Lesson 1 - Humanities and the Arts
benevolence and care, he is cultured and refined as shown by
“Man is the measure of all things.” - Protagoras
What is Humanities? Humanities are academic disciplines that
study aspects of human society and culture. In the
Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred
to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study
in universities at the time. Today, the humanities are more
frequently contrasted with natural, and sometimes social
sciences, as well as professional training.
The humanities use methods that are primarily critical, or
speculative, and have a significant historical element as
distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the
natural sciences, yet, unlike the sciences, it has no central
discipline. The humanities include the study of ancient and
modern languages, literature, philosophy, history,
archeology, anthropology, human geography, law, politics,
religion and art. Scholars in the humanities are "humanity
scholars" or humanists. The term "humanist" also describes
the philosophical position of humanism, which some "anti-
humanist" scholars in the humanities reject. The Renaissance
scholars and artists were also called humanists. Some
secondary schools offer humanities classes usually consisting
of literature, global studies and art.
Human disciplines like history, folkloristics, and cultural
anthropology study subject matters that the manipulative
experimental method does not apply to—and instead mainly
use the comparative method and comparative research.
The study of humanities may also be attributed to the
symmetry and balance discussed by the art piece known as
the Vitruvian Man of Leonardo da Vinci. This image
demonstrates the blend of mathematics and art during the
Renaissance and demonstrates Leonardo's deep
understanding of proportions. In addition, this picture
represents a corner stone of Leonardo's attempts to relate
man to nature. online states, "Leonardo envisaged the great
picture chart of the human body he had produced through his
anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a cosmografia del
minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm). He believed
the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the
workings of the universe."
According to Leonardo's preview in the accompanying text,
written in mirror writing, it was made as a study of the
proportions of the (male) human body as described in
Vitruvius' De architectura.
Why Study Humanities?
A lot of reasons had been associated as to why one must
study Humanities. The following items are just a few of the
many reasons why one must engage and be interested in
Humanities: As the word humanities came from the Latin
“humanus” which means human,cultured and refined, man is
taught to be as what the term exactly means: being cultured
and refined; Humans have the characteristics of rationality,
good tastes and manner indicative of good and proper
education
Humanities contains the records of man’s quest for answers
to the fundamental questions he asks himself and about the
world we live in Humanities studies man and the manner in
which he conducts himself from the time of his existence to
the present (Martin & Jacobus, 2004)
Humanities is composed of academic disciplines that make it
distinctive in bothcontent and method from the physical and
biological sciences and from the social sciences
The study of Humanities is devoted to understanding the
different phenomena within the human cultural contexts
Humanities studies how people process and document the
human experience using philosophy, religion, literature, art
and history as their way of understanding and recording the
world Humanities studies how individuals’ manner of
expression varies as they record human experiences and how
the way of documenting these forms a connection between
and among humans of the past, present and future.
Fundamental Principles of Humanities
The following are identified fundamental principles of
Humanities which are used as guides for a better
understanding of life and man’s existence.
1. Human nature is inherently good.
2. Individuals are free and are capable of making choices.
3. Human potential for growth and development is virtually
unlimited.
4. Self-concept plays an important role in growth and
development.
5. Individuals have an urge for self actualization.
6. Reality is defined by each person.
7. Individuals have a responsibility to both themselves and to
others.
Art Explained
Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual,
auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the
author's imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill,
intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional
power. Other activities related to the production of works of
art include the criticism of art, the study of the history of art,
and the aesthetic dissemination[clarification needed of art.
The three classical branches of art are painting, sculpture and
architecture. Music, theater, film, dance and other
performing arts as well as literature and other media such as
interactive media, are included in a broader definition of the
arts. Until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery
and was not differentiated from crafts or sciences. In modern
usage after the 17th century, where aesthetic considerations
are paramount, the fine arts are separated and distinguished
from acquired skills in general, such as the decorative or
applied arts. Though the definition of what constitutes art is
disputed and has changed over time, general descriptions
mention an idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming
from human agency and creation. The nature of art and
related concepts, such as creativity and interpretation, are
explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.
Nature of the Arts
The following are identified natures of the Arts from the point
of view of different
artists and philosophers:
1. Art or arts is of Aryan root “ar” which means to join or put
together and has its Latin term being “sars” or “artis” which
means everything that is artificially made or composed by
man
2. Art constitutes one of the oldest and most important
means of expression developed by man.
3. It refers to the skillful arrangement or composition of some
common but significant qualities of nature such as sounds,
colors, lines, movements, words, stone and wood to express
feelings, thoughts, imaginations and dreams in an amazing,
meaningful andenjoyable way. (Adams, 2002)
4. Art is subjective as it employs the use of perception,
insights, feelings and intuition
5. It is the heightened expression of human dignity and
weaknesses felt and shared so powerfully in a world
increasingly aware of its successes and failures
6. It is man’s expression of himself as an individual and how
he views his existence, and
7. Art also provides enjoyment and stimulation specially when
people understand them
Functions of Art
Arts is a much needed avenue for people to:
1. Express freely oneself;
2. Socially express his need for display, celebration and
communication; and
3. Physically express the need for utility of functional objects.
The Forms of Art Differentiated
The matrix below shows the difference of the art forms as
identified:
Functional art forms
(the need for life to be better) Architecture ,weaving,
furniture-making
non- functional art forms
( the need to express aesthetics and beauty)
painting, sculpture, literature,
music, dance and theater
Functional Art Forms are those which may benefit the cause
of man’s existence.
