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Arts appreciation
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CHAPTER 1
In this module, you shall be able to have a basic introduction of what the
course is all about. Primarily, you will get to know what is the technical definition of
the term ‘art appreciation’ and what is its significance as a part of your course
undertaking.

It is said that through art we are able to open up the perception and mindset
of individuals as we listen to various interpretations of a particular art. In this case,
the various assumptions and nature of art will also be tackled. You will then find out
how people can have multiple associations and perceptions, to the point of neglect,
on art.

As you reach the final part of

this module, you are to look into the
philosophical significance of art as
stated by classic thinkers who
established a prominent figure in the
society. Through this, you will also
know that art has a profound
communicative function as it contains
cognitive, social and moral substance
which you may be able to find out
through the Gestalt Principles.
[Untitled image of a woman with colors on her face]. (n.d.).
Ultimately, you will find out that throug h art, people are able to communicate their
https://bit.ly/3IQ2DP9

feelings, their infinitely varied ideas, and most intimate thoughts.

Take that deep breath and buckle up as you enter the world of art, and most of
all, enjoy!

Course Learning Outcomes:

CLO 1 Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of arts in general,
including their function, value and historical significance
CLO 2 Analyze and appraise works of art based on aesthetic value, historical
context, tradition, and social relevance
CLO 3 Create their own works of art and curate their own production or exhibit.
CLO 4 Utilizing art for self-expression and for promoting advocacies.
COL 5 Discover and deepen their identity through art with respect to their
nationality, culture, and religion.

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LESSON 1
What is Art Appreciation
Art is a necessary component of our existence. It pervades every part of our
lives and selves. We will be discussing the topic of art appreciation in this course.
The phrase "art appreciation" refers to the understanding of the universal and
timeless elements that distinguish all great art. It's commonly used to describe the
study of visual art forms or the introduction of basic visual literacy principles.
It refers to the analysis of an artwork's form for public audiences in hopes of
improving their appreciation of such works of art. It can be studied independently
from its subject matter, symbolism, or historical background. Art appreciation can be
personal and influenced by personal inclinations for aesthetics and form, or it can be
objective and based on a number of design features and principles, as well as
cultural and social acceptance.
Most contemporary art commentators and art historians avoid to use this
word because they believe it implies that art appreciation requires insufficient critical
thought. This should never be treated lightly, as we are constantly surrounded by art
in our everyday lives and exemplify art in its purest form.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to be able to achieve the following:
A. Appreciate the role of art in an attempt to fully realize man’s end
B. Clarify misconceptions of art

Let Us Engage on This!

Reflect and respond to the comprehension questions based on the following
quotation. Do this in your worksheet:
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
Thomas Merton
1. What is the message of the quotation?
2. Do you agree with the statement of Merton?
3. Cite a specific life experience where you found and lost yourself in art.

Paintings, sculptures, architecture, design, and, more recently, digital art, all
fall under the umbrella of art among others. Art can be enjoyed by everybody, and
because it is subjective, different art forms appeal to different people. Art
appreciation, on the other hand, refers to the study and appreciation of the various

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art forms to which we are exposed. It can be very subjective, based on an individual's
preferences and personal tastes, or objective, based on factors such as the piece's
design and mastery. A closer investigation into the piece's context, historical
implication, and background, as well as a study of its roots, is part of art appreciation.
Art is derived from the Latin word ars, which means "trade or specialized type
of skill, such as carpentry, smithy, or surgery."

Art
encompasses
varied genre and
color. Its basic
goal is to present
a message and
inflict a thought
from its audience

