...Chapter 1 What is Art? In both the sciences and the arts we strive to weave our experiences into coherent bodies of knowledge and to communicate them. Art… • enhances daily experiences. • is linked to quality of life. • touches everyone. • is all around us. The Meaning of the Word Art… • Ability - The human capacity to make things of beauty and things that stir us. • Process - The different forms of art such as drawing, painting, sculpting, architecture, and photography. • Product - The completed work Whatever the definition, it is important to know the vocabulary of art in order to understand it. Some “Truths” About Art 1. There is no agreed-upon definition of art. 2. Art does not necessarily have to be beautiful. 3. Art can be created for any number of reasons. The Philosophies About Art: Many philosophers have argued that art serves no function, that it exists for its own sake. Some have asserted that the essence of art transcends the human occupation with usefulness. Others have held that in trying to analyze art too closely, one loses sight of its beauty and wonderment. Understanding and appreciating art… The questions to ask… • “Why was this created?” • “What is its purpose?” What Are the Purposes of Art? ART AND BEAUTY • Art adds beauty to our lives by looking to nature • Art depicts both Western & Non-Western concepts of beauty “A Closer Look” A Portrait in the Flesh Sometimes artists try to improve on nature...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4
...Discussion 7 View at least three short artist videos (10-15 minutes each) from Art21 (click her for webpage). You can search by artist name, media or subject matter using search bar at the top middle of Art21’s homepage. Watch how they work and what they say about their process. Briefly critique each artist using the Formal, Contextual OR Expressive theory. One critique per film. This cannot be an artist we have viewed previously this semester. Mark Bradford in “Paradox” Looking at his paintings, to me they would describe what mixed media is about. The technique, range, and composition is spontaneous and expressive. He is using the process of adding, subtracting, and viewing different concepts in his collages that is always changing. His background from working in his mother’s hair salon gave him vision of what he would see in his artwork from making uses of what he could find and imagine. He uses elements in his artwork from everyday uses – remnants of poster boards, caulking, carbon paper, polyester cords and other objects that would bring his artwork to life. He then used these advertisements to make collages about his interests in mapping communities and underground economies. I find his work very expressive and intriguing. Trenton Doyle Hancock was a very interesting fellow when describing his work and cultural history. He would make collaged felt paintings which tell a story of a fantastical nature. He uses an explosion of color in his artwork that would tell a contextual...
Words: 455 - Pages: 2
...Unit 1 Individual Project Art Appreciation AIU Online June 16, 2013 Abstract There are many different definitions for the word art. Most of them come down to art being a creative skill. After researching the definition I have written a brief description of several forms of art by the definitions of art. I spent hours researching art and all the different art forms. I found several definitions beginning with our text book, An Introduction to the Visual Arts and it defines “art as a visual expression of an idea or experience, formed with skill, through the use of a medium.” (Preble, 2011) It also states that art is larger than any single definition. The next definition I found was from the Oxford Dictionary. ”Definition of art [noun] the expression or application of human creative skills and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” (Oxford Dictionary, nd) The Wikipedia definitions is as follows,” art is a diverse range of human activities and the product of those activities; this article focuses primarily on the visual arts, which includes the creation of images or objects in fields including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and other visual media. Architecture is often included as one of the visual arts; like the decorative arts, it involves the creation of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential...
Words: 1382 - Pages: 6
...Irene M. Corbin American Intercontinental University Unit 1 Individual Project HUMA205 – Art Appreciation June 16th 2013 Abstract This paper will first give two definitions to the word “art”. The second portion of this paper will give a description of eight types of art which are Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography, Printmaking, Conceptual Art, Installation Art, and Performance Art. After each description it will give a brief explanation of why it exemplifies the definition of the word “art”. Exploring the word of Art Have you ever asked yourself “What is art”? According to some art is defined as something that is beautiful. Art can mean many different things; it can be defined as an expression through poetry or music, it can be defined as the skills that a person has in the workforce, it can be considered as part of worship and rituals and then art can be of visual delight such as a photograph, painting, or sculpture. There are many ways in which art can be defined another example would be the art of medicine (Frank, P., 2011, p. 2-16). Different Types of Art There are many different types of art. This section will show examples of a painting, a sculpture, architecture, photography, printmaking, conceptual art, installation art and performance art and whether it exemplifies the definition of the word “art”. * Painting Quiet Times This is a painting by Donald Zolan an American painter & Artist. I chose this picture because it reminds...
