BASIC COMPONENTS OF A WORK

OF ART
1. SUBJECT – refers to the visual
focus of the image that may be
extracted from examining the
artwork.
2. CONTENT – the meaning that is
communicated by the artist or
the artwork.
3. FORM – is how the
elements and the medium
or material are put together.

In simpler terms, the subject is

the “what”, the content is the
“why” and the form is the
“how”.
Subject in art generally refers
to the thing, object, person,
landscape, event, etc.
depicted by artist in his/her
artwork.

Through the subject, the

audience will be informed of
An artwork that has subject is
classified as a Representational
Art. It is also known as objective
art because you can easily
objectify the subject.
On the other hand, it is also
known as non-objective art
because it doesn’t represent
anything.
“Hut” Colored Pencil on paper, 2011
by Rey Bollozos, Davao City
 KINDS AND SOURCES OF SUBJECT
1.NATURE
 This subject deals with
environment-the natural world.
2. ANIMALS
 This is another kind of
subject that is commonly
used in any art forms, not
only it is prevalent today
but also during the
Medieval period when
early Christians used
animal symbols such as
peacock and fish to
“Swallowtail
identify themselves as
Butterfly” by
Christian believers. Irma Lacorte
3. PORTRAIT OR HUMAN FIGURES
 A whole human figure or just a part of
it.

Self Portrait
by
Fernando Amorsolo
4. History and Legends
 This subject is inspired by history
or legend. Historical events are
real stories while legends are just
imaginary.

Bust of Rizal
by
Guillermo Tolentino
5. STILL LIFE
 Still life refers to inanimating
objects either in a form of a
drawing, painting, or photograph.

“Orange Still Life”

by
Carola Ann-Margret
Forsberg
6. RELIGION AND
MYTHOLOGY
 Religious or
mythological art
as a kind of art is
usually done by
an insider artist
or a devoted
member of a “Kristo y
religious group. Kristos”
by Augie
7. DREAMS
AND
FANTASIES
 It refers to
subjects that
are inspired
by the
subconsciou
s mind. “Tools” by Bong
Perez
 Why was the artwork
created in the first place?

When this question is asked,

we are after the meaning or
message that is expressed or
communicated by the artwork.
To take on the challenge of
understanding the content of art
there are various levels of meaning
to be considered:
1. Factual meaning – maybe
extracted from the identifiable
or recognizable forms in the
artwork and understanding how
this elements relate to one
another.
2. Conventional meaning –
pertains to the acknowledged
interpretation of the artwork
using motifs, signs, symbols
and other cyphers as bases of
its meaning.

3. Subjective meaning – a variety

of meaning may arise when a
particular work of art is read.
It depends on what the viewers
know, what they learned, what
they experienced and the value
they stand for.
It is therefore expected that
meaning may not be singular,
rather may communicate
multiple meanings to the
viewers.
The Creation of Adam - Michelangelo