Taggart, J. [Digital image]. (n.d.). https://norsubayawan.com/elearning/

An artist’s ultimate goal is to produce an art that can speak and connect to its
audience on an intimate level and is to be interpreted in various ways. Given that
there is an influx of styles and trends at a rapid pace in the dynamic world of art, an
artist absolutely needs to connect to its target audience in the most effective way. An
artwork aims to tap the subconscious of any person who sees and experience it.
There are various reasons why art appreciation is so significant in one’s life. It
is an avenue to study about the time period and history of the art piece when it was
created. In another perspective, an artist oftentimes reflects their own struggles and
social challenges. In this way, we will be able to comprehend such societal
happenings by putting ourselves in the point of view of an artist. Basically, we will be
able to relate ourselves to the concerns of the artists.
It is said that art is intended to elicit understanding and communication with its
audience. In this approach, we tap our emotions and memories when we encounter a
work of art. Art appreciation enables a conversation and understanding that there are
several approaches in the interpretation of art by listening to the various ideas and
opinions about it.
Art has been an avenue for people to convey and express things that seems
impossible to say or describe ourselves. Through its visual medium, we are able to
feel joy, sadness, rage, and grief. That is why our interpretation is so crucial as a final
piece in art appreciation. Through our perspective, an art work comes to life and
shifts with every person who encounters it.
Basically, art appreciation and analysis are significant part in our lives for the
reason that it helps us value art in terms of how it connects to us and what it means
to us as an individual. It highlights the background and history of the work of art as
well as the artist’s biographies. It also looks into the design, technique, and expertise
to critically examine it. Most of all, art appreciation promotes analysis and critical
understanding, enabling us to go beyond what meets the eye.

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 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

Let Us Do This Practice!

A. Choose ONE artwork under each given category that you are familiar with.
Criticize each using the guide questions provided. Do this on your worksheet.
a. Movie
b. Novel
c. Poem
d. Music
e. Architectural Structure
f. A piece of clothing
Guide questions
a. What is it about? What is it for?
b. What is it made of?
c. What is its style?
d. Why does this art is ageless and timeless?
e. Why does this art involve experience?
f. How good is this art?
B. Using your mobile phone, take five pictures of different objects that you
consider as an example of art. Paste them on your worksheet.
C. How is art related to history?

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 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

LESSON 2
Assumptions and Nature of Art
The assumptions and nature of art will be taken into account in this lesson.
Several prominent people have had differing perspectives on what actually art means
in the concept of society and life for many centuries.
Art, as previously described in the first lesson, is one that is constantly present.
Many people refuse to acknowledge having anything to do with the arts, although it is
undeniable that life provides us with several forms and opportunities for artistic
interaction. Let us delve deeper into this subject, understanding that this is a diverse
undertaking.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this chapter, you are expected to be able to achieve the
following:
A. Characterize the assumptions of art;
B. Engage better with personal experiences of and in art;
C. Characterize artistic expression based on personal experiences; and

Let Us Engage on This!

Briefly answer this on your worksheet:

In one of your encounters with art through museum visits, musical, and
plays among other, have you ever felt disconnected from an artwork? Was
there a point in time you did not understand what message the art was
trying to convey? Explain why you think you did not understand the art.

Sometimes art
can be a complicated
and confusing thing
where we cannot make
a connection or make
meaning out of it.
Perhaps it is better to
fully understand how
art is perceived based
on the different
assumptions about it.

[Digital images of paintings that are mostly abstract]. (n.d.). https://brainly.ph/question/11304548

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 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

ASSUMPTIONS OF ART

Art is Universal

People and their social backgrounds mirror art. Art also bring forth awareness
and unity among our cultural and individual differences. Countries all around the
world makes use of art in order to foster mutual understanding and for cultural
exchange between people.

Regardless of form, all artistic creations have the same capacity to connect
with anybody. We lose sight of its possibility to communicate with us when we
disregard its mere existence.

This reflects our political, social, and cultural processes which is why art is the
most important form of communication. People, tradition, culture, unity, freedom,
harmony, and understanding should all be represented through art.

There is always art in every country and in every generation. Many people
believe that the only things that are deemed artistic are those that were created a
long time ago. This is a misunderstanding.

The works of Jose Rizal and

Francisco Balagtas are occasionally

read in the Philippines because they are

still relevant up to this day. The Noli

Me
Tangere
is one of
Florante at Laura never ceases to
the
highly
inspire high school learners the universal acclaim-
ed
and pure beauty of love. novels of
Dr. Jose
Rizal
Another Filipino masterpiece is

the Ibong Adarna, which unceasingly captures the wild imaginings of the

youths with its everlasting and golden lessons. Manebog, J. (2013). [Photograph of the book
cover of Noli Me Tangere]. https://bit.ly/3HWZtIl

We feel one with King David when we read the Psalms because we are one
with him in his communication with God.

