1. What is Art?

The Encyclopdia Britannica Online defines art as "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others". By this definition of the word, artistic works have existed for almost as long ashumankind: from early pre-historic art to contemporary art; however, some theories restrict the concept to modern Western societies.[6]The first and broadest sense of art is the one that has remained closest to the older Latin meaning, which roughly translates to "skill" or "craft." A few examples where this meaning proves very broad include artifact, artificial, artifice, medical arts, and military arts. However, there are many other colloquial uses of the word, all with some relation to its etymology. In medieval philosophy, John Chrysostom held that "the name of art should be applied to those only which contribute towards and produce necessaries and mainstays of life."Thomas Aquinas, when treating the adornment of women, gives an ethical justification as to why: "In the case of an art directed to the production of goods which men cannot use without sin, it follows that the workmen sin in making such things, as directly affording others an occasion of sin; for instance, if a man were to make idols or anything pertaining to idolatrous worship. But in the case of an art the products of which may be employed by man either for a good or for an evil use, such as swords, arrows, and the like, the practice of such an art is not sinful. These alone should be called arts."[7] Aquinas held that art is nothing else than "the right reason about certain works to be made," and that it is commendable, not for the will with which a craftman does a work, "but for the quality of the work. Art, therefore, properly speaking, is an operative habit." Aristotle and Aquinas distinguish it from the related habit of prudence.[8] The second and more recent sense of the word art is as an abbreviation for creative art orfine art and emerged in the early 17th century.[9] Fine art means that a skill is being used to express the artist's creativity, or to engage the audience's aesthetic sensibilities, or to draw the audience towards consideration of the finer things. The word art can describe several things: a study of creative skill, a process of using the creative skill, a product of the creative skill, or the audience's experience with the

creative skill. The creative arts (art as discipline) are a collection of disciplines that produceartworks (art as objects) that are compelled by a personal drive (art as activity) and convey a message, mood, or symbolism for the viewer to interpret (art as experience). Art is something that stimulates an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses. Artworks can be explicitly made for this purpose or interpreted on the basis of images or objects. Although the application of scientific knowledge to derive a new scientific theory involves skill and results in the "creation" of something new, this represents science only and is not categorized as art. Often, if the skill is being used in a common or practical way, people will consider it a craft instead of art. Likewise, if the skill is being used in a commercial or industrial way, it may be considered commercial art instead of fine art. On the other hand, crafts and designare sometimes considered applied art. Some art followers have argued that the difference between fine art and applied art has more to do with value judgments made about the art than any clear definitional difference.[10] However, even fine art often has goals beyond pure creativity and selfexpression. The purpose of works of art may be to communicate ideas, such as in politically, spiritually, or philosophically motivated art; to create a sense of beauty (see aesthetics); to explore the nature of perception; for pleasure; or to generate strong emotions. The purpose may also be seemingly nonexistent. The nature of art has been described by philosopher Richard Wollheim as "one of the most elusive of the traditional problems of human culture".[11] Art has been defined as a vehicle for the expression or communication of emotions and ideas, a means for exploring and appreciating formal elements for their own sake, and as mimesis or representation. Art as mimesis has deep roots in the philosophy ofAristotle.[12] Goethe defined art as an other resp. a second nature, according to his ideal of a style founded on the basic fundaments of insight and on the innermost character of things.[13] Leo Tolstoy identified art as a use of indirect means to communicate from one person to another.[12] Benedetto Croce and R.G. Collingwood advanced the idealist view that art expresses emotions, and that the work of art therefore essentially exists in the mind of the creator.[14][15] The theory of art as

form has its roots in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and was developed in the early twentieth century by Roger Fry and Clive Bell. More recently, thinkers influenced by Martin Heidegger have interpreted art as the means by which a community develops for itself a medium for self-expression and interpretation.[16] George Dickie has offered an institutional theory of art that defines a work of art as any artifact upon which a qualified person or institution has conferred "the status of candidate for appreciation"

expression, or the world as narrative or propaganda, promotion, illusion, imagination, teaching or prediction. The Visual Arts are about art for society, art for the self, art for religion, art for profit and art for arts sake. Types of art are as varied as media, subject matter and technology allow. Art can be painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, computer and digital graphics, architecture, ceramics and Visual Design which covers the more functional works of art.

