CHAPTER 1

Prepared by: Mr. Alfonso Tordera

 INTRODUCTION
 HUMANITIES
As a discipline, humanities is a broad field. It includes
not only the fine arts such as painting, sculpture, and
architecture, but also the performing arts such as music,
dance, drama, and opera, and the literary arts such as
prose and poetry. Moreover, it encompasses all studies
which word “humanus,” meaning human, cultured, or
refined. Thus, it embraces the social sciences and the
philosophy.
 ARTS
Art is “human ingenuity in adapting natural things to man’s
use.” therefore, an artist uses his genius in transforming God-
made things into man-made things that satisfy his needs.
Art came from the word “arts” which means skill. It is
synonymous with skill, cunning, artifice and craft, which all
mean the faculty of what is devised
 FUNCTIONS OF ART
1. Personal or individual function
Artists have their personal reasons for indulging in art

2. Social function
Man is social being and such he associates with his fellow beings.

3. Economic function
Many people believe that it does not pay to be an artist.

4. Political function
When Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, a patroness of the arts , became the governor
of Metro Manila, she promoted her political programs by means of the arts.
 5. Historical function
Paintings, Sculptures, architectural works, and other arts forms serve
to record historical figures and events.

6. Cultural function
Buildings, furniture, (chairs, tables, etc.), clothes and the like
form part of the country’s material culture; while music, dance, and language,
which is incorporated in oral and written literature and drama.

7. Religious function
Almost all, if not all, art forms evolved from religion. People in
the olden times worshipped their gods in the form of songs and dances.
 7. Physical function
Houses and other buildings are constructed to protect their occupants and
all the others inside them.

8. Aesthetic function
Artworks serve to beautify/paintings serve to decorate houses and o their
buildings. Sculptures serve to decorate churches and similar edifices. Tall buildings are sight
to behold.
 ART STYLE AND FACTORS AFFECTING
STYLE
1. Geographical factors
The place where the artist says influences his works. Marble scriptures are aplenty in
Romblon because marble abounds in that province in the same way as wooden sculptures
abound in Paete, Laguna.

2. Historical factors
Historical events exert a great influences on artists, particularly writers. Jose Rizal’s
novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, graphically highlight the events that took
place in the country during the last century of Hispanic rule,

3. Social factor
Social relationships affect artists to. The English writer Ben Jonson composed his
“Song to Celia”, similarly, the Italian sonneteer Francesco Petrarch wrote poems for his
lady live named laura.
 4. Ideational factors
The ideas coming from various people also influence artists.
The father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, proposed ideas that have
influenced surrealist painters.

5. Psychological factors
At times, the works produced by the artists are affected by their
psychological make-up or frame of mind. For instance, the first painting of Edward
Munch.

6. Technical factors
Techniques matter as far as artistic styles are concerned. In fact,
painters employ a variety of techniques to make their works unique.
 7. Political factors
Politicians and government officials sometimes exert an
influence on the artists.

8. Economic factors
The availability of financial and other resources plays an
important role in the life of an artist.
 PRINCIPLES OF ART
1. Harmony
Also called unity, harmony when all the elements of a thing are put together to
come up with a coherent whole.

2. Balance
Known as physical equilibrium, balance is stability produced by even
distribution of weigh on each side of the thing. It is classified into formal or informal.

3. Formal Balance
Formal balance is also called symmetrical balance because the thing displays
symmetry (same measure).
 4. Informal balance
Informal balance is present when the left and the right sides of the
thing, though not identical in appearance.

5. Rhythm
Rhythm is the repetitive pattern of a succession of similar or
identical items.

6. Proportion
Proportion is the comparative relationship of the different parts in
relation to the whole.

7. Emphasis
Emphasis is giving proper importance to one or more parts of the
thing or the whole thing itself.
 GENES OF ART
1. Visual art
Visual arts are those forms perceived by the eyes.

2. Graphics Arts
Graphic arts are those visual arts that have length and width; thus they
are also called two-dimensional arts. They are descried as flat arts because they are
seen on flat surfaces. Examples of these arts are painting, printing, drawing and
sketching.

3. Plastic arts
Plastic arts are those visual arts that have length, width and
volume; thus they are also called three-dimensional arts. For example of these
are sculptures.
 4. Audio-visual arts
Audio-visual arts are those forms perceived by both ears
(Audio) and eyes (Video). They are called performing arts in as much as the
artists render a performance in front of an audience.