Words: 912 - Pages: 4
...Running head: WHAT IS ART? Understanding Art: Eight Forms of Art Quantella Rivers Bradley American InterContinental University Abstract This paper will define art using internet and resource tools. Given eight types of art define and give one example and elaborate. 1. Painting 2. Sculpture 3. Architecture 4. Photography 5. Printmaking 6. Conceptual Art 7. Installation Art 8. Performance Art Art is interpreted by each individual differently, what you may see, I may see something else. What the artist put on canvas or sculpts describes their feeling at that particular moment, however once again the observer may choose to feel or describe something different. “What Is Art” Dictionary.com defines art as the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance and also the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria; works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings. (Dictionary.com, 2010) This definition is two of twenty-two definitions defined on the online dictionary. The two definitions were selected because it related to the subject at-hand. Merriam-Webster online defines art as the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also as works so produced. Artists use paintings as a form of communication; whether the painting is elaborate or just a mere scribble...
Words: 1203 - Pages: 5
...I visited one of the student art gallery’s on APU’s campus; I went to the Duke Art Gallery. This gallery had maybe 10 pieces in it, but there was a mixture of different types of artwork. I felt like I could not relate to all of the pieces in the hallway, some of the pieces were hard to understand the meaning behind them. For example there was one painting of a man holding a deflated balloon and in the shadows there is an outline of a full, floating balloon. The picture is kind of dark and it is a really cool painting but I do not really know the meaning behind it. There was one piece that really caught my eye and I looked at it for several minutes before figuring out what was written and the meaning. It was a white canvas with black letters on in and towards the bottom right hand corner is the word beautiful circled in red paint. After looking at it for a while, I realized that there were other words on the canvas as well; words such as: pissed, nasty, sin, worthless, and rude. There were a lot more nasty, cruel words, but it made me stop and think. This is the kind of society that we live in where it is ok to use these types of words to describe people, to describe ourselves and that is not ok. We need to remember that everyone is beautiful for who they are, it should not matter what they choose to do with their lives, or how they act; on the inside we are all beautiful and that is something that most of us forget to remember. I did enjoy going and looking at the...
Words: 348 - Pages: 2
...it was art. Art was my way to express myself and say things I was not able to. Because with art everything is up to the maker, it lets kids experience a measure of success. This is one reason why art is so important for special needs children. I truly believe that art heals people. Due to me being a child dealing with struggles my parents encouraged me to have an interest in art. I guess you could say I had a form of self awareness somewhat like the quote by Ansel Adams. I wanted to speak but was unable to find my vioce. With art I was able to do this freely and without any worry of being judged or laughed at which I think was one of my issues. My seventh grade art teacher was an amazing teacher and mentor. I hated school, did not want to be there and I was struggling in my other classes but not my art class. I looked forward to being in that class. She taught me that whatever I was doing in my life, I could always use art to get through it. For example, math has always been a horrible subject for me. My teacher showed me how to use art while doing math work. It helped me pass my math class and I still use art to this day when I have a math prblem or I am helping my children. Now my children use art to help them with math. Although I personally never went on a field trip to a art museum while I was in school, I have gone with my children for field trips. I find it fascinating how each child has a different outlook on art. That is...
Words: 493 - Pages: 2
...Kayla Demel Art Appreciation 103 Online 04/1915 Comparison of Wendell Castle’s Cavalcade and Harry Bertoia’s Sounding Sculpture Comparison of Wendell Castle’s Cavalcade and Harry Bertoia’s Sounding Sculpture The artwork Cavalcade by Wendell Castle compared with Harry Bertoia’s sounding sculpture were designed for different purposes but both use elements of art to emphasis the meanings of each. I found these sculptures at the Wichita Art Museum. I selected these two because I found sculptures very interesting. The Cavalcade was made by grouping different shapes together to defy gravity and it grabbed my attention because it did not look correct because the ball was off certain and shouldn’t have been stable. The Sounding sculpture grabbed my attention because it was made to make music by many different bars hitting each other. The Cavalcade sculpture made by Wendell Castle is mahogany, lacewood, poplar, cooper, and gold leaf. The dimensions are 53 ½ by 21 ¼ by 17 1/2. This was made in 1989. There are many different shapes that has it owns color and identity. It wasn’t supposed to be symmetric because it makes a unique attack on gravity. The base of this piece is a blue green color and then a black longer piece that looks like it could be a vase is on top of that. The long black piece is not straight up it is slightly leaning to the left. Then there is a gold platter looking shape that is holding a ball off-center. I think that the artist is trying to make...
