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Art Appreciation

Course Title: ART APPRECIATION

Unit 1: Introduction to Art Appreciation

Lesson 1 What is Art: Introduction and Assumption
By the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Understand the role of humanities and arts in man’s attempt and fully
realizing his end;
2. Clarify misconceptions of the art;
3. Characterize the assumptions of arts; and
4. Engage better with personal experiences of and in art.

Art is something that is perennially around us. Some people may deny
having to do with the arts but it is indisputable that life presents us with many
forms of and opportunities for communion with the arts. A bank manager
choosing what tie to wear together with his shirt and shoes, a student marveling
at the intricate designs of a medieval cathedral during his field trip, and a market
vendor cheering for her bet in a dance competition on a noontime TV program all
manifest concern for values that are undeniably, despite tangentially, artistic.
This lesson is about the yearning for the beautiful, the appreciation of the
all- consuming beauty around us, and some preliminary clarifications on
assumptions that people hold about art.
The word “art” comes from the ancient Latin, ars, which means a “craft or
specialized form of skill, like carpentry or surgery: (Collingwood, 1938).
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Art Appreciation

Cave Paintings

ASSUMPTION OF ART

Art Is Universal
In every country and in every generation, there is always art. Oftentimes,
people feel that what is considered artistic are only those which have been made
long time ago. This is a misconception. Age is not a factor in determining art. An
“art is not good because it is old, but old because it is good”.(Dudley et al,. 1960)
The first assumption then about the humanities is that art has been crafted
by all people regardless of origin, time, place and that it stayed on because it is
liked and enjoyed by people continuously. Art will always be present because
human beings will always express themselves and delight in these expressions.
Men will continue to use art while art persists and never gets depleted.

The Elephant and the Blind Men

Art is Not Nature

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Art Appreciation

One important characteristics of art is that is not nature. Art is man’s

expression of his reception of nature. Art is man’s way of interpreting nature.
Art is not nature, Art is made by man, whereas nature is given around us.

Art involves experience.

By experience, we mean the “actual doing of something” (Dubley et al.,
1960). When one says that he has an experience of something, he often means
that he know what that something is about. Dubley et al (1960) affirmed that “(a)
ll art depends on experience, and if one is to know art, he must know it not as fact
or information but as experience.

Rizal Park Monument

SUMMARY
Humanities and the art have always been part of man’s growth and civilization.
Since the dawn of time, man has always tried to express his innermost thoughts
and feelings about reality through creating art. Three assumptions on art ar its
universality, it is not being nature, and its need for experience. Art is present in
every part of the globe and in every period of time. This is what is meant by its
universality. Art is not being nature, not even attempting to simply mirror
nature, is the second assumption about art. Art is always a creation of the artist,
not nature. Finally, without experience, there is no art. The artist has to be
foremost, a perceiver who is directly in touch with art.
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Art Appreciation

ACTIVITY 1A
Choose one artwork under each given category that are familiar with. Criticize
each using the guide questions provided.
Categories:
a. Movie
b. Novel
c. Music
d. Dance
e. An architectural structure
Category: __Movies____
Artwork:____Instertellar________
1. What is it about? It's a sci-fi drama film rom Christopher Nolan, about a
scientist trying to save the planet earth.
2. What it is for? For family, individual and people that doesn't care about
environment
3. What is it made of? Made from creative production and special effects to
reach the decent visuals.
4. What is its style? Sci-fi, Adventure, Drama, Epic, Mystery
5. How are you going to describe it to other for them to see? It's a worth
watching and unique film that may catch everyone's attention because ot
the depths of the story.

LESSON 2 ART APPRECIATION: CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION AND EXPRESSION

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Differentiate art from nature;
2. Characterize artistic expression based on personal experience with art;
3. Discuss the nature of art’s preliminary expression; and
4. Categorize works of art by citing personal experiences.
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Art Appreciation

ART APPRECIATION AS A WAY OF LIFE

In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise and
develop his taste for things that are fine and beautiful. This allows
individuals to make intelligent choices and decisions in acquiring
necessities and luxuries, knowing what gives better value for time or
money while taking into consideration the aesthetic and practical value (
Collins & Riley, 1931)
THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY IN ART MAKING

