to pacify their ancestors who were lying low
● Dances serve as a tool for communication just like the way Africans in selected areas
passed their history by the word of mouth.
Dance movements
● express something about one’s ethnic history.
● Some dance styles and movements are interpreted as good or bad when judgment
comes from one’s own context.
● Yoruba dance
- emphasizes shoulders and hips
● Tiv dance
- focuses on waist and trunk.
Body parts signify cultural background of an ethnic group.
● The Binis People
- do not dance in exaggerated animated steps but keep their feet on the ground
and stand straight while they dance.
Dances that are associated with gender.
● Men
- Large body movements are attributed
 31

● Women
- execute small dance steps
Political ideology of a cultural group
● also expressed through dance.
● In traditional European dance
- upright torso and erected spine as the center of the movements are linked with
the hierarchical ruler.
- It opposes the political connotation of body parts where in the spine is not
considered as the sole center, instead, all body parts are equally
democratic.
Traditional Dances
Pagdiwata: A Ritual Dance of Tagbanwas
Tagbanwas
● are indigenous people in Central Palawan Island.
● They are known for their indigenous religiosity that is observed in their performance of
Pagdiwata
Pagdiwata
● a thanksgiving dance dedicated to Mangindusa
● is also held in celebration of other occasions like wedding.
● It is usually performed three times each year
● babaylan
- a ritual practitioner of pagdiwata
● Perfomed during the social and ceremonial season
- usually when it is full moon for the deities to easily see that a ritual is taking
place.
● comes in different forms relative to the:
- length
- grandiosity of ritual paraphernalias
- names of specific deities invoked; and
- mannerisms of babaylan.
● The performance of ritual involves drinking of rice wine using bamboo straws from
stoneware jars.
Mangindusa
● the highest ranking deity
 32

● for a good harvest and general well-being.

Cañao: A Ritual Dance of Cordillerans

Cañao
● is a sacred practice of the Cordillerans particularly the Kankanaey people.
● it is a religious feast and service as a form of thanksgiving or offering rendered to
the anito for the productive economic activities.
● It is also performed during:
- marriage
- healing
- birth
- burial; and
- voyage.
● It is also performed as a political gathering to celebrate the good understanding between
tribes.
Before the 20th century
● Cañao was performed for three purposes:
1. for a bountiful harvest
2. for economic progress; and
3. for healing.
● It was also performed as a ritual before and after the natives’ headhunting or war.
Rite of Cañao
● Symbolic offering:
- slaughtering of pigs
- chickens; and
- even carabaos
Performance of Cañao
Native Priest
● leads the ritual
● will look at the bile sac of the slaughtered animal which is the core of the ceremony.
The Cordillerans belief
● is that blemish-free bile signifies good luck.
● If not, it warns them to be cautious, thus, another ritual may be needed.
Dancing is part of Cañao
 33

● It involves a man and a woman where in:

Man
- hangs blankets woven in an indigenous pattern or design over each shoulder
Woman
- wraps a single similar blanket around her waist.
- The man leads the woman and they dance in a circular motion with a hop-skip
tempo to the beat of sticks and gongs.
Bindiyan
● Another traditional dance
● It is participated by men and women forming two separate lines, which starts from the
opposite directions towards each other.
Women
● dance in an inner circle in one direction
Men
● dance in an outer circle on the opposite direction.
Yells being addressed by the leader to the dancers
“Bi-nukawan”
● the dancers would stretch out their arms sideward and imitate the flying hawk, flipping
their hands away.
“Kinedjangan”
● means the motion of striking spear.
● The group will split towards opposite directions when the leader feels that movements
are all performed.
● Aside from the dancers, the elderly and other members of the community participate
in the dance.
Indigenous Dances of the Aetas
● The Aetas’ dances are inseparable from their culture. Their various kinds of dance tell
more about their ethnic identity and way of living.
2 Categories of Aetas dances
Festive dancing
● is performed when:
- meeting friends;
- to celebrate a good hunt; or
- to express collective happiness.
 34

EXAMPLES
● Binabayani
- of the Pinatubo Aetas
● Borokil
- of the Agtas; and the
● war dances
- of the Iriga Aetas.
Ceremonial dancing
● has a more specific purpose like religious dancing held during the full moon until the
wee hours of the night.
● Most of the dances are performed to the accompaniment of instruments like their gitaha
(guitar).
TRADITIONAL DANCES OF THE AETAS
Ehad
● Planting Dance
● It illustrates the way Aetas plant seeds on the hillside.
● Male farmer
- digs the soil using the bamboo stick
● Female farmer
- plants the seeds.
● Elder female farmers
- lead in planting the seeds while the
● Younger ones
- follows the elders
Sayaw Palo-Palo
● Butterfly Dance
● This dance signifies the Aetas love for nature.