They are art forms which give people sustenance as to need
for life to be better. This benefit is mostly financial in nature.
Functional art is generally applied art - art created for use,
not necessarily everyday use, but designed to serve a purpose
and with an aesthetic in mind. It's art that serves a function,
but is designed artistically for the purpose of beauty. They
meet a need for use, and are works of art as well.
The following example art pieces below are just a few of
those which may be considered functional art forms:
Examples of Functional Art Forms
Non-functional art forms, on the other hand, Nonfunctional
art is art that serves no utilitarian purpose. It is in direct
contrast with functional art, which has both an aesthetic
value and a utilitarian purpose. Nonfunctional art also
encompasses paintings, sculptures and all manner of fine art.
These pieces usually seek to engage with the viewer on an
intellectual, emotional or aesthetic level. The exploration of
these sensibilities,rather than their utilitarian merits,
determines the artworks' worth.
The Artistic Philosophers
The following are just a few of the philosophers whose
advocacies not only focused on the philosophic ideas but also
shared a few of their conceptions about the
Arts.
1. Plato ( 428 – 347 BC) is a philosopher of Ancient Greece
who is known for his Dialogues together with Socrates. He
loved and hated the arts at the same time which makes his
philosophical views on art unexplainably complicated. With
the Republic being his work, Plato was seen as a good literary
stylist and great story teller and considered the arts as
threatening. He believed that “ though arts can be used to
train citizens to have an ideal society, using arts to accomplish
this should be strictly controlled”. He also explained that the
physical world is a copy of a perfect, rational,
eternal and changeless original which he called FORMS.
Plato’s Ideas of the Arts may be summed up by the truths
according to him that:
1. Art is imitation; 2. Art is dangerous.
Beauty, Justice, and The Circle are all examples of what Plato
called Forms or Ideas. Other philosophers have called them
Universals. Many particular things can have the form of a
circle, or of justice, or beauty. For Plato, these Forms are
perfect Ideals, but they are also more real than physical
objects. He called them "the Really Real". The world of the
Forms is rational and unchanging; the world of physical
appearances is changeable and irrational, and only has reality
to the extent that it succeeds in imitating the Forms. The
mind or soul belongs to the Ideal world; the body and its
passions are stuck in the muck of the physical world. So the
best human life is one that strives to understand and to
imitate the Forms as closely as possible. That life is the life of
the mind, the life of the Philosopher (literally, the lover of
wisdom). Self control, especially control of the passions, is
essential to the soul that wants to avoid the temptations of
sensuality, greed, and ambition, and move on to the Ideal
World in the next life.
2. Aristotle ( 384 – 322 BC) was a student of Plato who first
distinguished between “what is good and what is beautiful''.
For him, the universal elements of beauty are manifested by
order, symmetry and definiteness. As exemplified in his
Poetics, he stated that physical manifestation of beauty is
affected by SIZE. He considered art as imitation or a
representation of nature and his emphasis of the art is on
POETRY which for him is more philosophical than Philosophy
itself.
3. Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was a German,
Enlightenment philosopher who wrote a treatise on
Aesthetics: Observations on the Feelings of the Beautiful and
the Sublime. His main interest was not on art but on BEAUTY
that it is a matter of TASTE. Kant explained that TASTE can be
both SUBJECTIVE and UNIVERSAL. For KANT, beauty is a
question of form and color is NOT IMPORTANT.
The Kinds of Aesthetic Responses according to Kant are:
1. Beauty results in pleasure if there is order, harmony and
symmetry; and
2. Beauty leads to a response of awe that overwhelms the
viewers of the art
Artists vs. Artisans
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating
art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common
usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a
practitioner in the visual arts only. The term is often used in
the entertainment business, especially in a business context,
for musicians and other
performers (less often for actors). "Artiste" (the French for
artist) is a variant used in English only in this context; this use
is becoming rare. Use of the term to describe writers, for
example, is valid, but less common, and mostly restricted to
contexts like criticism.
An artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled
craft worker who makes or creates things by hand that may
be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture,
decorative arts, sculptures, clothing, jewellery, food items,
household items and tools or even mechanisms such as the
handmade clockwork movement of a watchmaker.