In art, creativity is what sets apart one artwork

from another. We say something is done creatively when we have not yet seen
anything like it or when it is out of the ordinary. A creative artist does not simply
copy or imitate another artist’s work. He does not imitate the lines, flaws, colors,
and patterns in creating nature. He embraces originality, puts his own flavor into
his work, and calls in his own creative piece.
ART AS A PRODUCT OF IMAGINATION, IMAGINATION AS A PRODUCT OF ART
German physicist Albert Einstein who had made significant and major
contributions in science and humanity demonstrated that knowledge is
actually derived from imagination. He emphasized this idea through his
words: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge
is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination
embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and
understand”. Through imagination, one is able to craft something bold,
something new, and something better in the hopes of creating
something that will stimulate change. Imagination allows endless
possibilities. Artist use their imagination that gives birth to reality
through creation. In the same way that imagination produces art, art
also inspires imagination.
ART AS EXPRESSSION
Expression, on the other hand, individualizes. An artist has the freedom
to express himself the way he wants to. Hence, there is not specific
technique in expression. This makes people’s art not a reflection of
what is outside or external to them, but a reflection of their inner selves.
There are countless ways of expressing oneself through art. The
following list includes, but is not limited to, popular art expressions.
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Art Appreciation

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa

VISUAL ARTS
Creations that fall under this category are those that appeal to the sense
of sight and are mainly visual in nature. Some mediums of visual arts
include paintings, drawings, letterings, printing, sculptures, digital
imaging and more.

1997 American epic romance and disaster film 

FILM
Film refers to the art of putting together succession of still images in
order to create an illusion of movement. Films can be created by using
one or a combination of some or all of these techniques: motion picture
camera, animation techniques, computer generated imagery and more.
PERFORMANCE ART
Performance art is a live art and the artist’s medium is mainly the
human body which he or she uses to perform, but also employs other
kind of art such as visual art, props, or sound. It usually consists of four
important elements: time, where the performance took place, the
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Art Appreciation

performer’s or performer’s body, and a relationship between the

audience and the performer/s (Moma Learning, n.d.)
POETRY PERFORMANCE
Poetry is an art form where the artist expresses his emotions not by
using paint, charcoal, or camera, but expresses them through words.
Some poets eve make poems even make poems out of their emotions
picked up from other works of art, which in turn produce another work
of art through poetry.

The Grand Theatre de Bordeaux

ARCHITECTURE
Buildings should embody these three important elements- plan,
construction, and design- if they wish to merit the title architecture
(Collins & Riley, 1931)

OLGA SPESSIVA IN SWAN LAKE COSTUME

DANCE
Dance is a series of movement that follows the rhythm of the music
accompaniment.
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LITERARY ART
Literary art goes beyond the usual professional, academic, journalistic,
and other technical forms of writing.

William Shakespeare
THEATER
Theater uses the live performers to present accounts or imaginary
events before a live audience. Theater art performances usually follow
a script. Much like in filmmaking, theaters also considers several
elements such as acting, gesture, lighting, sound effects, musical scores,
scenery and props. Some genres of theater include drama, musical,
tragedy, comedy and improvisation.

APPLIED ARTS
Industrial design, interior design, and graphic design are considered
applied arts. Applied is often compared to fine arts, where the latter is
chiefly concerned on aesthetic value.
SUMMARY
Art is a product of a man’s creativity, imagination and expression.
Creativity is what sets apart one artwork from another. While through
imagination, an artist is able to craft something bold, something new,
and something better in the hopes of creating something that will
stimulate change. Lastly through expression, an artist is able to explore
his own emotions while at the same time, create something beautiful
out of it.
Some forms of art expression include visual art, film, performance art,
poetry performance, architecture, dance, literary arts, theater arts, and
applied arts.
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Art Appreciation

LESSON 3 FUNCTIONS AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ART

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Distinguish between directly functional and indirectly functional art;
2. Realize the function of some art forms in daily life; and
3. Apply concepts and theories on beauty and aesthetics in real life
scenarios.

Aristotle
Greek philosopher Aristotle claimed that every particular substance in the world
has an end or telos in Greek, which translate into “purpose”.

Activity 1B
Using the table, write down five different artworks that you have seen.
On the second column, identify what it is for. You can either research
this or surmise intelligently.
ARTWORK WHAT IS IT FOR?

