College of Education: Don Honorio Ventura State University

HE 323A- Arts in Daily Living
Art
Art, as term, is taken from the Italian word, “artis”, which
means craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness and the
associations that exist between form and ideas and between
material and technique.
On the basis of this definition, it is simply an imitation of nature-
an imitation enriched by human perception of reality or nature and
by the use of the appropriate materials to enhance nature.
DON HONORIO VENTURA STATE UNIVERSITY | COLLEGE OF EDUCATION | Mr. Mark Lenon R. Vital, LPT
The Nature of Art
The theme of nature in art has almost always been present
whether in American art, Korean art, or art from any other
culture. Sometimes its depiction can be literal or even abstract,
narrowing it down to just colors of the natural world.
Nature can be a simple add on to a painting to convey a sense
of depth, or perspective. However, it can also be the main focus
of a work of art. Just like nature can be recreated through art, it
can also be used as a stand in for greater thought.
A realistic depiction of a mountain for example can symbolize not only the
sublime, but also curiosity for the unknown. Depictions of nature can also be
about intellectual thought and spirituality. Art involving nature can be done
simply to display the beauty of the natural world around us, to make scientific
observations in an environment, or to open our minds to philosophical ideas
about our own connection to nature and beyond.
The philosopher Aristotle once wrote that "Art not only imitates nature, but it
also completes its deficiencies." This can be interpreted as art not only recreating
the natural world but also creating new ways in which to see it in another light. In
other words, art is the missing voice of what nature lacks to speak.
The Artist
An artist is a man of double activity. He must not only possess a tick
and keen imagination but he must also have craftsmanship. For him to
produce a truly magnificent piece of artist product, he has to imagine
(using any of his sense as conceived in the mind, in his mind’s eye, or
ear or taste, etc..
In the moment of creation, the artist utilizes his rich imagination to
envision the work of art and using the medium at his disposal,
proceeds to produce the envisioned artistic product.
Limitations Imposed on Art Creation
1. Type of Media
The types of media can set limitations to the artistry and
craftsmanship of the artist. Some media are flexible while others are not.
The media have physical characteristics of their own that condition the
physical appearance of the work of art.
For instance, mosaic and stained glass are stubborn while oil paint and
water are more obedient.
2. Patronage of Art
No artist works without financial backing from a patron. Hence,
relationship between artist and patron can also set limitations to a work
of art. The success of work of art will depend upon harmonious relation
between the artist and the consumer.
Since an artist is a paid one, he is not producing a work of art that is
the product of his fancy or the embodiment of a message he wishes to
communicate but it must be something that will express also the
personal conviction and desire of his patron or employer.
Qualities of a Good Work of Art
1. THE AMOUNT OF DETAILS
2. THE USE OF LIGHT AND SHADOW
3. THE HANDLING OF COLORS
4. THE DEGREE OF REALISM
5. THE CHOICE OF PERSPECTIVE
6. SKILLFUL COMPOSITION
The Experience derived from the Arts