Artisans practice a craft and may through experience and
aptitude reach the expressive levels of an artist. The adjective
"artisanal" is sometimes used in describing handprocessing in
what is usually viewed as an industrial process, such as in the
phrase artisanal mining. Thus, "artisanal" is sometimes used
in marketing and advertising as a buzz word to describe or
imply some relation with the crafting of handmade food
products, such as bread, beverages or cheese. Many of these
have traditionally been handmade, rural or pastoral goods
but are also now commonly made on a larger scale with
automated mechanization in factories and other industrial
areas. Artisans were the dominant producers of consumer
products before the Industrial Revolution. In ancient Greece,
artisans were drawn to agoras and often built workshops
nearby. Below are a few images of artisans doing their crafts:
The Art Forms
The arts refers to the theory, human application and physical
expression of creativity found in human cultures and societies
through skills and imagination in order to produce objects,
environments and experiences. Major constituents of the arts
include visual arts (including architecture, ceramics, drawing,
filmmaking, painting, photography and sculpting), literature
(including fiction, drama, poetry, and prose), and performing
arts (including dance, music and theater), culinary arts
(including cooking, chocolate making and winemaking).
Some art forms combine a visual element with performance
(e.g. cinematography), or artwork with the written word (e.g.
comics). From prehistoric cave paintings to modern-day films,
art serves as a vessel for storytelling and conveying
humankind's relationship with the environment.
One’s self expression especially when inclined with arts may
take various forms depending on the expertise and artistic
inclinations of an artist, One may want to express his artistic
abilities by way of specific art forms such as painting or dance
or a combination of both. One may express oneself through
other forms as music, sculpture, literature or all of three
combined. Whatever form of art one may use in expressing
oneself, what is important is that his self expression and
creativity are explicit.
The following items below are the art forms which one may
use in order to express his artistic inclinations:
1. Architecture. Architecture is an art form that reflects how
we present ourselves across the earth’s landscape, and, like
other expressive mediums, it changes with styles,
technologies and cultural adaptations. Architecture not only
provides worldly needs of shelter, workspace and storage but
also represents human ideals in buildings like courthouses
and government buildings and manifestations of the spirit in
churches and temples. Traditional architecture has survived
over thousands of years in one form or another, while
contemporary design offers new approaches in how we use
materials and technology to shape the look of our
environment. Architecture is considered as the most
functional of all the art forms. Someexamples of architectural
works are The Malacanang Palace, the Philippines’ seat of
government, The Cultural Center of the Philippines, the
center of cultural activities of the country and Burj Khalifa,
the highest skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates to name a
few
2. Sculpture. Sculpture, an artistic form in which hard or
plastic materials are worked
into three-dimensional art objects. The designs may be
embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in
environments ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop
the spectator. An enormous variety of media may be used,
including clay, wax, stone, metal, fabric, glass, wood, plaster,
rubber, and random “found” objects. Materials may be
carved, modeled, molded, cast, wrought, welded, sewn,
assembled, or otherwise shaped and combined.
Some example of sculptures are the following: The Jose Rizal
Monument in Rizal Park,
3. Painting. Painting is the application of pigments to a
support surface that establishes an image, design or
decoration. In art the term “painting” describes both the act
and the result. Most painting is created with pigment in liquid
form and applied with a brush .Painting as a medium has
survived for thousands of years and is, along with drawing
and sculpture, one of the oldest creative media. It’s used in
some form by cultures around the world. Painting media are
extremely versatile because they can be applied to
manydifferent surfaces (called supports) including paper,
wood, canvas, plaster, clay, lacquer Spolarium, Mona Lisa by
Leonardo da Vinci and The Fishermen by Ang Kiukok among
others.
4. Dance. Dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic
way, usually to music and within a given space, for the
purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy,
or simply taking delight in the movement itself. Dance is a
powerful impulse, but the are of dance is that impulse
channeled by skillful performers into something that
becomes intensely expressive and that may delight spectators
who feel no wish to dance themselves. These two concepts of
the art of dance—dance as a powerful impulse and dance as a
skillfully choreographed art practiced largely by a professional
few—are the two most important connecting ideas running
through any consideration of the subject. In dance, the
connection between the two concepts is stronger than in
some other arts, and neither can exist without the other.
dance is an art form or activity that utilizes the body and the
range of movement of which the body is capable.
Music is an art form, and cultural activity, whose
medium is sound. General definitions of music
include common elements such as pitch (which
governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated
concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness
and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre
and texture (which are sometimes termed the "color" of a
musical sound). Different styles or types of music may
emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these
elements. Music is performed with a vast range of
instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to
rapping; there are solely instrumental pieces, solely
vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental
accompaniment) and pieces that combine singing and
instruments. Some of the examples which may be associated
with music are the Philippine folk songs and the produced
popular music of Filipino singers like Sarah Geronimo and
Gary Valenciano to name a few.
6. Theater. Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of
performing art that uses live performers, typically actors
or actresses, to present the experience of a real or
imagined event before a live audience in a specific place,
often a stage. The performers may communicate this
experience to the audience through combinations of
gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. Elements of art,
such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as lighting
are used to enhance the physicality, presence and
immediacy of the experience. The specific place of the
performance is also named by the word "theatre" as derived
from the Ancient Greek théatron, "a place for viewing", itself
from theáomai, "to see", "to watch", "to observe".
Modern theatre includes performances of plays and
musical theatre. The art forms of ballet and opera are also
theatre and use many conventions such as acting,
costumes and staging. They were influential to the
development of musical theatre; see those
articles for more information.
