Topic 1 (Week 1)

Assumption and Nature of Arts: Creativity and Imagination

Introduction

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:

1. determine students expectation of the course

2. characterize artistic expression based on personal experiences with art
3. clarify misconceptions about art; Differentiate art from nature
4. categorize works of art by citing personal experiences
5. characterize the assumptions of the arts

Pre–Competency Checklist

1. In your opinion, what is art?

LearnIng Resources

Electronic Sources:

ChatGPT. (n.d.). Why does art involve experience? Quora.

Retrieved December 20, 2023 in
https://www.quora.com/Why-does-art-involve-experience
Ibrahim, N. (n.d.). Art as universal language; Beyond the spoken and written language. Sheffield
Hallam University UK. Retrieved December 19, 2023 in
https://isolec.um.ac.id/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/3-Dr.-Nasir-Ibrahim_s-PPT.pdf
Laguna State Polytechnic University (n.d.). Art Appreciation: Creativity, Imagination, and
Expression. Course Hero. Retrieved December 19, 2023 in http://tinyurl.com/mr25a5yn
Stodocu. (n.d.). Why art is not nature?
Rerieved December 20, 2023 in http://tinyurl.com/mr3u8ubd
The Courtauld. (n.d.) What is art?
http://tinyurl.com/5n6krvh5
UINTA Academy. (n.d.). Cultural Arts at UINTA Academy
Retrieved December 19, 2023 https://uintaacademy.com/cultural-arts/

Explore

Terminologies used in the topic

1. Assumption of art 6. Dance 11. Visual arts

2. Imaginaton 7. Film 12. Art is not nature
3. Applied arts 8. Creativity 13. Architecture

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4. Theatre 9. Art History 14. Poetry performance
5. Art is cultural 10. Literary 15. Expression

Art History

Art history – the study of art from across the world, and from the ancient to the present
day – covers virtually every aspect of human history and experience. This is because it looks at
works of art not just as objects, but as a way of understanding the world, and the societies in
which they were created.

It combines the rigour of a history degree with the visual skills required to interpret works
of art. It will help you develop critical skills, to think about art and history from a variety of
perspectives, and to present your ideas succinctly and persuasively. These are all key skills that
will help you to stand out in today’s job market. You will learn to analyse the role art plays in
shaping society. Art History will introduce you to world-famous works of art, as well as others
that are less well known but equally as fascinating to examine and study. You will get to explore
new areas of Art History, and artworks from a variety of time periods, from all around the world,
delivered in a range of different forms. If you enjoy reading history, studying literature or
languages, looking at art, and are fascinated by the relationship between people, art, and the
forces that have shaped the world we live in, then Art History is the subject for you.

Assumption of art

A. Art is universal

Art as universal language transcends words. It has no language barriers. It can be

understood not only by art critics trained in deciphering the meaning of its symbols, but by any
human being who cares enough to engage with the image. Art is used to convey an idea or
feeling.

B. Art is cultural

Cultural arts, such as music, art, drama, creative writing, photography and dance,
are tools that help develop the mind and body, refine feelings, and thoughts and reflect and
represent our customs and values as a society. Cultural arts help to explain the world in which
we live through an exploration of creativity.

C. Art is not nature

Art is not nature since it is created by humans. Nature serves as a source of inspiration
and subject matter for artists, and artists use nature as a medium, yet art is not nature. Art is
created by humans, and no matter how close it is to nature, it always proves that it was created
by humans.

D. Art involves experience

Art involves experience because it is a form of expression that often reflects the human
experience. Artists draw from their own experiences and emotions to create works that can
evoke feelings and thoughts in the viewer or listener. By tapping into universal themes and

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emotions, art can create a sense of connection and empathy, allowing people to relate to and
find meaning in the work. Additionally, experiencing art can also be a deeply personal and
subjective process, as individuals bring their own unique perspectives and experiences to their
interpretation of a piece. This interaction between the artist's experiences and the audience's
own experiences is what makes art such a powerful and meaningful form of expression.

ART APPRECIATION:
CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND EXPRESSION

It takes an artist to make art. One may perceive beauty on a daily basis.  However, not
every beautiful thing that can be seen or experienced may truly be called a work of art.  Art is
a product of man’s creativity, imagination, and expression.  Not everyone can be considered
an artist, but all are spectators of art.  We are able to distinguish what is fine and beautiful
from what is not and what good quality is and from poor.  This gives us a role in the field of art
appreciation.

A. ART APPRECIATION AS A WAY OF LIFE “The role of art as a creative work is to depict the
world in a completely different light and perspective” – Jean-Paul Sartre

• Each artwork beholds beauty in its own kind, the kind that the artist sees and wants the
viewers to perceive.
• More often than not, people are blind to this beauty and only those who have developed
a fine sense of appreciation can experience and see the art the way the artist did.
• Hence, refining one’s ability to appreciate arts allows him to deeply understand the
purpose of an artwork and recognize the beauty it possesses.
• In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise and develop his taste for
things that are fine and beautiful.
• This allows individuals to make intelligent choices and decisions in acquiring necessities
and luxuries, knowing what gives better value for time or money while taking into consideration
the aesthetic and practical value.
• Learning to appreciate art no matter what vocation or profession you have, will lead to a
fuller and more meaningful life.

1. THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ART MAKING

• Creativity requires thinking outside the box.