Words: 668 - Pages: 3
...Researching a Work of Art: Gathering the Basics Use this paper as a guide in the analysis of each of your works of art. You may want to make two copies of this sheet – one for each work. Artist: Maurits Cornelis Escher Year born/year died: 1898-1972 Influences? Architecture, perspective and impossible spaces Style associated with this artist: lithographs wood cuts, wood engravings and general drawing and sketching Title of work: SKY AND WATER Background info on work: Critical Analysis of the Work: Line: The piece SKY AND WATER uses directional implied lines to show the direction of travel of the fish and birds in the artwork. It also uses hard lines that transcend into soft lines on different levels of the artwork. Edge lines are also used to create the image of a phenomenon referred to as figure ground reversal. Shape/Form: The artwork SKY AND WATER has the geometric shape of a diamond for the general content of the work. The artwork also has organic shapes in the form of fish and geese making up the content inside of the diamond shape. Color: The color is neutral in that a flat black and white are used.but due to the thought that black and white are actually not colors one would assume it had no color. Value: Texture: The texture of SKY AND WATER seems as though it would be rough considering it is a wood carving Space: There isn’t much space or depth represented in SKY AND WATER other than the border hashing overlapping the fish...
Words: 276 - Pages: 2
...Art Appreciation Emily Yost March 12, 2011 Art is a form of work which encompasses so many things. You can have art that is from the same Era, but yet be very different. Art can consist of some of the same things which you can find in common with another time period. I want to try and take a look at three individual pieces of art belonging to the same style and era. I will then try to evaluate these works from tool s that I have learned. I have chosen the Baroque style of art. This style is known for its use of drama and high use of theatrical methods. It was a creation of the Catholic Church (Sayre, H. M. 2007, 477). This style of art developed and bloomed in Europe somewhere around the early 17th to mid 18th century. It has its emphases up on drama, swirling forms and very intricate and elaborate ornamentation. The calling of St. Mathew is one of the most magnificent masterpieces there is. This was painted by Michelangelo Mersi Da Caravaggio . The painting reached completion in 1599-1600. In this painting there appears to be a single window in the foreground. Not much light happens to be filtering through the panes (http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol6is3/st-matthew-calling.html). There appears to be some kind of table at which five individuals are sitting at. One appears to be looking at money, another like they just sat down. The outlook of the room appears dull and very gloomy. To the right of this art there appear to be two men. Jesus...
Words: 627 - Pages: 3
...The Romanticism Era Unit 5 Individual Project Art Appreciation: HUMA205-1202B-12 Kandyce Livingston American Intercontinental University Abstract The following essay will discuss three different works of art from the Romanticism era. The essay will provide a description of each work art including the style. A summary of each artists’ personal philosophies of art will be discussed along with prevailing trends and school of thought in the art world during this time period. In addition, an explanation will be provided of how the works of art fit into the context of the Romanticism time period. In conclusion, also provided is a discussion of the three works of art in the terms of content, form, and subject matter as well as a discussion of aesthetic qualities and symbolic significance. The Romanticism Era Introduction During the Romanticism era, emotional expression motivated European artists from about 1820 to 1850. In this era, various artists, such as painters, photographers, musicians, and writers, held the belief that imagination and emotion had more value than reason, civilization was more corrupt than nature, and that ultimately human beings were good (Frank, 2011). As a way to move away from the Neoclassicism fixation classical forms, Romantic artists sought to celebrate nature, rural life, common people and other exotic ideas in their work. Romanticism is demonstrated in such works of art as The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons by Joseph...