Art is Not Nature

Art is not art unless someone thinks about it and comprehends it, just as
nature requires the lack of thinking to be nature. The sight from the summit of a

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 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

mountain isn't art until you've seen it or taken pictures of it. Nature and Art, on the
other hand, are both incredibly special and unique things that may borrow elements
from one other but can never be the equivalent.

A French painter, Paul Cezanne, painted a scene from reality entitled Well
and Grinding Wheel in the Forest of the Chateau Noir (1904). The said scene is
inspired by real scene forest near Cezanne’s native province. In comparing the
painting and the original scene. Cezanne changed some patterns and details quite
different from the original scene from the way they were actually in the photograph.
What he did is not nature. It is art.
The landscape in
question was inspired by a
real forest near Cezanne's
home province. When
comparing the artwork to the
original scenario, there are a
few things to keep in mind.
Cezanne altered numerous
patterns and elements that
were considerably different
from the actual setting from as
they appeared in the image.
He did not act in accordance
with nature.
arbi. (n.d.). [Photograph of the Well and Grinding Well in the Forest of the Chateau Noir]. https://bit.ly/3sJ48ZL

Art Involves Experience

For others, getting this far without a sufficient definition of art may seem
strange. Most individuals don't need a thorough definition of art. Art is nothing more
than a personal experience.

When we speak of experience, (Dudley et.al., 1960) we mean the “actual

doing of something” and it is confirmed that experience is contingent to art. So, if a
person is truly aware and understand art, a person must know it as an experience not
as a fact.

Then a work of art can't be separated from the act of making it. We must
make sense, see, and hear an artwork in order to understand it.

Art is highly personal, individual, and subjective. Our own judgement is a

fundamental component of perceiving it. Understanding of art is always a value
judgment in philosophical terms. Depending on who the perceiver is, his preferences,
biases, and what he possesses on the inside.

Let us Engage on This!

Ponder on the following quotation and write your reflection on your worksheet.
“The role of art as a creative work is to depict the world in a completely different
light and perspective”- Jean Paul Sartre

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NATURE OF ART

Art is fundamentally a non-symbolic mode of communication that serves as a

key counterbalance to language. While practically any language necessitates
extensive training in the way the information is encoded into the symbols it utilizes,
art can be communicated with little or no prior indoctrination. The ability to
communicate without using words allows you to experiment with visual-emotional
correlations. Certain colors, especially when combined or contrasted with other
colors, can elicit specific feelings.
Making art necessitates the presence of an artist. On a daily basis, one might
notice beauty. However, not every beautiful thing which can be seen or felt is actually
a work of art. Art is the result of man's creativity, imagination, and emotion.
Although not everyone could be an artist, everyone can appreciate art. We can
tell what is fine and lovely from what isn't, as well as what is of good quality and what
isn't. As a result, we have a place in the sphere of art appreciation. Each piece of art
depicts beauty in its own unique way, the type that the artist sees and wants the
audience to see.
The Role of Creativity in Art Making
Creativity necessitates a willingness to think outside the box. Creativity is
what distinguishes one work of art from another.
When can we say that something is creative?

When it is out of the ordinary

When there is originality
When we have not seen anything like it
When it is not just a copy or imitation of someone’s work
Nowadays, being creative can be quite challenging.

Let Us Engage on This!

Ponder on the following quotation and write your reflection on your worksheet.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we
know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there
ever will be to know and understand.”- Albert Einstein

Art Forms
Emotions can be expressed in various ways through art. As a result, people's
work is a representation of their inner selves rather than what is observed based on
the outside.

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Visual Arts- Visual arts are works of art that are primarily visual in nature and
appeal to the sense of sight. Artists create visual arts because they want to
recreate what they've seen in the same way they saw it. Performance arts,
applied arts, and theater are examples of other artistic disciplines that include
a visual component. Paintings, drawings, lettering, printing, sculpting, and
digital imaging are some examples of visual arts mediums.

Film- The skill of piecing together sequences of static images to create the
appearance of movement is known as filmmaking. Filmmaking is both an art
and a business that concentrates on its cultural, aesthetic, and social value.
The following are the techniques in film-making process: a. motion picture
camera, b. animation techniques, c. computer generated imagery (CGI).

It intends to bring feelings, ideas, and beauty to its viewers,

filmmaking stimulates or creates experiences that are beyond our
imagination.