Bharatanatyam: Indian Classical Dance

Bharatanatyam
● is regarded as the oldest classical dance heritage of India.
● It expresses emotion and feelings (bhava), melody (raga), and rhythm (tala).
● The etymology of the word is the combination of:
“bharata”
 35

- taken from the first syllables of “bhava”, “raga”, and “tala”, and “natyam”
- which means dance.
● It is believed that it is originated in Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu and nearby regions and
eventually flourished in other South Indian temples.
● was exclusively performed by female temple dancers.
In pure style
● it is performed with legs bent in a characteristic low squat while arms, shoulders, and
neck are part of the movement.
As part of a pantomime
● the hands tell the story through conventional gesture language, while the face expresses
the mood.
● The hands are restricted to 11 symbolic hand gestures in a pure dance.

Ekaharya
● Bharatanatyam is known as this
● where one dancer takes on many roles in a single performance.

DANCE ITEMS OF BHARATANATYAM

1. Alirippu
● which means “to adore with flowers”.
2. Jatiswaram
● which is a short pure dance piece performed to the accompaniment of musical notes of
any raga of Carnatic music. It leans heavily on
● Abhinaya
- mime aspect of dance
- the nritya where the dancer expresses the sahitya through movement and
mime.
3. Shabdam
● with the accompanying song in adoration of the Supreme Being.
4. Varnam
● where in the dancer shows her excellence in abhinaya and reflects the endless
creativity of the choreographer.

ENDING OF PERFORMANCE
 36

● Tillana
- a vibrant dance performed to the accompaniment of musical syllables with a few
lines of sahitya.
● Mangalam
- invoking the blessings of the Gods

Devadasi culture
● In which Bharatanatyam was associated
● originated from the auspices of the royals that saw the temple dancers called:
- Devadasis
- servants of the Lord
- Temple dancerz
- performing the dance form.
● Later on, the Devadasi culture became an integral part of rituals in South Indian temples.
● In 1910, it was banned by the British colonial rule.

LESSON 5 ART AND MATHEMATICS: MUSIC

MUSIC
● “Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.” – Beethoven
● one cannot imagine the world without music.
● It can:
1. Change one' mood
2. stimulate idea
3. disclose feeling
4. mobilize people
5. create a change, and many more.
● is culturally and socially constructed
● Human Ears
- evidence that this has a natural tendency of appreciating sound that starts from
the processes of sensation and perception.
● each individual is capable of producing music in one way or another.
● Music is the “art of organizing and putting together an array of sounds into a meaningful
and perceptual experience”
 37

Sound
● is the basic medium that necessitates the production of music.
● But not all sounds that we perceive around are classified as music.
● It should be well-arranged and organized sounds translated to a musical composition.
Silence in music
● the part where there is an absence of audible sound is as important as sound.

Elements of Music
1. Rhythm
- It is the placement of the duration of notes and rests in time that creates a pattern.
- It is composed of:
a. Beat
● It is the recurrent pulse divided in terms of time.
b. Meter
● It is the way of organizing beats into regular groups indicated by time signature
● (numerator tells how many beats there are in each measure while denominator tells the
beat’s duration value).
c. Syncopation
● It is the deliberate misplacement of accent and puts it where it is not expected or
removes it where it is expected.
d. Tempo
● It is the speed of music.

2. Melody
- It is the succession of single tones that exhibits a horizontal movement; or the cohesive
series or line of pitches. It is simply known as the tune with the following components.
a. Pitch
● It is the quality of highness or lowness of sound.
b. Interval
● It is the distance in sound and notation between two pitches.
c. Scale
● It is the series of pitches that proceeds upward or downward based on a prescribed
pattern of intervals
3. Harmony
 38

- It is a combination of two or more tones or pitches sounded together; or the chords for
three or more pitches sounding together. It exhibits a vertical movement.
a. Consonant
- It is the sound that gives the impression of agreement and equilibrium.
b. Dissonant
- It is the sound that gives the impression of disequilibrium and tension.