7. Literature. Literature, most generically, is any body or
collection of written work. More restrictively, literature
refers to writing considered to be an art form or any
single writing deemed to have artistic or intellectual value,
and sometimes deploys language in ways that differ from
ordinary usage. Literature is classified according to
whether it is fiction or nonfiction, and whether it is
poetry or prose. Fiction can be further distinguished
according to major forms such as the novel, short story, or
drama; and such works are often categorized according to
historical periods or their adherence to certain aesthetic
or genre. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature) Literature
may be in any form such as poetry, novel, short story, essay,
epic and legends among others. Literature may be oral or
written and are also sometimes meant to be performed
before an audience. Some exmaples of this literary pieces
are The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin,
Po-on by F. Sionil Jose, Myths, Legends and Folktales by
Maximo D. Ramos and Stupid is Forever by the late Senator
Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Appreciating the Arts The previous pages of this module have
given you a rundown of the basics of art appreciation and
the key points as to how one will be keen in
understanding a certain artwork or other forms of artistic
presentation. The aim of making the students learn to
appreciate the arts is primarily to get the learner an
engaging relationship with a particular art work and for one
to understand the meaning behind an artistic creation, the
messages that it would want to convey to its viewers and to
appreciate one’s product of art should one will be
compelled to produce or make one. In so doing, here
are a few pointers as to how art appreciation may be
applied by a learner of the course as takeaways from
learn.saylor.org/course: 1.Give a good physical description
of the artwork based on their knowledge of art elements
and materials; 2.Analyze the artwork in terms of what the
artist wants his work to represent and the learner’s
subjective reaction to the works which includes their
thoughts and feelings; 3.Perceive the art work in the
context of its history. This would enlighten the learners
of the artist’s intention in doing the work and add to
the understanding of the meaning the work is supposed to
convey; 4.Give meaning to the artwork based on its
description, analysis and context; and 5.Judge the artwork as
to whether it is good or bad based on the learner’s
perception of it and its aesthetic and cultural value. Art is not
meant to be looked at only for what it is. It is meant to
stimulate thought because it allows viewers to draw their
own emotions and pull from their personal experiences
when viewed. It is very powerful in this way and it naturally
develops critical and innovative thinking skills. Art also
teaches many important qualities such as listening,
observing and responding to multiple perspectives. Having an
appreciation for art also helps us to develop an appreciation
for each other and how we are all unique in our own way.
For many people, art is meant to express something that we
ourselves feel unable to express or convey. Through its visual
medium it evokes feelings of joy, sadness, anger and pain.
That is why art appreciation is so important in bringing that
one final element to complete the work, and that is our
interpretation. Our perspective brings the artwork to life
as it changes for every person around it. It is important to
foster art appreciation and analysis, as it helps us value
the art in how it appeals to us and what it means to
each person. It delves into the history and the story
behind the art, as well as a look into the lives of the
artists. It enables one to critically analyze a work, along
lines of design, mastery and techniques. Most
importantly, however, art appreciation stimulates thought
and analysis, provokes an individual to look past what meets
the eye and open our mind to the views of others. Art is here
to stay. It is a person’s history and legacy which is an
ultimate proof that his personal experiences can be
articulated and his immortality can be defined
Lesson 1 - The Subject of An Artwork The term subject in arts
refers to the main idea that is represented in the artwork.
The subject in art is basically the essence of the piece. To
determine subject matter in a particular piece of art, one may
be guided by the questions: What is actually depicted in this
artwork? What is the artist trying to express to the
world... What is his or her message? And how are they
conveying that message? In artwork, the subject matter
would be what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt.
The subject matter or topic is entirely up to the artist. Art is
really liberating in that sense. It allows you to say
whatever you want to say. Whether the message is
understood by others is another story, and whether the artist
discloses the meaning of it or not is also a personal choice.
Some artists don't like to assign a strict explanation of their
art so that they are not imposing on the viewers own
narrative and concept of the work. That allows it to be
more reflective or interactive if you like. It is nice to
contemplate something without being told what it is. Of
course there are some symbols that are archetypal and
commonly understood/interpreted by humanity in the same
way. Therefore symbols can be very powerful when trying
to convey a specific idea. Other times one doesn't have a
fixed idea when creating. Sometimes if I don't have a
particular subject I just start to paint with no plan. It is a
bit like meditation because through that process I am
outside myself viewing the process remotely...or that is
how I can best describe the experience anyway. I just let
my subconscious work away starting with patterns and
letting the colors and shapes suggest forms to me as I
go and then the panting reveals itself to me. It is fun
because it is a surprise to me also. Some artworks have
subjects and some do not. The art pieces which use a specific
subject is called representational art or objective art; while
those that have no subjects are called non-representational
or non-objective art. Representational art refers to art
which represents something, whether that be a tree in a
landscape, apple in a still life, or figure in a portrait. Or in
other words, it is art which is clearly identifiable as
something which already exists in life. Representational
art does not need to be a completely realistic depiction of the
subject; there will often be varying levels of abstraction.