1.Mona Lisa Half-length portrait painting by

Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci.
Considered an archetypal
masterpiece of the Italian
Renaissance, it has been described
as "the best known, the most
visited, the most written about,
the most sung about, the most
parodied work of art in the
world".
2.The Starry Night The Starry Night is an oil-on-
canvas painting by the Dutch Post-
Impressionist painter Vincent van
Gogh. Painted in June 1889, it
depicts the view from the east-
facing window of his asylum room
at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, just
before sunrise, with the addition
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Art Appreciation

of an imaginary village.
3.The Last Supper The Last Supper is a late 15th-
century mural painting by Italian
artist Leonardo da Vinci housed by
the refectory of the Convent of
Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan,
Italy. It is one of the Western
world's most recognizable
paintings.
4.Salvador Mundi Salvator Mundi is a painting
attributed in whole or in part to
the Italian High Renaissance artist
Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c.
1499–1510.
5.The Thinker The Thinker is a bronze sculpture
by Auguste Rodin, usually placed
on a stone pedestal. The work
depicts a nude male figure of
heroic size sitting on a rock. He is
seen leaning over, his right elbow
placed on his left thigh, holding
the weight of his chin on the back
of his right hand.

FUNCTIONS OF ART
When one speaks of function, one is practically talking about the use of
the object whose function is in question. An inquiry on the function of
art is an inquiry on what art is for. Alternatively, the answer to the
question” what is if for” is the function of whatever “it” in the questions
refer to.

Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, a massive mausoleum of white marble built I Agra was constructed
in memory of the favorite wife of the then emperor, Shah Jahan.
The two masterpieces of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo served as a catechist for Filipino revolutionaries to
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Art Appreciation

gather strength in rejecting the oppressive forces of the Spaniards in the

Philippines.
PERSONAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
The personal functions of art are varied and highly subjective. This means
that its functions depend on the person-the artist who created the art. An artist
may create an art out of the need for self-expression. Art may also be
therapeutic, it is used to help residents process their emotions or whole away
their time.

An Adult Coloring Book

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
Art is considered to have a social function if and when it addresses a particular
collective interest as opposed to a personal interest. Political art is a very
common example of an art with a social function. Art may convey message of
protest, contestation or whatever message the artist intends his work to carry.

A Japanese Raku Bowl

PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS OF ART
The physical functions of art are the easiest to spot and understand. The physical
functions of art can be found in artworks that are craft in orders to serve some
physical purpose.

OTHER FUNCTIONS OF ART

Music as an art is also interesting to talk about in relation to function.
Music in its original form was principally functional. Music was used for dance
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Art Appreciation

and religion. Sculpture, on the other hand, is another functional art form that
has long existed for various purposes.
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ART
1. Art as an Imitation
2. Art as a Representation
3. Art as a Disinterested Judgment
4. Art as a Communication of Emotion

SUMMARY
The different functions of art may be classified as either personal, social or
physical. An art’s function is personal if it depends on the artist herself or
sometimes still, the audience of the art. There is a social function in art if
the when it has a particular social function, when it addresses a collective
need of a group of people. Physical function, finally, has something to do
with direct, tangible uses of art. Not all products of art have functions.
This should not disqualify them as art though. As mentioned and
elucidated by some of the most important thinkers in history, art may serve
either as imitation, representation, a disinterested judgment, or simply a
communication of emotion.

LESSON 4 SUBJECT AND CONTENT

By the end of this lesson, should be able to:
1. Differentiate representational art and non-representational art;
Painting, sculpture, and other artforms can be divided into the
categories of representational (sometimes also called figurative art
although it doesn’t always contain figures), abstract and
nonrepresentational art. Representational art describes artworks—
particularly paintings and sculptures–that are clearly derived from
real object sources, and therefore are by definition representing
something with strong visual references to the real world
2. Identify the subject matter and content of specific examples of art;
and Subject matter: An artwork's subject matter is what the images
or object literally represents. Content: The content is what the
artwork means.
3. Enumerate the sources of the subjects of some of the most recognize
works of art in the Philippine art history. Spoliarium by Juan Luna.
Spoliarium—a gigantic painting more than 4 meters high and 7.5
meters wide, making it the largest painting in the Philippines—is
among the most Philippine historical paintings. The famous artist in
the Philippines behind this painting is Juan Luna. Although the
painting does not portray any historical event or figure, this famous
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Art Appreciation

painting in the Philippines is considered an important symbol of the

Philippine revolution. You can see Spoliarium at the National
Museum of Fine Arts.
SUBJECT IN ART
Subject refers to the visual focus or the image that may be extracted from
examining the artwork, while content is the meaning that is communicated by the
artist or the artwork. Finally, the development and configuration of the artwork-
how the elements and the medium or material are put together-is the form. In
simpler terms, the subject is seen as the “what”, the content is the “why” and the
for is the “how”.
TYPES OF SUBJECT

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa

Portraits such the “Mona Lisa” are good examples of what is called
Representational art. These types of art have subjects that refers to objects or
events occurring in the real world. Often, it is also termed “figurative art, because
as the names suggests, the figures depicted are easy to make out and decipher.