4. Texture
- It describes the layers of sound in a piece of music.
a. Monophonic
● It has only one melodic line, no harmony.
b. Homophonic
● It has accompaniment for the melody; a melody is accompanied or harmonized
simultaneously by chords.
c. Polyphonic
● It has more than one independent melody.

Unit 1 - Sculpture
Sculpture
● art of creating figures using varied techniques.
● It can be a three-dimensional form or a free-standing sculpture in which all angles or
sides are exposed.
● It can also be in the form of relief sculpture where the figure is attached to the
background.
● Sculpture is also called the “art of addition and subtraction” because of the methods
employed in creating an artwork.

FORMS OF SCULPTURE
1. High relief sculpture,
● the figure is raised above the surface of the background
2. Low relief sculpture
● the figure is raised a little from the background.
3. Bas-relief intaglio
 39

● the figure is engraved but not separated from the background

Traditional sculpture before the 20th century

● characterized as:
- three-dimensional
- representational
- art of solid form; and
- made through carving or modelling.

Modern and Contemporary Sculpture

● Not limited to representational and static form.
● it produced abstract and kinetic or moving sculpture through other methods like
assemblage and construction.
● At present, sculpture is viewed as a plastic art that is primarily concerned with
expressive three-dimension form.

METHODS OF CREATING A SCULPTURE

ADDITIVE
● When a material is cut into small pieces and put together to create a desired image
SUBTRACTIVE
● Carving is a subtractive process.
● Portions of the material are deducted to form a figure.
CONSTRUCTION
● two or more materials are attached to each other to form a desired image
SUBSTITUTION
● is applicable to transformable materials like plastic.

ELEMENTS OF SCULPTURE
MASS
● is the bulk or the solid bit contained within the surface of a sculptural work.
SPACE
● Space is the air around the solid sculpture enclosed by its part, forming hollows or
areas of emptiness.
● It defines the edges and connects parts of a sculpture.
 40

SURFACE
● is also an important factor that adds a different visual effect based on its style:
- convex
- concave
- flat
- modelled
- colored; or
- uncolored.

PRINCIPLES THAT ENHANCE THE BEAUTY OF SCULPTURAL DESIGN

1. Orientation
● is the spatial plan or scheme of reference that creates a sense of harmony in the:
- sculpture itself
- between parts of it
- between the sculpture and the viewer; or
- between the sculpture and its surroundings.
2. Proportion
● is the sizes of the details relative to one another in a sculptural work.
3. Scale/Size of the sculpture
● in relation to its appropriateness in its surroundings.
● Sculptors also consider this
4. Articulation
● shows how the sculptural forms or figures are combined.
5. Balance
● is usually involved in a free-standing sculpture that aims to achieve stability and
sense of dynamism or equilibrium.

MATERIALS USED IN SCULPTURE

● The aesthetic value of sculpture largely depends on the appropriateness of the material
to communicate its subject and content.
● influenced by:
- historical
- cultural; and
- geographic background of a sculptural work.
 41

● Sculptors have been creating artworks using:

- stone
- wood
- jade
- bronze
- clay
- ivory
- gold
- copper
- limestone
- marble
- concrete
- steel
- fiberglass
- aluminum
- foam rubber
- papier mache
- bicycle parts

Evolution of Sculptural Styles

Prehistoric Sculpture
● embodiment of early beliefs particularly about life and fertility.
1. Venus of Willendorf
- Popular prehistoric work
- an abstracted image of a woman with highlighted body parts related to fertility.
- It has an oversized breasts, enlarged hips, and round abdomen.
- It is believed that it is a representation of adoration of such body parts for
procreation and survival of species.
Egyptian Sculpture
● a manifestation of reverence for the deceased, thus, these were built on massive and
monumental scales.
● Human figure
- is common in Egyptian sculpture, which is designed with curved lines and
full-bodied forms.
 42

- The creation of the human face looks realistic and natural with emphasis on
some features of the subject.
1. Tomb of Tutankhamen,
- Well-known Egyptian Sculpture
- a young Egyptian king.
- His body is covered with linen while his face is covered by a golden mask.
- His coffin is also made of solid gold
Greek Sculpture
● way of honoring their gods which could be seen on their sculptured human figures made
of marble.
● Greek sculpture is known for its attempt to reveal the human body emphasizing the
unusual beauty of people.
● Nudity is another common subject
● The Greeks believe that male body is an acknowledged object of beauty.