Performance Art - Performance art is live art in which the artist's medium is
primarily the human body, but he or she may also incorporate other forms of
art such as visual art, sounds, props, into the performance.
The elements of performance arts: a. setting, b. time, c. performer’s body, d.
relationship between the audience and performer.
Performance art is intangible, it cannot be purchased or traded like a
commodity.

Music- Music is a collection of coordinated sound or sounds. Making music is

the process of putting sounds and tones in an order, often combining them to
create a unified composition. People who make music creatively organize
sounds for a desired result, like a Beethoven symphony or one of Duke
Ellington's jazz songs. Music is made of sounds, vibrations, and silent
moments, and it doesn't always have to be pleasant or pretty. It can be used
to convey a whole range of experiences, environments, and emotions.

Architecture- Architecture is the creating of beautiful buildings, whilst art is the

quest and creation of beautiful things. Nonetheless, not all buildings are
attractive because some only provide the functionality required, that is whe
the framework, lines, shapes, and colors are not well-designed.
Important elements of architecture are: a. plan, b. construction, c. design.
Buildings should embody these three significant elements if they aim to merit
the title architecture.

Dance- Dance is a set of gestures that are choreographed to the beat of the
music. Dancing is a method of expression that enables individuals to express
themselves freely. Dancers are not restricted to defined routines and
regulations in art expression, but they are free to create and design their own
routines as long as they are graceful and beautiful.

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Literary Art-. Literary artists utilize language to express themselves and

communicate feelings to their audience. Being a writer is not the same as
being a literary artist. Professional, journalistic, academic, and other technical
kinds of writing are not the only forms of literary art. It has its own style and
does not adhere to any particular format or standard. Novels, poems, and
biographies are examples of fiction and nonfiction.

Theater- Live performers offer tales or visuals of events in front of a live

audience in theater. Theater art is distinguished from literary art by the fact
that it is usually performed according to a script. Acting, gestures, scenery,
lighting, props, sound effects, and musical score are all considered in theater,
just as they are in filmmaking. Theater, like performance art, is a live
performance. Musicals, comedies, tragedies, and improvisation are examples
of genres.

Applied Arts- The goal of applied arts is to provide aesthetic value to ordinary
objects by blending style and design. Artists in this discipline infuse beauty,
charm, and comfort into a variety of common objects. Industrial design,
fashion design, interior design, and graphic design are all examples of this.

Let Us Do This Practice!

A. Respond to the following questions comprehensively. Do this in your worksheet.

1. If you were an artist, what kind of artist would you be?

2. What art field will you explore?
3. Why is art not nature?
4. How can you utilize the arts to express yourself, your community, and your
relations to others?

B. Using the table below, write down examples of the different art forms studied in
the module. Provide ways on how these art forms express and unmask creativity
from the artist. Do this in your worksheet.
Types of Art Example What medium was How does this
Expression used in the form of show the artist’s
art? creativity?
Visual Arts
Film
Performance Art
Music
Architecture
Dance
Literary Art
Theater
Applied Arts

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LESSON 3
Philosophical Importance of Art
It is alleged that one of the main purposes of art is its cognitive function. Art is
a medium in the acquisition of truth. Art has even been called as the form of highest
available knowledge to mankind.
Science, art, and philosophy differ on the subject matter of their concern as
well as the medium in which they transform, reflect, and express such subject matter.
In a sense, philosophy like art, depicts man, in his world, reflects a reality in relation
to man, and their relationship with other people in their day to day interactions with
the world.
In this lesson, you will get to know that art can be able to communicate
political, spiritual, philosophical, or depict beauty, and express emotion. It can be a
source of pleasure, to convey ideas, and explore perception all through the analysis
and critics by renowned individuals who established their philosophical pillars in art.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to be able to achieve the following:
A. Explain and discuss the basic philosophical perspectives of art;
B. Apply concepts and theories on beauty and aesthetics in real life scenario

Art as an Imitation

In Plato's book, "The Republic," he paints a picture of artists as imitators

whereas art as mere imitations
In his account of the ideal republic, Plato advises not to include artistic
subjects in the curriculum or ban artists in the republic.
In Plato's metaphysical or real-life view, things in this world are only copies of
the original, eternal, and true entity found only in the World of Forms.
Plato's philosophy asserts that there are two realms: the physical realm and
the spiritual realm. The Physical World is the material stuff we see and
interact with on a daily basis; this physical realm is changing and imperfect,
as we know all too well. The spiritual realm, however, exists beyond the
physical realm. Plato calls this spiritual realm the World of Forms (also called
the Realm of Ideas or Realm of Ideals). Plato's Theory of Forms asserts that