Jackson Pollock, detail of Number 1A

On the other hand, seeing a painting that has nothing in it but continuous
drips of paint as something that anyone with access to materials can easily make.
There were no clear figures that jot out from the canvas, there were only drips
and splashes. This kind of work can be subsume under the category of non-
representational. As the opposite of the previously discussed type of subject,
non – representational art is also often termed non- figurative art.
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SOURCES AND KIND OF SUBJECT

A good starting point is, of course, the nature. Artists through history have
explored diverse ways of representing nature from plants to animals; the qualities
of bodies of water and the terrain of landmasses. And even the perceivable cycles
of and changing of seasons. Other artist with a considerable number of
landscapes and seascapes as sources.

Fernando Amorsolo, Planting Rice

CONTENT IN ART
To take on the challenge of understanding the content of art, it must be
reiterated that there are various levels of meaning. Perhaps the most common is
what we call factual meaning. This pertains to the most rudimentary level of
meaning for it may be extracted from the identifiable or recognizable forms in the
artwork and understanding how these elements relate to one another.
Conventional meaning, on the other hand, pertains to the acknowledged
interpretation of the artwork using motifs, signs, symbols as basis of its meaning.
Perceptions and meaning are always informed by a manifold or context:
what we know; what we learned; what we experiences, and the values we stand
for. It is therefore expected that meaning may not be singular; rather, a painting
may communicate multiple meanings to its many viewers. This is what we call
subjective meaning of art.
SUMMARY
As was discussed in this chapter, one may begin by looking at perceivable features
of the artwork. Taking note of what is apparent will provide clues as to what the
intended meaning of the artist might be. Knowing more about the context of its
creation-from the artist’s inspiration, reference or source, will prove useful in
understanding the meaning of the artwork. However, one must forget that each
viewer is armed with his or her experience, background and education. These
will assist in fleshing out different levels of meaning that may be derived from the
artwork. These might not be as evident as say, the figures depicted on the
surface; however, these alternative readings contribute to the significance of the
artwork.

LESSON 5 ELEMENTS AND PRICIPLES OF ART

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
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1. Enumerate the different elements of visual and auditory art Auditory art
is music except for songs or opera. While the medium of visual art is sound,
the medium of auditory art is sound. In this group, there are no real objects
that can be viewed and or touched.
2. Differentiate the principles of art; Balance: The balance in a piece of art
refers to the distribution of weight or the apparent weight of the piece.
Arches are built for structural design and to hold the roof in place, allowing
for passage of people below the arch and creating balance visually and
structurally. It may be the illusion of art that can create balance. Contrast:
Contrast is defined as the difference in colors to create a piece of visual art.
For instance, black and white is a known stark contrast and brings vitality to
a piece of art, or it can ruin the art with too much contrast. Contrast can
also be subtle when using monochromatic colors, giving variety and unity
the final piece of art. Emphasis: Emphasis can be color, unity, balance, or
any other principle or element of art used to create a focal point. Artists
will use emphasis like placing a string of gold in a field of dark purple. The
color contrast between the gold and dark purple causes the gold lettering
to pop out, becoming the focal point. Rhythm/Movement: Rhythm in a
piece of art denotes a type of repetition used to either demonstrate
movement or expanse. For instance, in a painting of waves crashing, a
viewer will automatically see the movement as the wave finishes. The use
of bold and directional brushwork will also provide movement in a painting.
Proportion/Scale: Proportion is the relationship between items in a
painting, for example, between the sky and mountains. If the sky is more
than two-thirds of the painting, it looks out of proportion. The scale in art is
similar to proportion, and if something is not to scale, it can look odd. If
there is a person in the picture and their hands are too large for their body,
then it will look out of scale. Artists can also use scale and proportion to
exaggerate people or landscapes to their advantage. Unity and variety: In
art, unity conveys a sense of completeness, pleasure when viewing the art,
and cohesiveness to the art, and how the patterns work together brings
unity to the picture or object. As the opposite of unity, variety should
provoke changes and awareness in the art piece. Colors can provide unity
when they are in the same color groups, and a splash of red can provide
variety. Pattern: Pattern is the way something is organized and repeated in
its shape or form and can flow without much structure in some random
repetition. Patterns might branch out similar to flowers on a plant or form
spirals and circles as a group of soap bubbles or seem irregular in the
cracked, dry mud. All works of art have some sort of pattern even though it
may be hard to discern; the pattern will form by the colors, the illustrations,
the shape, or numerous other art methods.
3. Provide examples of the interrelatedness of some of the elements and
principles of art.
Proportion have their alignment with Uniity and Variety, since these three
needs to apply carefully by the artist to creat their desire art.
ELEMENTS OF ART:VISUAL
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LINE- a line refers to a pint moving at an identifiable path-it has length and
direction. It also has width and one-dimensional .
1. Horizontal and vertical lines
2. Diagonal and crooked lines
3. Curved lines

