PREFACE

Course Description

Reading Visual Arts is a three-unit course that deals with the concepts related to
visual arts: how they are to be interpreted, analyzed, and evaluated. Reading Visual Arts guide
personal reactions to visual artworks using the components and its principles. It also provides
opportunities for student’s participation in making visual art works in 2D and 3D forms. The
course make students understand and apply artistic processes to analyze, interpret, and
evaluate visual artworks in at least one of the three areas required to be offered by the school.

The course also develops competency in researching and creating visual art as well as
conceptualizing, mounting and evaluating visual art productions. Reading Visual Art surveys
techniques, composition, materials terminology, and the culture and social influences of visual
art forms. The class is presented in online lecture format and is visually oriented through
synchronous and asynchronous learning. Designed for the non-art major; this course provides
a foundation for understanding the visual arts. College level reading and writing skills are
required.

It provides a variety of experiences that build on the concepts, techniques, and use
media introduced in the middle school program. Generally laboratory in nature, Introduction to
Visual Art explores and gives experience in two-dimensional (drawing, painting, printmaking)
and three-dimensional (sculpture, ceramics, textiles) formats and integrates art history, design
principles, and aesthetic criticism and response.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

• Gain an overall introductory view of the visual arts by developing a basic understanding
and appreciation of the arts.

• Learn about a variety of techniques and mediums used in the creation of the visual
arts.

• Gain knowledge of particular visual artists from different historical periods.

• Learn to express thoughts and ideas in response to various works of visual art through
class discussions and written analysis in order to illustrate a basic knowledge and
appreciation of the visual arts.
Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

KNOWLEDGE

1. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of visual arts and their significance.

2. Define and demonstrate the elements and principles of design.

3. Explain and evaluate different theories of visual art.

4. Situate Philippine visual arts in global context.

SKILLS

1. Analyze and appraise works of visual based on aesthetic value, historical context,
tradition and social relevance.

2. Mount avisual art exhibit at home (concept development, production and

postproduction, marketing, documentation, critiquing).

3. Create works of visual art and produce own production exhibit.

4. Utilize visual arts for self-expression and for promoting advocacies.

VALUES

1. Deepen sensitivity in oneself, community, and society.

2. Discover and deepen one’s identity through visual art with respect to one’s nationality,
culture, and religion.

3. Develop an appreciation of the local visual arts.

 COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 Course Orientation: Grading System, requirements, relevance of the course.

Week 2 Art History, Beauty, Art Creativity, Imagination, Expression, Types of Arts

Week 3 Assumptions regarding art: Art is universal; Art is Cultural; Art is not Nature; Art
involves experiences and Art as Expression;

Week 4-5 Functions of Art; Personal, Social, and Physical; Visual Arts; Forms of Visual Arts;
Elements of Visual Arts; and Media Arts

Week 6 First Trinal Examination

Week 7 Philosophical Imports of Art; Integrity, Proportion/ Consonance, Radiance/ Clarity.

Philosophical Perspective (Plato, Aristotle, Kant.)Art as an escape; Art as Functional.

Week 8 Difference between Content and Subject; Compose of Art

Week 9 Sources of Subject (Nature, history, Greek and Roman Mythology, Christian
tradition.)

Week 10 Kinds of Subject (History, Still life, Figure Nature, Decorative, Landscape, Seascape,
Cityscape, Myths, Fantasies);Content of Art (levels of meaning); Factual, Conventional

Week 11 Elements of Arts; Visual Structure of the works of Art

Week 12 Second Trinal Examination

Week 13 Visual Art History (Eastern, Western)

Week 14 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Painting

Week 15 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Sculpture

Week 16 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Architecture

Week 17 “Soul Making” (Visual Art Making);Crafting Images, Crafting Stories, Crafting
Instruments and Local Arts

Week 18 Third Trinal Examination

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIT 1

Lesson 1 Art History, Beauty, Art Creativity, Imagination, Expression, Types of Arts ------------1

Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Beauty, Creativity, Imagination, Expression ----------------------------------------------------- 4-5
Art as a Way of Life ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
Art as a product of Imagination, Imagination as a product of Art-------------------------------7
Art as Expression------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
Art History---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 2 Assumptions regarding art: Art is universal; Art is Cultural; Art is not Nature; Art
involves experiences. Art as Expression; and Art as a form of creation.-----------------------------14
Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15
Art is Universal --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Art is not Nature -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Art involves experience ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 3 Functions of Art; Personal, Social, Physical; Visual Arts and Media Arts--------------22
Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------23
The Personal Function ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------24
The Social Function --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25
The Physical Function -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------25
Visual Arts (2D, 3D) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------27
Other Forms of Visual Arts ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------28
 Elements of Visual Arts ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------30
Media Arts --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

UNIT 2

Lesson 4 Philosophical Imports of Art; Integrity, Proportion/ Consonance, Radiance/ Clarity.

Philosophical Perspective (Plato, Aristotle, Kant.) Art as an escape; Art as Functional.---------41
Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------42
Philosophical Imports of Art ----------------------------------------------------------------------------43
Philosophical Perspectives of Art ---------------------------------------------------------------------45
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 5 Difference between Content and Subject; Compose of Art--------------------------------51

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------52
Main Difference between Subject vs. Content ----------------------------------------------------53
Representational or Figurative Art
--------------------------------------------------------------------55
Non-representational or Non-objective Art p-------------------------------------------------------56
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 6 Sources of Subject (Nature, history, Greek and Roman Mythology,

Christian tradition.) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------61
Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------62
Sources of Subject Art
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------63
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
 Activity 3
Activity 4
Lesson 7 Kinds of Subject (History, Still life, Figure Nature, Decorative, Landscape,
Seascape, Cityscape, Myths, Fantasies); Content of Art (levels of meaning); Factual,
Conventional --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------70
Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------71
Subjects -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------72
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 8 Elements of Arts; Visual Structure of the works of Art --------------------------------------85

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------86
What are the Elements of Art? ------------------------------------------------------------------------87
Visual Structures of Works of Art ---------------------------------------------------------------------92
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

UNIT 3

Lesson 9 Visual Art History (Eastern, Western) ---------------------------------------------------------101

Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------102
Western
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------103
Eastern ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------111
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 10 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Painting --------------------------------118

Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------119
Three Folk Art Motif ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------120
Spanish Period ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------121
 American Period
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------123
Modern Period -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------123
Other Famous Filipino Painters ---------------------------------------------------------------------124

Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 11 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Sculpture ------------------------------129

Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------130
Medium and Technique -------------------------------------------------------------------------------131
Kinds of Sculpture --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------131
Brief History ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------132
Some Noted Filipino Sculptors ----------------------------------------------------------------------135
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 12 Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines: Architecture ---------------------------142

Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------143
Modern Architecture ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------144
Principles of Construction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------144
Philippine Architecture ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------145
First Philippine Architects -----------------------------------------------------------------------------147
Feng Shui -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------148
Do’s and Don’ts of Feng Shui ------------------------------------------------------------------------149
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 13 “Soul Making” (Visual Art Making); Crafting Images, Crafting Stories, Crafting
Instruments -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------153
Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------154
 The Soul Maker
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------155
Soul Making as Developmental Path --------------------------------------------------------------167
Acts of Cultural Appropriation ------------------------------------------------------------------------162

Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

Lesson 14 “Local Arts “ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------167

Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------168
Local Arts of South Cotabato ------------------------------------------------------------------------169
Worksheets
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4

References
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------174