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the physical realm is only a shadow, or image, of the true reality of the Realm
of Forms.
Plato believed that artists simply strengthened their beliefs in replicating and
discouraging men from reaching for real beings in the World of Forms.
Plato was deeply skeptical of art and the artist for two reasons: 1. It appeals
to emotions, not to people's rational abilities. 2. They imitate rather than make
it a reality.
Art then is to be banished with the practitioners to ensure that the attitudes
and behaviors of the members of the Republic are not compromised by the
influence of the art.
For Plato, art is dangerous because it represents a trivial alternative to the
actual entity that can only be achieved by reason.
Art as a Representation

Aristotle agreed with Plato's view that art was a form of imitation
However, Aristotle saw art as an aid to philosophy in revealing truth. The kind
of imitation that art does is not the opposite of achieving basic truth in the
world.
Unlike Plato, who thought that art was an imitation of another imitation,
Aristotle conceived art to represent a possible version of reality.
For Aristotle, all art does not seek to portray reality as it is, but to offer
versions of what could be, or many possibilities of reality.
In Aristotle’s worldview, art serves two specific purposes. Art allows us o t
experience pleasure. Art is also educational and has the ability to guide and
teach our audience about life (perception).
Art as a Disinterested Judgement
In his Critique of Judgment, Immanuel Kant viewed the judgment of beauty as
a cornerstone of art that can be universal despite its subjectivity.
Kant realized that judgments about beauty are subjective. However, even
subjective judgments are based on a common criterion for the said
judgments.
How can the assessment of beauty be considered objective or universal?
Consider two examples: I like this picture (subjectively); This painting is
stunning (objectively). The former is clearly a judgment of taste, while the
latter is an aesthetic judgment.
To make aesthetic judgments we need to be indifferent. In other words, we
should strive to go beyond our personal tastes and preferences so that we
can see art from a universal perspective.
Art as a Communication of Emotion

According to Leo Tolstoy, art plays a major role in communicating with the
audience's previous experienced emotions. Art conveys emotions, just as
language conveys information to others.
Art has a unique opportunity to act as a mechanism of social cohesion as a
conductor of man's deepest emotions and thoughts.
Art is central to human existence, providing access to the emotions of people
both from the past and on the present.

Let us do this practice!

Choose a philosophical stand in art from the ones discussed and draw a cartoon
that represent such philosophy. Write a short
12 explanation of your artwork.
Do this on your worksheet.
 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

LESSON 4
Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception
Our brain is very good in filling in blanks in a picture and therefore creating a
whole image that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. That is why you see
faces in the bathroom tiles, on the clouds, things like side walk cracks, tree leaves
and so on.
Indeed, our brain is wired to see logic, structure and patterns that can help us
make sense of the world around us. A group of German psychologists in 1920s came
up with a set of theories that tells us how people perceive the world, this was called
the Gestalt Principles.
In this lesson, you will find out what are the varied Gestalt Principles and how
it affects our daily commune with art.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to be able to achieve the following:

A. Explain and discuss the seven Gestalt Principles

B. Identify examples of each Gestalt Principle from print, online, and other
media sources.
Let us engage on this!
Look and examine the image below. What can you observe on the image? What
does your brain suggest based on what you see? Do this activity in your
worksheet.

Gizmodo. (n.d.).
https://www.usertesti
13 ng.com/blog/gestalt-
principles
 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

Fundamentally, Gestalt principles is grounded on the idea that the human

brain will try to organize and simplify complex designs and images that has many
elements, through the subconscious arranging and rearranging of such parts or
elements in order to create a whole. This is done by our brain in order to better
understand and make meaning of the world.

THE GESTALT PRINCIPLES

Figure-Ground

The figure-ground principle states that people instinctively perceive objects as

either being in the foreground or the background. They either stand out prominently
in the front (the figure) or recede into the back (the ground).

“This determination will occur quickly and subconsciously in most cases.

Figure/Ground lets us know what we should be focusing on and what we can safely
ignore in a composition.” Said Steven Bradley, a web designer.