(https://drawpaintacademy.com/) Representational Art is a
term that generally refers to a painting or sculpture that is
clearly recognizable for what it claims to be. It
references images such as a human form or a tree, and
although these images may not always be portrayed as true
to life in color or position, they are still recognizable to
the viewer. Representational Art depicts any identifiable
object or series of objects and their physical appearance
in reality. It is also referred to as Figurative Art, being
that it is derived from real object sources. Oftentimes,
representational artists act as observers, and interpret
what they see in their own way through their work.
Non-representational or non-objective art, on the
other hand, refers to compositions which do not rely
on representation or mimesis to any extent. Abstract art,
non figurative art, nonobjective art, and nonrepresentational
art are related terms that indicate a departure from
reality in the depiction of imagery in art. Meaning
in nonrepresentational art is highly subjective and can
be difficult to define. We can focus on the elements of
the artwork (form, shape, line, color, space, and texture) in
terms of the aesthetic value of the work, but the
meaning will always be personal to the viewer unless the
artist has made a statement about his or her intentions.
Generally, we can look at non-representational art as the
personal expression of an artist's subjective experience.
Certain movements have described their intentions as an aim
to evoke moods or emotions in the viewer.
Lesson 2: The Sources of Subject A learner, most of the time,
may imagine as to where an artist gets his inspiration from
with regard to how he produces a certain masterpiece. It is
noteworthy to remember that artists are unique both in
personal experiences and human attributes hence their
differences in the manner of creating art pieces or in
producing art works. As art is a way of man in expressing
himself, an artist’s choice of subject or the source of his
inspiration only explains his inner world and his personality in
general. With thi, it is noteworthy to present the sources of
artists’ inspiration in doing their works.
1.Nature. Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the
natural world, physical universe, material world or material
universe. “Nature” refers to the phenomena of the
physical world, and also to life in general.
2.People. They are considered the most interesting subject of
an artwork which may be real or imagined. An artist’s
thoughts, moods and even the genre of a certain art work
may be depicted by people by means of clues as
takeaways. People as subjects may be presented as
individuals or groups and may perform tasks as how they
do in their everyday life.
3.History. It is the depiction of factual events that
occured in the past whose purpose is either to remember
important events of long ago or to teach the learners about
the lessons of the past. Some of the examples of art
works with history as source of inspiration.
4. Legends. Artworks based on legends present to viewers of
the art something tangible even when unverified. Art brings
life to these stories.
.5.Religion. Religion has played an enormous role in inspiring
works of visual arts, music, architecture and literature
through ages. Artists used as inspiration the religious
texts as the Bible, Quran and Torah in conveying their ideas
and beliefs through their art works. It was also established
that art is considered the handmaid of religion.
5.Mythology. These are sources of subjects that come from
the stories of gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece, Rome,
Norse and Egyptians. These so called deities of the
mythological world depict present humanlike behaviours.
7.Dreams and Fantasy. The wonder of the unconscious is
what is being expressed by art works under this subject
source. These works of art somehow explain to the viewers
the content of the art piece including the hidden meaning
behind each work. The unconscious is being made to be
understood by this source of subject.
8.Technology. The modernity of the present is also an
inspiration being used by artists as a source of subject.
The wondrous use of machines, the towering skyscrapers,
state of the art robotics technology, top of the line
transportation machineries as cars, ships and motorcycles
to name a few are sources of subjects of interest under
technology.
Lesson 3: Ways of Presenting the Subject After the artist has
decided on the source of the subject of his artwork, he is now
ready to identify the method of how he wants his art work to
be presented to his viewers. Their choice of a method may
depend upon his expertise, exposure to certain art pieces or
simply of his personal preferences. The following are
some of the methods or ways on how an artist presents
his subject to his audience.
1.Naturalism. Naturalism in art refers to the depiction of
realistic objects in a natural setting. The Realist movement
of the 19th century advocated naturalism in reaction to the
stylized and idealized depictions of subjects in
Romanticism, but many painters have used a similar
approach over the centuries. Naturalism began in the
early Renaissance, and developed itself further
throughout the Renaissance, such as with the Florentine
School. Naturalism is a type of art that pays attention to very
accurate and precise details, and portrays things as they are.
2.Realism. Realism in the arts is generally the attempt to
represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality
and avoiding speculative fiction and supernatural
elements. Realism has been prevalent in the arts at many
periods, and can be in large part a matter of technique and
training, and the avoidance of stylization. In the visual
arts, illusionistic realism is the accurate depiction of
lifeforms, perspective, and the details of light and colour.
But realist or naturalist works of art may, as well or instead of
illusionist realism, be "realist" in their subject matter, and
emphasize the mundane, ugly or sordid.
3.Abstraction. Abstraction finds its roots in ‘intuition’ (of
the artist) and ‘freedom’ (for the artist as well as for the
viewer). It is the capability of the artist to use their
imagination to look beyond what we can physically see and
translate intangible emotions onto the canvas. It is also the
ability of the audience to then try to connect to the artist’s
intention and free their own mind of visual restrictions.
