Lesson 1

GE 6 – Art Appreciation
Prepared by:
Ms. Mary Joanne Angel, MBA
 Specific Learning Objectives

• Define the basic art terms

and process
• Develop a knowledge and
an ability to recognize
design and elements in
selected works of art
 What is Art Appreciation?

• Gaining the knowledge to

understand the art.
• Acquire the art methods
and materials to discuss art
verbally or by the written
word.
• Ability to identify the
movements from ancient
cultures to today's
contemporary art.
 Humanities

Humanities is the study of the

different cultural aspect of
man, his frailties in life and
how these can be improved.
According to the dictum of a
Greek philosopher
Protagoras, ''Man is the
measure of all things. ”
Meaning that the humanities
uplift the dignity and values
of man and his tendencies.
• Culture is the disparity
between man and animal;
thus to be cultured is to
possess refinement in taste
and manners and these
include speech, knowledge,
beliefs, arts and
technologies.
 Role of Humanities in Man’s Life
Humanities can regulate the
type of behavior that is
considered appropriate to
an individual thus the
teaching of humanities is
essential in order for one to
gain the knowledge to
achieve the status of a
cultured man.
A cultured man is perceived as
one who is well versed in
the arts, in philosophy, and
the language. It is an active
force as we pursue our life
goals.
 General View of the Arts

Arts are defined by historical

process. The aesthetic
standards of art vary from
one culture to another since
an ideal beauty is a
construct created and
agreed upon by people in
society so much so that art
activities grow out of a
social cultural order.
There is no set of aesthetics principles
which is good for all people for all
the times. Art was derived from the
Aryan root word "AR" which means
to put together, while still another
origin of the word art came from
Latin "ars" which means ability or
skill. A work of art is the product of
the imagination of the artist
dependent on the following factors
like the material/medium, subject,
theme, values, influences, period,
belief, inspiration, preparation, and
other.
 Nature of Art

• Art existed since man learned to draw

and before he could even start to talk
as shown by the early paintings in
prehistoric period.
• The body of arts considered of ideas,
beliefs, and values of the past, present,
and future.
• Art is not nature; art is made by man.
Art's greatest achievement is that it
creates a permanent impression of the
passing scene.
• The freshness of a living plant can be
captured and preserved in the canvas
of the artist. Therefore, art never grows
old as seen and interpreted by the
artist.
 Functions of Arts
• The arts are important
to all of us because they
provide information
and enjoyment, build
self confidence,
promote cultural and
spiritual upliftment, and
provide avenues to the
discovery of spiritual
and emotional
dimensions of life.
 Functions of Arts
• Functional - This is the
classification of the art
according to its usefulness.
The original function of the
was religious because it was
used for iconic presentation in
order to glorify a religious
figure. Another is the secular
function and that is for
commemorative purpose like
portraiture and monuments.
Non- Functional - This is the
other classification of art
which is "art for art" sake
and functions to give
pleasure in contemplation
of the beautiful and further
leads to contemplation
where artwork comes
before meaning and its
usefulness.
Methods of Presenting the Art Subject

• This tell how things were done

and where the medium came
from. It comes as formal and
informal.
• This could also mean the skill
by which the artist
manipulates a given medium
to advantage in order to
achieve the best results, thus
giving the impression whether
the effect is done in good taste
by a virtuoso or whether it is a
combined aesthetics and
formational aspects.
Methods of Presenting the Art Subject

• Presenting art subjects also varies

according to the context of the
national significance like it may
come as an expression of a social
issue, political significance,
economical need, and aesthetics
value.
• It is also influenced by the (fine
arts) background of the artist like
the indigenous if the work was
done by a specific cultural
community or a minority group
which has preserved its pre
colonial artistic tradition.
 Basic Elements of the Arts