FOUR PERIODS OF GREEK

1. The Geometric period
● was characterized by geometric shapes and patterns on the artworks.
2. The Archaic period
● focused on human figures.
3. Classical period
● where the Greeks put emphasis on producing more artworks.
● Sculpture was at its peak
4. Hellenistic period
● showcased balance, dynamic poses, and different emotions suggested by the
subjects.
Roman Sculpture
● To move away from the shadow and influence of Greek sculpture, Romans created
realistic figures of human beings that showed strength and toughness.
● They also emphasized the natural look of the human figures to depict the:
- softness of the skin
- old age
- Physical defects; and
- other human qualities
 43

● They were very particular with the portrait bust, which signified majesty and power of
Roman rule.
● Sculpture during this time served as a means to honor the Roman:
- great leaders
- poets
- athletes
- artists; and
- politicians.
Medieval Sculpture
● sculptural works were commonly architectural sculpture and carved ivory objects
including small figurines, crucifixes, relief panels, and containers.
Byzantine Sculpture
● is entirely religious
● It is concerned with awe-inspiring presentation of holy figures displayed in stylized
postures, serene of expression, and halo-crowned.
● Carved ivory objects are also prominent in Byzantine sculpture
Romanesque Sculpture
● characterized by advancement in metalwork, enamels, and figurative decorations and
scenes found in architecture.
● Pictorial and biblical figurative sculpture is also a prominent subject
Gothic Sculpture
● Religious statues are the primary Gothic sculptural style used as architectural
ornaments.
● Some are biblical figures made with elaboration and in high-relief form.
● There are also smaller sculptural works created for the common consumer.
1. Memento mori
● (remember that you will die)
● a small handheld object with a portrait of the commissioner on one side and a
skull on the other side.
2. Virgin
● a figurine that is usually given to young girls as engagement present
Renaissance Sculpture
● Humanism as a dominant belief system during the Renaissance period is evidently
shown in art.
 44

● Human figure is still the common subject of sculpture as a way of empowering the
individual.
● Artists are concerned with the application of some principles of visual arts such as
proportionality of the human body and perspective of depth to explore space.
● also deals with both religious and non-religious themes and subjects.
Baroque Sculpture
● depicts sense of motion
● elaborate decorations; and
● strong curves
● It is also interested in the portrayal of emotions while in a condition of rest.
Rococo Sculpture
● It also highlights dynamism and extravagance.
● But is gentle and playful and well-suited to figurines.
● Its subjects are small-scale and asymmetrical that convey the themes of love and
happiness.
Neoclassicism
● is a reaction against the extravagance of Baroque and Rococo sculpture for the aim of
reviving the classical style.
● It adheres to the principle of order, symmetry, and simplicity.
● Its subjects are commonly life-sized to monumental scale and serious, ranging from
mythological figures to heroes of the past to contemporary figures.
● Subjects are presented either idealistically or realistically.
● Neoclassical themes focus on heroism, patriotism, and virtue.
Modern Sculpture
● Human figure is one of the main subjects of modern sculpture.
● It is distinct from its presentation during the earlier periods as there is emphasis on:
- bodily fragment
- surface treatment and expressive surface detail
- an attention toward movement
- a symbolic merging of the interior expression of a figure and its exterior depiction
or essence; and
- a greater consideration on fragmentation, abstraction, and non-representation.
● Modern sculpture also focuses on:
- design
 45

- form; and
- volume over the representation of a subject.
● Using various materials marks the beginning of modern sculpture.
● These materials include
- plastic,
- aluminum,
- electricity for lights and motorized movement,
- iron,
- lead,
- steel and welded metals,
- wood, and other objects.
● Aside from relief and free-standing sculptures, modern sculpture also introduces moving
or kinetic sculpture.
Contemporary Sculpture
● offers new methods of doing sculpture and various materials that can be put together to
produce a more functional artwork.
● Methods include:
- welding metals; and
- recombining industrial materials.
● In the 1950s and 1960s
- assemblage was considered as a new technique of creating a sculptural work in
three-dimensional collage.