Words: 2060 - Pages: 9
...have to be Fresco. The process of using Fresco is interesting. It is using pigments that are mixed with water and applying them to a wet lime plaster support. When the plaster dries, the lime undergoes a chemical transformation and fuses the pigment with the plaster surface. Fresco is used in the Mixtec Culture by Diego Rivera. From the Print media, my favorite the woodcut. I find it very creative to draw a desired image on a block of wood, and creating all sorts of works of art with it. The earliest surviving woodcut image was made in China in 868 C.E. which portrayed Buddha preaching at the Diamond Sutra (Getlein 8.2). From the Sculpture media, my favorite is material is blocks of material and cuts used for carving. Tilman Riemenschneider uses this when he carved Virgin and Child on the Crescent Moon (Getlein 11.8). Jeff Koons is an American artist who is well known for his reproductions of banal objects. He is from Pennsylvania, but lives and works in New York City. In 1992, he was commissioned by three art dealers to create a piece for Arolsen Castle in Bad Arolson, Germany. This is when he created Puppy. It is a 43 ft. tall sculpture of a West Highland White Terrier puppy. It is made with a variety of flowers on a transparent colour-coated chrome stainless steel substructure. It has been installed around the world, not just in Germany. Other places include Australia, the United States and now it is...
Words: 1158 - Pages: 5
...Arts Appreciation. Honestly, I’m not sure what I was expecting when I signed up for this class. My tickets to go watch shows were being paid for, that’s it. However, I found a rather different class the day I walked into room 201. I learned to look at things from a new perspective, try new kinds of art I’ve never experienced before, and discovered a bit more about how I fit into the arts. Firstly, I’d like to say that my viewing experience is externally altered. After watching a tv show, Avatar: the Last Airbender, I found myself subconsciously criticising the film. How the characters were dressed, who fought who, did the characters behave realistically, all these questions ran through my head unceasingly. However, I found that afterward, I loved the series even more with the attention the director and writers put into creating the series. Other times, such as when watching Thor: The Dark World with my roommates, I found myself increasingly annoyed at the little voice jabbering at the back of my thoughts. No longer can I sit and simply enjoy a performance, now I must make a conscious decision to cease actively thinking about how a performance is being portrayed....
Words: 555 - Pages: 3
...ART 110 – Art Appreciation Assignment #1 1. Find and read the course document "Introduction – What is Art?" Write a brief response to the document. After reviewing ‘What is art’ by M. Cawley, I am faced with deciding what I believe to be the true definition of art. In as few words as possible, I would describe art as anything that moves you. A longer definition for me might reference arts ability to speak to our many senses through a variety of mediums such as paint, photography, words, or music. I believe art can be anything that appeals to your senses; even food can be art for both the eyes and the taste buds. 2. What is “art”? According to our textbook, Artforms by Patrick Frank, “a work of art is a visual expression of an idea or experience formed with skill through the use of a medium (Frank, p.3)” This means that if you develop a skill such as a painter or a guitarist, and you paint a picture or play a song, that would be you, the artist, creating a work of art. My own definition of art, as stated above, can be anything that ‘moves’ you. 3. Do you think you are greatly separated from the art world? Explain. I do not think I am separated from the art world. In fact, I feel very much a part of it. I have always had a love of architecture, am an amateur photographer, a lover of music and film, and think I have always been on the creative side. I still have my old notebooks full of sketches and poetry, and I love to spend my Sundays painting with my 5 year old, and...
Words: 2375 - Pages: 10
...6 Appreciation of Chinese Art and Design - Symmetry in Chinese Art and Design Symmetry has been widely used in various contexts. In traditional Chinese art and design, the concept of symmetry is one of the most important aesthetic principles. Symmetrical beauty is derived from nature, i.e., law of nature in Taoism. The human body and almost all animals are symmetric, which shows a beauty of health and balance. Rather asymmetry leaves people an impression of displeasure. Symmetry is also the manifestation of Chinese philosophy of harmony and zhongyong (the Mean thought) in Confucianism. The aesthetic principle of symmetry in Chinese art is similar to the “Golden Rule” in the West, the aim of which is to achieve balance. This essay aims to discuss the aesthetic principle of symmetry used in Traditional Chinese Art and Design, including ancient Chinese Bronze artwork, ancient Chinese architecture and Chinese paper cutting. I. Symmetry in Ancient Chinese Bronze artwork Bronzes basically can be classified into four types in terms of function: food vessels, wine vessels, water vessels and musical instruments. Various shapes and designs can be found in each type, fully demonstrating the creativity and skills of the ancient people. Despite of this, symmetry was used as a universal basic aesthetic principle. Ancient Chinese bronzes stressed balance and symmetry of form, and communicated solemnity and ceremony. Among the various kinds of bronze vessels, ding is a significant...
Words: 1648 - Pages: 7