• In art, creativity is what sets apart one artwork from another.
• When can we say that something is creative?
o When we have not seen anything like it
o When it is out of the ordinary
o When it is not just a copy or imitation of someone’s work
• …THERE IS ORIGINALITY!
• Nowadays, being creative can be quite challenging.
• …Creativity should be backed with careful research on related art to avoid
conflicts…

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 2. ART AS A PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION, IMAGINATION AS A PRODUCT OF ART
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know
and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know
and understand.” – Albert Einstein

• Imagination is not constrained by the walls of the norm, but goes beyond that.
• Through imagination, one is able to craft something bold, something new, and
something better in the hopes of creating something that will stimulate change.
• In artist’s mind sits a vast gallery of artworks
• An artwork does not need to be a real thing, but can be something that is
imaginary.
• However, something imaginary does not necessarily mean it cannot be called art.
Artists use their imagination that gives birth to reality through creation.
• Imagination allows endless possibilities.
• In the same way that imagination produces art, art also inspires imagination.

3. ART AS EXPRESSION “What an artist does to an emotion is not to induce it, but
express it. Through expression, he is able to explore his own emotions and at the same time,
create something beautiful out of them.” – Robin George Collingwood

• Expressing emotions is different from describing emotions.

• This makes people’s art not a reflection of what is outside or external to them, but
a reflection of their inner selves.
• Description actually destroys the idea of expression, as it classifies the emotion,
making it ordinary and predictable. Expression on the other hand, individualizes.
• An emotion will remain unknown to a man until he expresses it.

ART EXPRESSIONS

A. VISUAL ARTS

• Creations that fall under this category are those that appeals to the sense of sight and
are mainly visual in nature.
• Artists produce visual arts driven by their desire to reproduce things that they have seen
in the way that they perceived them.
• There are also other artistic disciplines that also involve a visual aspect, such as
performance arts, theater, and applied arts.
• Some mediums of visual arts include paintings, drawings, letterings, printing, sculpture,
digital imaging.

B. FILM

• Film refers to the art of putting together successions of still images in order to create an
illusion of movement.
• Filmmaking focuses on its aesthetic, cultural, and social value and is considered both an
art and an industry.
• Techniques in film-making process:
– Motion-picture camera (also known as movie camera)

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 – Animation techniques
– Computer-generated imagery (CGI)
• Filmmaking simulates experiences or creates one that is beyond the scope of our
imagination as it aims to deliver ideas, feelings, or beauty to its viewers.

C. PERFORMANCE ART

• Performance art is a live art and the artist’s medium is mainly the human body which he
or she uses to perform, but also employs other kind of art such as visual art, props, or sound.
• Elements of performance arts:
o Time
o Where the performance took place
o The performer’s body
o Relationship between the audience and the performer(s)
• The fact that performance art is live makes it intangible, which means it cannot be
bought or traded as a commodity.

D. POETRY PERFORMANCE

• Poetry is an art form where the artist expresses his emotions not by using paint,
charcoal, or camera, but expresses them through words.
• These words are carefully selected to exhibit clarity and beauty and to stimulate strong
emotions of joy, anger, love, and sorrow among others.
• It uses a word’s emotional, musical, and spatial values that go beyond its literal meaning
to narrate emphasize, argue, or convince.
• These words combined with movements, tone, volume, and intensity of the delivery add
to the artistic, value of the poem

E. ARCHITECTURE

• Art is the pursuit and creation of beautiful things while architecture is the making of
beautiful buildings.
• However, not all building are beautiful because some only embody the functionality they
need, but the structure, lines, forms, and colors are not beautifully expressed.
• Important elements:
o Plan
o Construction
o Design
• Buildings should embody these three important elements if they wish to merit the title
architecture.

F. DANCE

• Dance is series of movements that follows the rhythm of the music accompaniment.
• Dancing is a creative art form that allows people to freely express themselves.
• IT HAS NO RULES.

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 • Choreography may seem not to allow this, but in art expression, dancers are not
confined to set steps and rules but are free to create and invent their own movements as longs
as they deem them graceful and beautiful.

G. LITERARY ART

• Artists who practice literary arts use words to express themselves and communicate
emotions to the readers.
• Simply becoming a writer does not make one a literary artist.
• Literary art goes beyond the usual professional, academic, journalistic and other
technical forms of writing.
• It focuses on writing using a unique style, not following a specific format or norm.
• It may include both fiction and non-fiction such as novels, biographies, and poems.
o Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare
o The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

H. THEATER

• Theater uses live performers to present accounts or imaginary events before a live
audience.
• Theater art performance usually follows follow a script, though they should not be
confused with literary arts.
• Like in filmmaking, theater also considers several elements such as acting, gesture,
lighting, sound effects, musical score, scenery and props.
• Like performance art, theater also is a live performance.
• Genres: drama, musical, tragedy, comedy and improvisation

I. APPLIED ARTS

• Applied arts is incorporating elements of style and design to everyday items with the aim
of increasing their aesthetic value.
• Artists in this field bring beauty, charm, and comfort into many things that were useful in
everyday life.
• Industrial design, interior design, fashion design, graphic design

ACTIVITY

Activity. Tell me a story (Part 1 Writing)

1. Divide the class into 10 groups.
2. Create a cultural story as a class with 10 chapters.
3. The story in each chapter should be filled with lessons.
4. Each member in the group will create a story continuously with minimum of 3 pages
4. Each group will pose as the chapter.
5. The leaders of each class will talk about the characters, settings and other details
supporting to it.

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Discussion Board

1. Why is creativity necessary in artmaking?

2. When can you say that a person is creative?

Post–Competency Checklist

1. Why does art demand involvement?

QuIz

To be arranged

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