SHAPE AND FORM

Shape refers to two dimensions, height and width.
Form refers to three dimensions, height, width and depth
1. Geometric

Piet Mondrian, Composition with Color Planes and Gray Lines

2. Organic

SPACE- it is usually inferred from a sense of depth, whether it is real or

simulated. Real space is three-dimensional.
1. Positive and negative space
2. Three-dimensional space

COLOR- this element is a property of light, as it is reflected off the object.

A ray of sunlight passing through a prism reveals an array of colors akin to
that of a rainbow.
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Hue – this dimension of color gives its name.

Primary colors-red, yellow and blue
Secondary colors- green, orange and violet
Tertiary colors- six in total, these hues are achieved when
primary and secondary colors are mixed

Value- this refers to the brightness and darkness of color

Light colors – taken as the source of light in the composition
Dark colors- the lack or even absence of light
Tint – this is a lighter color than the normal value
Shade – this the darker color than the normal value

Intensity –this is the color’s brightness or dullness

Bright or warm colors- positive energy
Dull or cool colors- sedate/soothing, seriousness or calm
Monochromatic harmonies- use the variation of a hue
Complimentary harmonies- involve two colors opposite each
other in the color wheel.
Analogous harmonies – make use of two colors beside each
other in the color wheel

Edvard Munch, “ The Scream”

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Texture- this element in an artwork is experienced through the sense of

touch (and sight)

ELEMENTS OF ART: AUDITORY

Rhythm – is the element of music that situates in in time
Dynamics- refers to the loudness or quietness of music
Melody- refers to the liner presentation ( horizontal ) of pitch
Harmony – If melody is horizontal, harmony is vertical
Timbre- it is a quality that distinguishes a voice or an instrument from
another.
Texture- the number of melodies, the type of layers and their
relatedness in a composition is the texture of the music.

PRINCIPLES OF ART
Balance- refers to the distribution of the visual elements in view of
their replacement to each other.
1. Symmetrical-the elements used on one side are reflected to
the other.

Guillermo Tolentino, UP Oblation Statue

2. Asymmetrical- the elements are not the same(or of the
same weight) on each side, putting the heaviness on one
side
3. Radial- there is a central point in the composition, around
which elements and objects re distributed
Scale-pertains to the size in relation to what is normal for the figure
or object in question.
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Art Appreciation

Proportion- is the size of the components, or of objects in relation to

one another when taken as a composition or a unit.

Leonardo da Vinci, Vitruvian Man

Emphasis- allows the attention of the viewer to a focal point(s) accentuating or

drawing attention to these elements or objects.
Contrast- is the disparity between the elements that figure into the composition.
Unity – composition are intended to imbue a sense of accord or completeness
form the artwork.
Variety - is the principle that aims to retain the interest by allowing patches or
areas that both excite and allow eye to rest.
Harmony- the elements or objects achieve a sense of flow and
interconnectedness.
Movement- refers to the direction of the viewing eye as it goes through the art
work.
Rhythm- is created when an element is repeated, creating implied movement.
Repetition-lines, shapes, colors and other elements may appear in an artwork in a
recurring manner and this is called repetition.
Pattern- the images created out of repetition is called pattern.

SUMMARY
The elements and principles of art are essential to any artwork.
Some of them will be more obvious than others, becoming the
anchors in which the viewer may latch on to engage with the
artwork.
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Art Appreciation

Textbook:
Caslib/Garing/Casaul, Art Appreciation. First Edition; Book Store Publishing.

Internet Sources:
https://www.google.com

https://www.freepick.com
http://pixabay.com