Historically, the abstract art movement emerged in the
nineteenth century as a reaction to academic painting or
realism. In fact, a very simple way to understand the essence
of abstract art is to think of it as a visual opposite of
realistic art. While realism pays attention to every tiny
fold or wrinkle, abstraction gives the artist the freedom to
trust their intuition to create art that is equally worthy of an
audience. (https://www.art-mine.com/) This is a method of
presenting the subject where the artist moves away from
reality. The artist usually alters the shapes and colors in
rendering a particular art piece. Abstraction may be in these
forms:
A.Distortion. Distortion is the alteration of the original shape
(or other characteristic) of something. In the art world, a
distortion is any change made by an artist to the size, shape
or visual character of a form to express an idea, convey
a feeling or enhance visual impact.
B.Elongation. Elongation is when the art subject is
lengthened, protracted or extended.
C.Mangling. Artists show the subject as cut, lacerated,
mutilated or hacked with repeated blows.
D.Cubism. This is the presentation of abstract figures through
the use of a cone, cylinder, sphere, triangle, square, cube and
circle in place of real pictorial elements.
4.Symbolism. This is the use of a visible sign of an idea to
convey to the viewers, readers or audiences the message of
his work. In this way, mystery is advocated by an art work
making it more interesting to the viewers. The key to
eliciting symbolic art involves studying the background and
personality of the artist and his inspiration in producing the
said piece of work.
5.Fauvism. Fauvism is the name applied to the work
produced by a group of artists (which included Henri
Matisse and André Derain) from around 1905 to 1910,
which is characterised by strong colours and fierce
brushwork. The name les fauves (‘the wild beasts’) was
coined by the critic Louis Vauxcelles when he saw the
work of Henri Matisse and André Derain in an exhibition,
the salon d’automne in Paris, in 1905. The paintings
Derain and Matisse exhibited were the result of a
summer spent working together in Collioure in the South
of France and were made using bold, non-naturalistic
colours (often applied directly from the tube), and wild loose
dabs of paint. The forms of the subjects were also
simplified making their work appear quite abstract.
6.Dadaism. Dadaism is a protest movement in the art
that is playful and experimental. “Dada” means a “hobby
horse”. Dadaism is most often nonsensical. Marcel Duchamp
is the famous painter using this method. It is considered a
revolt against tradition because it does not follow the
principles in art and shows the wickedness of society in
its presentation. The aim of this method is to shock and
provoke its viewers.
7.Futurism. This was developed in Italy about the same
time as cubism appeared in France. Futurist painters
wanted their works to capture the mechanical energy of
modern life.
8.Surrealism. This method mirrors the evils of the present
society. Surrealism means super realism, influenced by
Freudian psychology which emphasizes the activities of the
subconscious state of the mind. The art movement began in
Paris in 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton. It
emphasized the activities of the subconscious mind
mostly exemplifying violence and cruelty. The surrealist’s aim
is to reveal the deep and ugly part of human nature.
9.Expressionism. This features art works describing pathos,
morbidity, chaos or even defeat and was introduced in
Germany from 1900 – 1910. Expressionists believe that
man needs spiritual rebirth for him to correct defects that
ruin the society.
Unit 3 The Artist and His Medium
Lesson 1 - The Process of Art Production Production is at
the heart of making art. Artists and theorists have
long acknowledged its importance as both an artistic action
and an idea to be explored. And as the role of production
has shifted in our lives, so have the ways in which
artists have responded to it. While some contemporary
artists foreground production as a tool, others use their
work to explore ideas around production we might otherwise
overlook. It can refer to the making of something, or to a final
product, like a theatrical performance. It can be the process
of bringing a song or musical to life or honing that work to
perfection. Production might bring out images of factory
production lines, or even the theories of scientists and
philosophers after the mind has conceived it through a
certain process.
A.Medium When an artist is ready to express himself in art
and to give shape to his vision, his first thought would be on
what medium to use.
B.The Technique The technique of the artwork shows the
level of familiarity with the medium being manipulated.
C.Curation Derived from the word “curare” which means to
take care. It is a process that involves managing, overseeing
and assembling or putting together a presentation or
exhibit for some type of artistic collection. Lesson 2 - The
Different Media of the Visual Arts
I.Graphic or Two-Dimensional Arts
A.Drawing The fundamental skill needed in the visual arts.
a.Different Media for Drawing:
1. Pencils- Made of graphite which comes in different
hardness from soft to hard or thickness from thick to needle-
like. i.Shading Techniques: ✔Hatching- A series of thin
parallel lines that run in the same direction.✔Cross-hatching-
A series of thin parallel lines and criss-crossing it with another
set of tin parallel lines.✔Stippling- Uses the sharp point of
the pencil to make dot patterns in some parts of the
drawing.✔Blending- May be accomplished by using the
finger or a paper stump to gradually change the tone from
dark to light.
2. Ink- It is one of the oldest materials for drawing that is still
in use. It allows for a great variety of qualities, depending on
the tools and technique used in the application.
3.Pastel- This is composed of dry pigment held together by a
gum binder and compressed into sticks.