Philippine Sculpture: The Art of Carving

● Philippine art has been known for its resourceful and creative utilization of indigenous
materials available in the immediate environment. The abundance of trees plus the
aesthetics and skills lead the Filipinos to the idea of wood carving.
The Cordillerans
● during the precolonial times started to carve images from wood known as bul-ul.
● Bul-ul
- a granary god; and
- an ancestral spirit.
The Maranaos and Tausugs
● Okir
 46

- a curvilinear design and motif on wood

- can be found in the extended floor beams of the Maranao torogan (sultan’s
house).
● The common designs of okir
1. Sarimanok
- a colorful kingfisher with mythical reference
2. Naga
- ancient serpent; and
3. Pako Rabing
- stylized fern

Spanish Colonization
● brought further themes and subjects to Philippine sculpture.
● The religiosity of the Filipinos which has been consistently apparent since the time they
embraced Catholicism has inspired many sculptors to create images of the:
- VirginMary
- Jesus Christ
- Patron saints
- and other sacred figures that Catholics awe and revere.
Heroes
● Philippine sculpture is used to remember and honor the Filipino heroes/heroines for
their patriotism as they defended the country against the colonizers.
● We are reminded of their heroic deeds through the monuments and relief sculptures that
display significant historical events.
Three Styles of Philippine Sculpture (result of colonization)
1. The popular style
● is associated with the works of relatively non-professional and unsophisticated
sculptors.
● Individuals who just thought of carving something for home decoration possess
this style.
2. The classical style
● is created by skillful sculptors who adopt the foreign styles and motifs and
combine them with the purely Filipino style.
3. The ornate style
 47

● puts emphasis on elaboration and realism of details.

Two Categories of Ornate Style
1. Ornate ivories
● include statues with ivory heads, hands, and feet.
● These are accentuated with paint or stain, with glass eyes and wigs.
● These statues are carved wooden framework covered with cloth embroidered
with gold and silver thread.
● Other accessories include
- crown haloes
- rosaries
- swords; and
- orbs that are made of metal, gold or silver.
2. Ornate Category
● is the ornate wood sculpture that commonly uses soft wood for the statue with
glass eyes and reinforced by the use of wigs.

The Ifugaos, Tagbanwas, Maranaos, and Paeteños (of Laguna) are known for their
woodcarving.

The Ifugaos’ pride

● Banaue Rice Terraces
- where their skills in carving the mountain slopes is manifested.
● Bul-ul
- woodcarving of their granary deity.
Tagbanwas (South)
● have a unique wood carving that produces highly stylized and sophisticated aesthetics.
● Their technique includes blackening of the surface of the wood and bringing out white
portions while etching the design.
● Unlike the Ifugaos’ association of their sculpture with spiritual life, only few of the
Tagbanwas’ artworks have a religious function.
● Majority of their artworks are:
- Toys
- house decors; and
- simply a means of self-expression.
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The Maranao
● okkil motif
- It consists of the flowing floral forms and S movements.
- Its character is inspired by the:
● local plants
● sea corals; and
● native objects.
The okkil motif can be seen on Maranaos’:
- musical instruments
- kitchen wares
- bamboo tubes; and
- wooden handles of swords and knives.
● Sarimanok
- A stylized representation of a bird or rooster is also a popular design of Maranao
wood carving.

Paete, Laguna
● is known as the center of woodcarving in the Philippines.
● In 2005, it was given the title as the Philippines’ Woodcarving Capital, but woodcarving
has been a part of the town’s traditions for centuries.
● This title harmonizes with the name of the town “Paete”, which originated from the word
“paet” (chisel).
● Based on the story of the locals of Paete, there was a young friar who asked for the
name of the place where he was in. Since the carver did not understand the question, he
just answered that he was holding a paet (chisel used in carving). Thus, the name of the
town originated from that story.
● Majority of the sculptural works produced in the town are religious figures due to the
large demand of the Roman Catholic population
- These include statues and crucifixes.
● Aside from woodcarving, Paeteño woodcarvers have created a name in:
- ice carving
- fruit and vegetable carving; and
- papier mache.