FORMS OF ART means the type of artwork such as drawing, painting, sculpture (carving, modelling, assemblage and construction) architecture, printmaking, electronic media such as computer and digital graphics, ceramics, Visual Design, Graphic Design, collage, photography and Post Modern appropriation and recontextualisation. There is a LANGUAGE which is used to describe the Arts. This language is explained by using examples of student work and brief summaries. Extra information is available in the many texts and reference books available. This in not comprehensive but a student research tool for beginners in Art.

Subject Matter Objects

What the art work

is about. The title usually gives a clue. Subject Matter is divided into ....

Still Life FORM - Collage OBJECTS Functional or useful objects, Still life, found objects and objects used as symbols of ownership, culture or value. Objects venerated (sacred) as religious symbols or used to represent strong feelings or fantasy. VISUAL ARTS is where an artist uses MEDIA REPRESENTATIONAL looks like something, represents something even if it is not realistic.

(materials, images, signs and symbols) and the available TECHNOLOGY to communicate about the self as

People

Landscape FORM - Painting FORM - Painting PEOPLE Portraits of specific people or the Human Figure used in stories of heroes or gods, or used for religion or self-discovery or personality. The Human Figure has been used in art as expression of feelings, as objects of reverence, as symbols of fertility or death, strength or weakness, humorous or didactic (teaching). PLACES and SPACES Landscapes, Seascapes, Cityscapes, Interiors, maps or keys to location. Places in fantasy or personal experiences.

Events

Other living things

FORM - Ink Drawing and washes FORM - Silk Screen Print OTHER LIVING THINGS Plants and animals from land, air and sea, used to decorate, as part of story or as a study in themselves. Many animals and plants have been use as symbols or motifs for design or expression of feelings, humour or themes and issues. EVENTS Important Events in Life birth, death, sickness or work.Historical, Public or Social Eventswars, coronations, ship-wrecks, executions, festivals or plagues. Spiritual teachings. or Religious Events within religious

Issues and Themes Places and Spaces

FORM - Collage ISSUES and THEMES where art deals with issues or topics, which cause debate such as feminism, multiculturalism, pollution or animal rights. Some are controversial others universal. Art which deals with themes such as abstraction, colour, love, hate, technology, cruelty, confrontation etc. Acrylic Paint

Other Words or concepts used in the Visual Arts ...

Collage

Media
Art Work

Material or substance used to make an

MEDIA means the materials or substance the artist uses to make art works. For example oil paint on canvas, acrylic, tempera or water paints. Drawing media includes pencil, pens and ink, charcoal and pastels. Sculptural media includes clay, wax and bronze, wood, metals, which are welded, junk or found or ready made media assembled by sculptors, plastics and wires, stone especially marble and even earth works. MEDIA can also mean the images, signs and symbols that artists use in their artworks.

Pastel

Technique

times silk screen printing and Lithography have been developed. Silk screen uses stencils where holes are cut and the ink is squeezed through using a screen and squeegee. Photographic silkscreen print making is used now, especially for fabric and "T" shirts. Lithography is where a moist ink resistant block is painted with ink attractive emulsion and then inked and transferred to paper. Ink and brush - Post Modern How the Artwork is made, the methods used: TECHNIQUE means the manner of making or method used in achieving an artwork. The manner of artistic execution or performance or the skills used in making artworks. For example, traditional western oil painting on canvas or the Impressionists dab technique. The coiling technique in pottery or the photographic silk screen print making technique.

Sculpture

Print Making
SCULPTURE is the word used to describe an artwork which has three dimensions, height, width and depth. most sculpture is free standing but can be in RELIEF where the form stands out from a flat background. Relief sculpture decorates the walls of many buildings. Sculpture is traditionally made by carving wood or stone, or by modelling clay and then casting the form in bronze. Modern sculptors have made use of the new technology and materials to construct artworks in many Silk Screen Printmaking different media using techniques of gluing and welding, nailing or wiring.