3 Kinds of Pastel: Soft Pastel ✔Hard Pastel ✔Oil Pastel
ii.Pastel Techniques: ✔Stippling- Using pastel of different
colors to produce small marks, thus, creating a
pattern.✔Feathering- Using the point of the pastel to make
parallel strokes creating a feather-like effect.✔Scumbling- It
is like layering but using pastel. The side of the pastel is lightly
drawn on top of an existing color but still making the color of
the first layer visible.✔Impasto- The technique of thickly
applying the pastel by pressing it hard on the paper creating
an opaque effect.✔Sgraffito- Technique that applies a thick
deposit of pastel on the support then using a blunt pen,
scrapes it off to reveal the underlying color.4. Charcoal- An
organic medium that comes from burnt wood.
2 Kinds of Charcoal: ✔Compressed Charcoal- The vine
charcoal which comes in thin sticks that is easy to blend and
erase.✔Manufactured Charcoal- Made from loose charcoal
mixed with a binder and pressed into sticks.5.Paper- The
most common surface used in two-dimensional art.i.3 Types
of Paper: ✔Hot-pressed Paper- Smooth
✔Rough Paper- Has the most texture (tooth).B.Painting It is
the process of applying paint onto a smooth surface
(ground/support) like paper, cloth, canvas, wood or plaster.
a.Pigment- Part of the paint that gives color.
b.Different Media for Painting:
1.Watercolor- Pigments are mixed with water and applied to
paper.
2 .Gouache- The pigment has been mixed with water and
added with a chalk-like material to give it an opaque effect.
.3 Oil Paints- Pigments are mixed with oil as its binder. It is a
dense painting medium and gives rich, beautiful colors.
Discovered by a Flemish painter, Jan Van Eyck in the 15th
century.
4.Tempera- Pigment is mixed with egg yolk (sometimes with
the white) as binder.
5.Fresco- Pigment is mixed with water and applied on a
portion of the wall with wet plaster. It is used for mural
paintings.
6 .Acrylic- Modern medium with synthetic paint using acrylic
emulsion as binder
C.Mosaic Wall or floor decorations made of small tiles or
irregularly cut pieces of colored stones or glass called
tesserae.
E.Printmaking Process used for making reproductions of
graphic works. Allows for the repeated transfer of a master
image from a printing plate (matrix) onto a surface.
Printmaking Techniques:
1.Relief Painting (Raised)- The oldest method of printmaking.
The technique involves cutting away certain parts of the
surface and leaving the ‘raised’ part to produce the image.
2.Intaglio Printing (Depressed)- Instead of the surface of the
plate for the image, the lines of the image are cut or incised
to a metal plate.
3.Surface Printing (Flat)- Includes all processes in which
printing is done from a flat surface
.II.Plastic or Three-Dimensional Arts
A.Sculpture Originated from the Latin word “sculpere” which
means to carve . It is defined as the art or practice of creating
three-dimensional forms or figures.
a.3 Kinds of Sculptures:
1.Freestanding- Sculptures which can be viewed from all
sides.
2.Relief- Sculptures in which the figures project from a
background.
Two Variations of Relief Sculpture:
✔Low Relief (bas relief)- Figures are slightly raised/projected
from its background.
✔High Relief- Almost half of the figures project from its
background, more shadows are created
4.Kinetic (mobile)- A sculpture that is capable of movement
by wind, water or other forms of energy.
Lesson 3 - The Process of Creating Sculptures
A.Subtractive Process Involves removing or cutting away
pieces of the material to form the figure.
B.Additive Process The process involves the construction of a
figure by putting together bits of the material or by welding
together metal parts to create figures.
C.Process of Substitution This process is also known as
casting. This method involves using a mold to produce a 3D
figure in another material.
D.Different Media of Sculpture:
a.Stone- A natural medium.Hard and relatively permanent.
b. Wood- Also a natural medium. It varies in hardness and
durability depending on the kind of tree it came from.
c.Metal- It has three unique qualities: tensile strength, ductility
and malleability.
d.Plaster- It is finely ground gypsum mixed with water and
poured into mold.
e.Terra cotta (cooked earth)- Baked clay or clay fired in a kiln at
a relatively high temperature
.f.Glass- Made by heating and cooling a combination of sand and
soda lime
.g.Plastic- Synthetic medium made from organic polymers.
Lesson 4 – Architecture
Art of designing buildings and other structures which will
serve a definite function.
.Construction Principles
a.Post and Lintel- Makes use of two vertical supports (post)
and spanned by a horizontal beam (lintel). It was invented by
the Greeks.
b.Arch- A Roman invention that consists of separate pieces of
wedge-shaped blocks called voussoirs arranged in a semi-
circle
.i. Structures that can be Built from the Principle of Arch:
✔Barrel Vault- A succession of arches.
✔Groin Vault- A structure that is formed by intersecting
arches resulting in four openings
.✔Dome- Structure with the shape of an inverted cup.
c.Truss- System of triangular forms assembled to form a rigid
framework.
d.Cantilever- A structure that makes use of a beam or slab
that extends horizontally into space beyond its supporting
post.
e.Buttress- A structure that is built as a support for the wall.
Lesson 5 - Media of Architecture
A.Compressive Strength- Refers to those materials that can
support heavy weights without crumbling or breaking down.