Figure-ground perception
refers to the tendency of the
visual system to simplify a scene
into the main object that we are
looking at (the figure) and
everything else that forms the
background (or ground). The
concept of figure-ground
perception is often illustrated
with the classic "faces or vases"
illusion, also known as the Rubin
vase. Depending on whether you
[Rubin vase]. (n.d.). https://bit.ly/3IL3pwF
see the black or the white as the
figure, you may see either two
faces in profile (meaning you perceive the white color as the figure and dark color as
the ground or background) or a vase in the center (meaning you see the dark color
as the figure and white color as the ground or background).

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 lOMoARcPSD|146 959 09

Similarity

This principle is basically telling us that when we are presented with multiple
elements, we group together the things that seems to be similar with each other
regardless of their proximity. Consequently, we also tend to think that they perform
the same function. The elements can be grouped according to their shape, size, and
color.

You will see that the squares

on the image are equal in space and
sizes. But our brain will automatically
group them by color even if there is no
particular reason for the rhyme and
placement in the image. This image is
an example of the Similarity Principle.

Chapman, C. (n.d.). https://bit.ly/3sMNjgN

Proximity
This principle states that the elements or things we see that are closer to
each other are related than the elements or things that are farther from each other.

Take a look at the circles on the

image. You will observe that the only thing
that is separating the group from the right
from those on the left is the proximity of
the line. And yet, your brain will suggest
that the circles on the right are three
distinct groups.
Chapman, C. (n.d.). https://bit.ly/3sMNjgN

Proximity is so powerful, it
overrides color, shape, and other factors
that distinguish a group of elements or
objects

Bradley, S. (n.d.). https://bit.ly/3sMNjgN

Common Region

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This principle is highly related to proximity. It basically states that when we

see objects in the same closed region, we perceive them to be grouped together.

Look at the
image on the left,
notice that the
elements have the
same proximity, color,
and shape. But through
the added border or
visible barrier, it shows
the separation of the
[Smashing Magazine]. (n.d.). https://www.smashingmagazine.com/

Continuity
This principle states that the elements that are placed or arranged in a curve
or a line are perceived to be more related to each other than those elements not in a
curve or a line.

In the image on the left, as

an example, notice that the red
dots in a curved line seem to be
more related to the black dots in a
curved line than to the red dots in
a straight line. This all because
your eye follows a line or a curve
naturally which makes continuity a
stronger signal rather than
relatedness through color.
[Smashing Magazine]. (n.d.). https://www.smashingmagazine.com/

Closure
When we look at certain things with complex arrangement of visual elements,
our brain tends to look for a singular and recognizable pattern.

When you look at

an image that has missing
parts, you fill in the blanks
so you can make a pattern
that is recognizable. For
example, the image on the
left is just a collection of
black shapes, but your
mind will tell you it’s a
zebra. Your mind gives you
a recognizable pattern
based on your background
experience.

Violianskyi, E. (n.d.). https://bit.ly/3CimRhV

Focal Point

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Whatever stands out visually will get the viewer’s attention first, this is what
this principle is all about.

Based on the image,

as an example, the first thing
you noticed is definitely the
red square because it is
different from the black circles
around it. It is the first
element that gets your
attention and then you move
towards the other elements
around it.
[Smashing Magazine]. (n.d.). https://www.smashingmagazine.com/

The Gestalt Principles and the World of Art

As an artist, knowing how the human mind works will make it easier for you to
direct people’s attention in the right place. These principles hold powers to influence
the audiences’ visual perception which allows the artist to direct our attention, get us
on our feet to take a specific action, and even create a behavioral change upon us.
As an observer of art around the world, you will be able to organize your
experience through a manner that is orderly, regular, and recognizable. This will allow
you to create meaning out of the chaotic and complicated world we live in. Having a
solid understanding of these principles will surely help you better express
understanding when you glance up on a particular image or work of art that is of your
interest.

Let us do this practice!

At this point, it is undeniable that art surrounds us. And these forms of art and
media suggests the Gestalt Principles in one way or another. Select one Gestalt
Principle from the one discussed. From the various art forms and media around
you, take a picture of an example of the principle you have chosen.
Paste your pictures on your worksheet and explain why it is an example of such
principle.

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