5. Literary arts
Literary arts are those presented in the written mode and
intended to be read.
 DIVISIONS OF ART STUDY
1. Aesthetics or Art Appreciation
Aesthetics, the science of beauty, is that division of art study in which the student learns to admire
the artists, value highly different works of art and appreciate the role of art in society.

2. Art History
Art history is that division of art study in which the student acquires knowledge of the artists,
their backgrounds, their masterpieces, and their significant contributions in various fields of art.

3. Art production
Art production is that division of art study in which the student learns to use his creativity and
apply his artistic knowledge and skills in producing his own works of art.

4. Art Criticism
Art criticism is that division of art study in which the student learns to use his judgement in
evaluating different artworks based on the criteria set.
 ELEMENTS OF THE VISUAL ARTS
1. Line- is a series of connected dots.

Vertical lines- show height or stature, poise, balance, force,

and dynamism.

Horizontal lines- indicate rest, repose, calmness, quietness

and inaction.

Diagonal lines- lines manifest movement, action, and

direction.

Straight lines- lines exhibit stiffness, stillness, and inactivity.

Curved lines- Compared to diagonal lines, curved lines
indicate movements that are smooth.
 Repeating lines- are a succession of vertical
horizontal, diagonal, or curved lines.

Contrasting lines- are a combination of vertical and horizontal

lines or a combination of diagonal lines or in opposite direction.

Modified lines- are a combination of straight and curved lines or a

combination of lines of varying shapes.

2. Color- is another important element of the visual arts. Dependent on the

presence of light, it is that property of an object that makes it appealing to the visual sense.
- Colors are classified in several ways

Primary colors- The primary colors are blue, red, and yellow (BRY).
The are described as primary colors because they are the first to be produced and the rest of
the colors are produced as a result of their combination.
 Secondary colors- the secondary colors are green, orange, and violet (GOV).
They are produced by combining two primary colors. For example, green us a product of
combining blue and yellow, orange is a product of combing red and yellow and violet is a
product of combining red and blue.

Intermediate colors- the intermediate colors are red- violet (RV), red-
orange (RO), yellow-orange (YO), yellow-green (YG), blue-green (BG) and blue-violet (BV).
They are produced by combining one primary color and one secondary color.

Adjacent colors- the adjacent colors are those colors situated next to each
other in the color wheel. Examples are red and red-orange, yellow, and yellow-green, and blue
and blue-violet

Complementary colors- the complementary colors are those colors situated

opposite each other in the color wheel. Examples are red and green, blue and orange, and
yellow and violet.
 Cool colors – the cool colors are those colors that are inconspicuous and not
striking to the eyes. Also called receding colors, they suggest distance, tranquility, sobriety,
and restfulness. Example are violet, green, and blue, the coolest and calmness of all colors.

Warm colors- the warm colors are those colors that are conspicuous and
striking to the eyes. Also called advancing colors, they suggest warmth , vivacity, cheerfulness,
exultation, stimulation, instinctive action, and excitement. They are usually associated with
sources of heat such as the sun, fire, and light. examples., are orange, yellow, and red ( the
warmest, and the most vigorous).

Light colors/ tints- the light colors or tints are those colors with values lower
than the normal value. For example, pink and fuchsia is a tint of red and azure (sky blue) is a
tint of blue.

Dark colors/ shades- the dark colors or shades are those colors with values
higher than the normal value. For example, maroon is shade of red and navy blue is a shade of
blue.
 Rainbow or prismatic color- the rainbow or prismatic
colors are those colors that form a rainbow or a prism. These are red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo, and violet (ROYGBIV or VIBGYOR)

Neutral colors- the neutral colors are white, gray, and black.
White is the absence of all colors, while black is the presence of all colors. Gray is
produced by combining black and white; it results from the partial reflection of the
color rays.
White is used to connote purity, chastity, holiness, mourning, surrender, meekness, and
goodness. Black is used to signify death, mourning, darkness, and evil. Blue is used to indicate
the sky, the heaven, the sea, serenity, sadness, peace, and masculinity. Green is used to
connote life, nature, good health and well-being. Yellow is used to signify jealousy, divinity,
deceit, treason, degradation, and lately Ninoy Aquino. Brown is used to mean the earth,
spiritual death, and renunciation of the world. Orange is used to indicate food. Gray is used to
signify old age, gloom and decay. Pink is used to mean love and femininity; nowadays, it is
used to indicate that the project is an undertaking of Metro Manila development authority and
its chairman bayani Fernando.
 3. Texture- is the element of the visual arts associated with the sense of touch.
4. Shape- is the element of the visual arts which contributes to the final form of
the artwork.