PRINT

MAKING is

where

the

artist

uses

TECHNOLOGY that allows more than one work to be produced. This is done using the traditional method of wood block/ lino printing or etching where a groove is carved or etched into the surface and ink is applied then transferred to paper using a press. In Modern

Architecture
The art of building.

Visual Design

PROCESS means the sequence of action, the steps taken when making an art work usually involving developing ideas by experimentation, exploring different ways of solving problems, manipulating these ideas and appropriate media by evaluating success and DESIGN - is the deliberate choice and layout of elements in a work of painting, drawing, photograph, collage, computer graphics or three dimensional form such as furniture, appliances or furnishings, which acts as a prototype for production and commercial release. Visual Design is a Process resolving the work for presentation.

Practice

Style

PRACTICE the way that an artwork is made and studied that is the practice of Art Making, Art Criticism and Art History. Practice of making art works involves ideas, beliefs, interpretations, actions. Art Criticism involves personal judgment, evaluation and interpretation. Art History involves looking at how the artwork fits into Punk Rock Assemblage STYLE means the manner of an artwork, the way it looks which can be recognised as characteristic of a person, school or culture eg the styles of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Cubism, the Aztecs or Egyptians, the style of Dali or Picasso which can be identified by its characteristic elements. history, into a sequence of events and into the surrounding culture. intentions, skills, technology and

Function

Process

FUNCTION- the task, the job, the purpose of an artwork such as telling stories or narrative, to inspire magic, to celebrate an event, to decorate, art for religious instruction and worship, to imitate nature, for personal pleasure or art for arts sake such as exploring the emotional effects of the elements or developing visual effects with media or technology.

ABSTRACTED means to be made less realistic by distortion or exaggeration of images as the Cubists or German Expressionists do. An image is changed, made less obvious.

Conceptual

Abstract

CONCEPTUAL ART means art where the idea or concept is more important than the seen image. Conceptual art is usually abstracted or performance art. Conceptual Art uses elements to suggest deeper thoughts to trigger thoughts in the viewer rather than appreciation of skilled imagery. Most artworks have a conceptual side to it as most art works make the audience think about a concept. Tribal Art is strongly ABSTRACT ART means it is non representational, it does not look like anything, it does not represent anything seen. It may cause the viewer to think of ideas but it does not copy the seen world or contain images. conceptual so is most modern and Post Modern art.

Representational Abstracted

REPRESENTATIONAL

looks

like

something,

represents something even if it is not realistic.

NATURALISTIC Looks as though it is from nature. Natural in pose, gesture, setting and imagery.

Elements of art
The elements of art are a commonly used group of aspects of a work of art used in teaching and analysis, in combination with theprinciples of art, objects placed at a distances are rendered with less details, clarity, and

Realistic

intensity than the closer ones. Three-dimensional space work is created with the help of shading, which gives it a feeling of depth. Space can also be created by overlapping objects

Texture
The texture is the quality of a surface or the way any work of art is represented. Lines and shading can be used to create different textures as well. For example, if one is portraying certain fabrics, one needs to give the feeling of the right texture so that it closely resembles what the artist is trying to convey. It can be implied or real. What you can feel with your sense of touch. Texture is the surface treatment of an artistic work in order to give variety and

REALISTIC looks like a seen subject.

beauty to any work of art.

Form
Form may be created by the forming of two or more shapes or as three-dimensional shape (cube, pyramid, sphere, cylinder, etc.). It may be enhanced by tone, texture and color. Form is considered three-dimensional showing height, width and depth. Examples of these are sculpture, theatre play and figurines. Form is the external appearance of a clearly defined area.

Naturalistic

Space

Space is the area provided for a particular purpose. Space includes the background, foreground and middle ground. Space refers to the distances or areas around, between or within components of a piece. There are two types of space: positive and negative space. Positive space refers to the space of a shape representing the subject matter. Negative space refers to the space around and between the subject matter. Space is also defined as the distance between identifiable points or planes in a work of art.