• Elements of the Fine Arts

Subject, medium, line, color,
texture, volume, perspective,
form and style
• Elements of Music
Rhythm, melody, dynamics,
harmony, texture, form, style
• Elements of Literature
As to poetry, as to novels, as to
short story, as to essay
 Assessing a Work of Art''What makes
any work of art great''
Sincerity satisfies the
questions on whether the
artist's intention is perfectly
honest of if he/she is
striving for effect either by
sentimentality or sensation.
Subjects of art work like in
the case of "Spoliarum" are
fraught with frustration and
sentimentality.
• Universality is the quality of
an artwork that should answer
the elements of truth in the
artwork which is something
permanent and not just of the
momentary value. Like in the
case of the sculpture of "Our
lady of Peace" of EDSA. It
speaks of man's universal
belief in the power of prayer in
fighting for a cause.
 Assessing a Work of Art''What makes
any work of art great''

Magnitude is a criteria that tells • Craftmanship is perceived

about the scope and from the point o view of a
significance of a work of art. A master or a group of artists
very good example is the work who represents a style that
of Michelangelo, which is the"
reflects period and form of
Sistine Chapel" and Juan
elements and technical skill.
Luna's "Spoliarium". These
pieces can be seen several
times and yet one cannot
exhaust the depth and extent
of its meaning.
 Elements of Painting

The elements of painting are

the basic components or
building blocks of a
painting. In Western art,
they are generally
considered to be color,
tone, line, shape, space,
and texture.
 Elements of Painting

Color (or hue) is at the heart of • Tone - it is, essentially, how

every painting. It is arguably light or dark a paint is when
the most important you strip away the color.
element because it sets the Understanding how to use it
tone for how viewers feel can greatly affect the way
about the work. It can, for your art is perceived.
instance, be warm and
inviting or cold and stark.
Either way, color can set the
mood for a piece.
 Elements of Painting
Line
• While we tend to think of lines
when drawing, painters must
also focus on it. After all, every
brushstroke you make creates
a line.
• Line - is defined as a narrow
mark made by a brush, or a
line created where two objects
or elements meet. It defines
the subject of paintings and
helps us imply things such as
movement.
• Shape - Every piece of artwork includes
the element of shape, which ties into
line and space. In essence, a shape is an
enclosed area that is made when lines
meet. When that shape takes on a third
dimension (as in sculpture or some
mixed media), we then also have form.
• Additionally, shapes may be either
geometric or organic. The former are
the triangles, squares, and circles we're
all familiar with. The latter are those
shapes that are not well-defined or
those found in nature.
 Elements of Painting
• Space (or volume) is another
crucial element in any art and it
can be used to great effect in
paintings. When talking about
space in art, we think of the
balance between positive and
negative space.
• Positive space is the subject itself
while the negative space is the
area of a painting around it.
Artists can play with a balance
between these two spaces to
further influence how viewers
interpret their work.
• Texture - Paintings are the
perfect medium to play with
texture as well. This can be
interpreted as a pattern within
the painting or the brushstrokes
themselves.
• Texture can also be a challenge
for painters. Replicating the shiny
surface of glass or metal or the
rough feel of a rock can be
difficult. It is in objects like these
that a painter can rely on the
other elements of art—line,
color, and tone, in particular—to
further define the texture.
 Elements of Painting
• Composition - is the arrangement
of the painting. Where you place
the subject, how the background
elements support it, and every
little piece that you add to the
canvas becomes part of the
composition. It is critical to how
the work is perceived.
• Direction - In art, the word
"direction" is a broad term
that can be interpreted in
many ways. You might, for
instance, consider the
format of a painting part of
its direction. A vertical
canvas can work better than
a horizontal one for certain
subjects and vice versa.
 Elements of Painting
• "Size" refers to the scale of
the painting itself as well
as the scale of proportions
within the painting's
elements.
• Time and Movement
• Time can be viewed as the
amount of time a viewer spends
looking at a piece. 
• This refers to how you direct the
viewer's eye within the painting.
By including various elements in
strategic places and incorporating
the other elements of art, you
can keep viewers moving around
the painting. This, in turn,
increases the time they spend
looking at it.