5. Space- is the area or surface occupied by the artwork. A painting covers a flat
surface such as a wall. Because a sculpture has volume, it occupies not only the area on which
it stands, but also the area from the top to the bottom and from the left to the right side.

6. Volume- allied to space, volume is the amount of space occupied by an object

in three dimensions.

7. Perspective- is synonymous with point of view, angle of vision or frame of

reference. It is the point where the artist stands to view his subject as he creates his artwork.

8. Form- refers to the overall composition of the artwork. It describes the entire
shape or organization of the thing or object created.
 METHODS OF PRESENTING THE SUBJECTS
1. Realism- the method of presenting subjects as they appear in real life

2. Abstractionism- “drawing away from realism.” the word abstractionism was

derived from the verb abstract meaning to draw away. Therefore, an abstractionist draws away from
reality as he creates his artwork.

-distortion- is presenting the subject in a misshaped form

- Mangling- is presenting the subject with parts which are cut, lacerated, mutilated,
or hacked with repeated blows.

- Elongation- is presenting the subject in an elongated form

-Cubism- is presenting the subject with the use of cubes and other geometric figures
(tringles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, etc.)

- Abstract Expressionism- having its origin in New York city, abstract

expressionism is presenting the subject with the use of strong color, uneven brush strokes, and rough
texture and with the deliberate lack of refinement in the application of the paint.
 3. Surrealism- it is presenting the subject as if the subject does not form part of
the real world, but belongs to the world of dreams and fantasy.

4. Symbolism- is presenting the subject symbolically, that is the artist shows

his subject as it appears in real life, but he intends to let it represent something. For example,
Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium” depicting a soldier dragging a slave exposes the oppression suffered
by the Filipinos from the hands of the Spaniards as he lets the soldier symbolize the Spaniards
and the slave represent the Filipinos. Guillermo Tolentino’s “Oblation”

5. Fauvism- is optimistic realism. It is presenting the real-life subject with the

use of bright colors suggesting comfort, joy and pleasure. The colors bright red, yellow,
orange, purple, and the like are used instead of blue, black, gray, green, and brown.

6. Dadaism- is shocking realism. It is presenting the real life subject with the
intention to shock the audience through the exposition of the evils in society. Derived from the
French word dada meaning hobby horse.
 7. Expressionism- is emotional realism. It is presenting the real life subject
with the intention to express emotions, pathos, chaos, fear, violence, defeat, morbidity, and
tragedy.

8. Impressionism- is realism based on the artist’s impression. It is presenting

the real life subject with emphasis on the impression left in the artist’s mind or perception,
particularly the effect of light on the object used as subject.

9. Futurism- is realism in the future. It is presenting a subject that relates not to

the present, but to the future. An example is a painting of a futuristic machine or a futuristic
human being such as an android. In the art of filmmaking, “Star Wars”, “Star trek” “E.T.,”
 HISTORY OF ART
 Generally, the art history is divided into 13 periods. These are as follows:
A. Greek period
1. Greek Golden Age (500 BC – 410 BC)
2. Hellenistic Period (336 BC – AD 146)
B. Roman Period (146-323)
C. Medieval Period or Middle ages (323 – 1400)
1. early medieval period
2. high middle ages
D. Renaissance Period (1270 – 1594)
1. early renaissance period
2. high renaissance period
E. Age of Mannerism (1530 – 1616)
F. Baroque Period (1600 – 1750)
G. Classic period (1644 – 1793)
H. Rococo period (1715 – 1774)
I. Romantic Period (1773 – 1848)
J. Realist and naturalist period (1827 – 1927)
K. Impressionistic period (1863 – 1900)
L. Modern period (1895 – 1990)
M. Post- modernism (1990 up to the present)
END OF CHAPTER 1