All people who come in contact with the Arts always undergo
that initial wonderful feeling of excitement and pleasure. The
reason is evident- there is something in the Arts that appeals to
our aesthetic sense, and that is our appreciation of the true, the
good, and the beautiful.
• The Physical Appearance
Since the art involves experience, the first sensation aroused in us by
observation or experience of any art form in our physical enjoyment of
it. This is true of the visual arts like Painting, Dance Sculpture, and of the
auditory art, Music.
• The Emotional Experience
Just by experiencing physically the delights of any art from
through colors, textures, rhythm, melody, or order and balance of
parts, we can experience the emotional appeal of the Arts.
• The Intellectual Experience
Through the physical and the emotional experiences, we come to a
better understanding of the work of art. By observing and examining its
composition and elements, we draw out its meaning and significance.
• The Religious Experience
We always undergo some from of religious experience by observing
or by getting into contact with the art regardless of whatever form it may
be. In Painting and Sculpture, the bulk of religious works of art- be it in
the past or in the present.
Arts as a Mirror of the Times and the Milieu of the Artist
One lasting effect of the arts to us is their value to us in terms
of culture and heritage. Presuming that we are walking in a
museum of antiquities, we see a pair of gold earrings worn by a
Roman noblewoman, gold snake bracelets worn by a young
Cretan princess.
We also see small clay statuettes of ugly female deities or
magnificent statues of some forgotten monarch in antiquity.
The Principles of Art Creation
The Subject of Art
In any art from- be it painting, music, sculpture, architecture, or the
dance- there is always a subject that serves as the foundation of the
creation of the work of art. This subject is usually anything that is
represented in the art work.
Painting and Sculpture usually have subjects. Music and the Dance
may or may not have subjects but Architecture is the only art form
without a subject.
Sources of Subject
• The Christian Religion
From the Early Christian period up to the present, the Chrisrtian religion
has become the principal source of the subject of art. Scenes from the Old and
the New Testaments have been depicted in different artist of the different
ages.
This explains why the iconographical representation of God, the Father,
Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Saints and the Angels show subtle
changes of features, expression and attitude depending upon the era of artistic
period in which the artist lived.
• Mythology and History
The Renaissance era up to the Neo-Classical period of the Modern Art
age abounds with Greek and Roman mythologies and historical events as
the principal subjects of the outstanding artists.
Painting and sculpture portrayed in different ways the numerous
mythologies about Greek gods and goddesses as shown in the works of
famous artist from Botticelli to Titan, from Rubens to Poussin, and from
Polaiollo up to Bernini.
• Legends and Lives of the Saints
Because of their exceptional piety and holiness, the saints have
become the popular subjects of Renaissance and Baroque artists. Stories
and legends about their lives have become interesting subjects of the
visual arts.
Opera music and the ballet also depended on legends or fairy tales
for their subjects as shown in Tchaikovsky's The Swan, Rimsky-
Korsakov's Scheherazade.
Means of Illustrating the Subject
Realism
In Realism, the details are carefully chosen and organized in
such a way that the work of art appears so real and natural to us.
Hence, the work of art is faithful reproduction of Nature.
Symbolism
The Symbolism, objective reality is used to represent an idea
or the artistic conception of beliefs and events.
Abstraction
The Abstraction, the artist either presents only one aspect of
objective reality in the form of an idea or emotion or he distorts
objective reality in order to portray his inner perception of it as
he sees it in his mind’s eye.
Many of these abstract works of art are those Mondarin,
Picasso, Gris, Kandinsky, Braque, Leger..
Conceptual or Representational manner of illustrating reality..
In the representational illustration of reality, the artist presents the
world, nature, people or objects as they are perceived by his naked eye.
For example, the artist presents in his landscape art, objective reality as
is viewed by the naked eye like mountains rising up over the fields in
distant blues and violets and trees growing.
In the Conceptual illustration of reality, the artist sees the world as a
series of objects which exist only in certain defined and static shapes and
positions i.e, a tree is always a tree, a bird is the bird.
For this reason, the artist represents what he knows about reality,
rather than what he sees. Like a child who conceives the world in
this way, the artist records those aspects and segments of his
world, which are meaningful to him, putting together separate
conceptual elements to form the entire representation of an
experience.
The Visual Arts and their Elements
To communicate its ideas or meaning, the artists of the visual
arts use a particular language called ICONOGRAPHY to be the
medium of artistic expression.
1. Lines- if we wish to represent any object of reality, say a
house, a fruit or a man, the first thing we do is make an outline
of its form or shape through the use of lines.
a. Characteristics of Lines
Lines are the simplest means of making an outline of any
object of reality. As they appear in the visual art, they broad or
faint; ragged or clear. Whatever characteristics the lines may
have, they possess one outstanding trait- they are active,
dynamic for they indicate motion, direction, and action which
our eyes follow when we begin to perceive lines.
b. Kinds and Functions of Lines
- Lines fall into two general kinds and have different functions:
• Straight Lines- are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Vertical lines
as seen in a man standing or trees growing. When lines are
horizontal they communicate notions of rest, peace, quietness,
relaxation. A diagonal line that approaches a vertical line shares
the force and self-sufficiency of this line but when the diagonal
line approaches the horizontal lines, it shares it abandonment.
• Curved Lines- differ from straight lines in that they are never harsh or
stern. Rather, they convey notions of action, life, and energy that are
pleasing. Curves are either single or double, slow, or quick. Arc of a
small circle is a quick curve and is more exuberant that an slow curve
which is an arc of large circle and which suggests daintiness, and
grace.
On the other hand a single curve is a single arc but a double curve is
an S-curve because it turns back on itself.
2. Value- in art. Value implies the amount and the kind of light used.
Thus, we speak of light and dark as we determine the distribution of
white and black colors in relative degrees, i.e. white being the highest
value and black, the lowest value.
Value in the visual arts of three dimensional effects are clearly
indicated in the distribution of light and dark in relative degrees for they
change certain aspects of reality.
Ex: Rapid changes from light to dark or strong contrast of light and
dark convey varied notions, emotional reactions or moods.
3. Color- is one element inherent in any object of reality. As an element
of the visual arts, color has three attributes; hue, value, and intensity.
When we speak hue of color, we mean that quality which distinguishes
one color from another color.
In any work of art, we observe that warm colors are put closet to the
vision of the spectator while the cool colors are reserved for the
shadows or placed in a distance.
4. Volume- refers to solidity. This quality is perceived either by means of
the outlines or shapes of the objects of reality or by surface lights and
shadows. In Western Art, volume is achieved by both outline and
surface light and shadows.
In painting, which is a two- dimensional art, volume is suggested by
contour lines and by shadows. In sculpture, a three- dimensional art,
volume is perceived by means of the shift in the position of the viewer
who sees the change in outlines and shadows of figures.
5. Perspective- involves a feeling of distance, depth, or movement in any
work of art. When an artist of the visual arts enables us to have a clear
perception or illusions of movement, distance; or depth of an object of
reality in space through a manipulation of light and dark, of color, of
lines, or of any other artistic device.
Perspective being concerned mostly with space, there are two visual
arts that deal mostly with space, namely, painting and architecture,
which are called Space Arts.
Site-Specific Art
Art, in any form, can give people emotions that can lift up their spirit
and make them more driven than ever. One of the most common trends
in the tourism industry is hospitality art, which utilizes art to invite
guests and engage them more throughout their stay.
Corporate art inspires workers and boosts productivity using art
inside the workplace. Hospital art, or healing art is also one way of
helping patients recover faster and their family and healthcare workers
to regain their composure and stay calm.
People think that science and technology are superior to art. But art
makes life worthwhile. It may not be vital to fulfill our basic needs, but it
does make life joyful. As we continue our journey of a fast-paced life
with moments of quick decisions and fragmented thoughts, art allows
every moment to be memorable. Understanding our emotions can help
us heal, grow and improve ourselves. Increasing our self-awareness
through art can lead to more success personally and professionally.

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HE 323A- Arts in Daily Living

The Experience derived from the Arts

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