These elements are used to create the Principles of Design. Principles are the results of using the Elements. When you are working in a particular format (size and shape of the work surface) the principles are used to create interest, harmony and unity to the elements that you are using. You can use the Principles of design to check your composition to see if it has good structure.

Line
Line is defined as a mark that spans a distance between two points (or the path of a moving point), taking any form along the way. As an art element, line pertains to the use of various marks, outlines and implied lines in artwork and design, most often used to define shape in two-dimensional work. Implied line is the path that the viewer's eye takes as it follows shapes, colors, and form along a path, but may not be continuous or physically connected, such as the line created by a dancer's arms, torso, and legs when performing an arabesque. Line is an element of art that is simplest, most ancient, and most universal means for

Shape
Shape pertains to the use of areas in two dimensional space that can be defined by edges, setting one flat specific space apart from another. Shapes can be geometric (e.g.: square, circle, hexagon, etc.) or organic (such as the shape of a puddle, blob, leaf, boomerang, etc.) Shapes are defined by other elements of art: Space, Line, Texture, Value, Color, Form.

]Color
Color pertains to the use of hue in artwork and design. Defined as primary colors (red, yellow, blue) which cannot be mixed in pigmentfrom other hues, secondary colors (green, orange, violet) which are directly mixed from combinations of primary colors. Further combinations of primary and secondary colors create tertiary (and more) hues. Tint and Shade are references to adding variations inValue; other tertiary colors are derived by mixing either a primary or secondary color with a neutral color. e.g. Red + White = Pink. Color is the quality of an object or substance with respect to the one reflected by it, and usually determined visually by measurement of hue, saturation and brightness of the reflected light.

creating visual arts.

Why are the (Explanation)

elements

of

art

important?

Right. The elements of art are important for several reasons. First, and most importantly, a person can't create art without utilizing at least a few of them. No elements, no art, end of story. And we wouldn't even be talking about any of this, would we? Secondly, knowing what the elements of art areenables us to (1) describe what an artist has done, (2) analyze what is going on in a particular piece and (3) communicate our thoughts and findings using acommon language. Musicians can talk about the key of "A," and they all know it means "a pitch relating to 440 oscillations per second of vibration." Mathematicians may use the very basic word "algorithm" and feel confident that most people know they mean "a step-by-step procedure for carrying out computation." Botanists world-wide will employ the name "rosa rugosa," rather than the much longer "that old-fashioned shrub rose - you know, the one that leaves hips in the fall - with the five-petaled flowers that can be yellow, white, red or pink." These are all specific examples of a common language coming in handy for intelligent (and shortened) discourse.

Tone (Value)
Value, or tone, refers to the use of light and dark, shade and highlight, in an artwork. Some people also refer the lightness and darkness in an artwork as tints(light) and shades(dark). Black-and-white photography depends

entirely on value to define its subjects. Value is directly related to contrast. Value is the relative degree of lightness in the graphic work of art or painting.

Size
Size refers to variations in the proportions of objects, lines or shapes. There is a variation of sizes in objects either real or imagined. (some sources list Proportion/Scale as a Principle of Design)

So it is with the elements of art. Once you know what the elements are, you can trot them out, time after time, and never put a wrong foot forward in the Art World. Does your instructor want you to write a few words and/or pages on a painting of your choice? Choose wisely, and then wax euphoric on form, lines and color. Have you found an unidentified work in your great-aunt's attic/toolshed/outhouse? It is helpful, when describing the piece to someone who may be able to supply you with further information, to throw in some of the piece's elements of art along with: "It's an etching. It's on paper." Stumped for conversation at a gallery show? Try "The artist's use of _________(insert element here) is interesting." This is a much safer course than attempting to psychoanalyze the artist (after all, you may be standing in a clump of people that includes his or her mother) or using words which leave you a bit uncertain of exact meanings and/or pronunciations. See? The elements of art are both fun and useful. Remember: line, shape, form, space,texture, value and color. Knowing these elements will allow you to analyze, appreciate, write and chat about art, as well as being of help should you create art yourself.