B..Materials that are used for Creating Building and
Infrastructures:
a.Stones and Bricks- Stones are favored over other materials
for its durability, adaptability to sculptural treatment and its
use for building simple structures in its natural state.
b.Lumber (wood)- All parts of a building can be constructed
using wood except the foundations.
c.Iron and Steel- Provide stronger and taller structures with
less use of material when compared to stone or wood.
d.Concrete- Mixture of cement and water, with aggregates of
sand and gravel.
Lesson 6 - Literature and the Combined Arts
A.Literature Art of combining spoken or written words and
their meanings into forms which have artistic and emotional
appeal
.Types of Literature
a.Poetry- It used to follow strict rules s to the number and
length of lines and stanzas but in recent years they have
become more free-flowing
b.Fiction- Written work that is not real and which uses
elaborate figurative language.
c.Non-fiction- Subject matter comes from real life
.d.Drama- Includes all plays or any written works that are
meant to be performed.
Lesson 7 - Music, Media in Music, some Genres of Music
A.Music Defined as the art of combining and regulating
sounds of varying pitch to produce compositions that express
various ideas and feelings
B.Media in Music
a.Vocal Medium- The oldest and most popular medium for
music is the human voice.i. Classification of Human Voice
(Komien,2008):
✔Soprano- Highest female singing voice
.✔Contralto- Female singing voice that is low and rich in
quality.
✔Tenor- Highest adult male singing voice.
✔Bass- Male singing voice that is low and rich in quality
✔Baritone- Male singing voice that is between tenor and
bass.b.Instrumental Medium- Materials that produce/create
soundi.
Traditional Instruments of Music:
✔String Instruments- Provide basic orchestral sounds.
Two kinds are: Bowed strings that produce tones by means of
a bow of horse hair and Plucked strings that produce tones by
plucking the strings with a finger or with a plectrum held in
one’s hand.
✔Woodwind Instruments- Create sounds by blowing into
them
.✔Brass Instruments- Have cup-shaped mouthpieces and
expands into a bell-shaped end
.✔Percussion Instruments- Makes sound by hitting them
.✔Keyboard Instruments- Make sound by means of a
keyboard which consist of a series of black and white keys
.C.Some Genres of Music:
a.Classical Music- European tradition that covered the years
of 1750 to 1830. Forms such as the symphony, concerto, and
sonata were standardized
.b. Folk Music- Originated in the traditional popular culture or
is written in such a style.
c. Pop Music- Began in the 1950s and is inspired in the
tradition of rock and roll.
d. Jazz- Originated in the African-American communities in
the late 19th and early 20thcenturies.
e. Blues- Originated from the African Americans in the deep
South of the United States in the late 19th Century.
f. Rock Music- Form of popular music that evolved from rock
and roll and pop music.
g. Alternative Music- A style of rock music that emerged from
the independent music of the 1980s and gained popularity in
the 1990s.
Lesson 8 - Dance, Types of Dance
A.Dance Is said to be the oldest of the arts. It is the man’s
gestures that express emotions through rhythmic
movements.
B.Types of Dance:
a.Ethnologic (ethnic)- Includes folk dances associated with
national and/or cultural groups.
b.Social or Ballroom- Type of dancing that are generally
performed in pairs.
c.Ballet- Originated in the royal courts of the Medieval era.
d.Social or Ballroom- Sometimes called contemporary or
interpretative dances. They represent rebellion against the
classical formalism of ballet
.e.Musical Comedy (musicale)- Refers to those dances
performed by one dancer or a group of dancers
Lesson 9 - Drama and Theatre and Genres of Drama
A.Drama Genre of literature that is intended to be acted-out
or performed on stage in front of an audience.
B.Theatre Combined art that includes music, dance, painting,
sculpture, and architecture.
C.Genres of Drama (DiYanni, 2000):
a.Tragedy- literature’s greatest dramatic genre.
b.Melodrama- Emphasizes the never ending battle between
good and evil wherein good always wins.
c.Comedy- Exact opposite of tragedy.
d.Satire- Portrays human weakness and criticized human
behavior to pave the path to some form of salvation for
human actions.
e.Farce- Light humorous play in which the emphasis is on the
jokes, humorous physical action, exaggerated situations and
improbable characters.
Lesson 10 - Cinema, Genres of Motion Pictures and People
Behind Motion Pictures
A.Cinema Series of images that are projected onto a screen to
create the illusion of motion
. B.Genres of Motion Pictures:
a.Feature Films- Commonly shown in movie theaters.
b.Animated movies- Use images created by artists/
animators.
c.Documentary movies- deal primarily with facts, not fiction.
d.Experimental films- Sequence of images, literal or abstract,
which do not necessarily form a narrative
.e.Educational Films- Specifically intended to facilitate
learning at home or classrooms.
C.People Behind a Motion Picture
a.Actors-Play the roles of the characters
.b.Producer- handles finances
.c.Screenwriter- develops stories and ideas for the screen or
adapts interesting written pieces of work as motion pictures
.d.Director- Studies the script, plans and visualizes how the
film should be portrayed and guides the actors and the
production crew as they carry out the project.