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What is Art?

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Gary Freeman
Gary Freeman

The document provides an introduction to visual art, defining it as the use of skill and imagination to create aesthetic objects or experiences that can be shared. It examines how art is perceived and classified, exploring elements like style, composition, and seeing. Key terms related to art are defined, and the purposes and importance of art are discussed, including how it can create beauty, enhance environments, influence society, and express beliefs, fantasy, protest, and more. Art is analyzed using components, elements, principles of design, and underlying concepts.

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What is Art?An Introduction to Visual Art
Objectives of the ActivityDetermine a definition of visual artExamine how we see and perceive artDefine terms related to the viewing of artExamine images critically
What is Art?
What is Art?Britannica Online defines art as: "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.“Visual Art has been defined as a language of visual signs which conveys ideas, feelings, or moods.
The Meaning of the Word Art…The word art encompasses many meanings, including ability, process, and product.Ability - The human capacity to make things of beauty and things that stir us; skill, mastery, and creativity.Process - The different classifications of art such as drawing, painting, sculpting, architecture, music, and photography; methods and processes.Product - The completed work; painting, sculpture, . . Whatever the definition, it is important to know the vocabulary of art in order to understand it.
How is Visual Art Classified?
How is Visual Art Classified? Traditional and contemporary art encompasses activities as diverse as: painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, illustration, cartoons, ceramics, stained glass, photography, installation, video, film, and architecture, to name a few.
StyleOver time, an artist’s body of work can reveal an expressive character unique to the individual artist, like a signature. This expressive quality is known as an artistic style. Individual Style is the characteristic manner of expression used by a particular artist.For each piece, the artist makes choices about the structure, media (materials and tools), techniques (methods of using the media), and treatment of subject matter that will best express his or her idea. Young artists are often tempted to prematurely impose a style on their work, instead of allowing it to mature naturally. However, they must remember— just like a signature—one’s expressive style truly only develops through time and repeated practice. Some styles, once unique to individual artists, have been adopted by generations of artists and have broader historical application. Period style is the general characteristics common to much of the work from given period of time or cultural phase.Regional style is the manner of expression common in the work of artists working in the same country or area. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, artists often confounded the public by the increasingly abstract treatment of subject matter. Contemporary artists, too, make expressive choices that the public often doesn’t understand or find personally relevant. In many cases, a single artist’s style changes as his or her body of work develops and grows. One prime example is the work of Piet Mondrian whose final style has influenced artists in other fields.
Piet Mondrian. The Grey Tree The Trees
Composition - The act of organizing the visual elements of art. The organization of the visual elements in a work of art.Piet Mondrian. Composition in Red, Blue, and Yellow
Seeing – Visual Perception awareness: intuitive, rational, informative
Art and Perception
Art and Perception
Art and Perceptionfigure ground reversal
Art and Perceptioncamouflage
What is Art?
What is Art?
Why do artists make art?
The Three SearchesThe three basic searches in which artists are involved:Search for understanding of:Nature,the Supernatural,and Self.
What are the purposes of art?
Art Creates BeautyAesthetics – the search for beautyIdealism – the representation of forms according to a concept of perfection Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
Art can be used toReplicate nature (naturalistic)Depict reality (realistic, objective, perceptive)Record an artist’s own experiences (representational)Gustave Courbet Burial at Ornans
Art Enhances Our Environment5th century Byzantine MosaicsMausoleum of Galla Placidia Ravenna, Italy
Art Enhances Our Environment Dale Chihuly. Fiori di Como (detail)Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
DALE CHIHULY. Fioridi Como (1998). 70’ x 30’ x 12’
Dale Chihuly
How does art influence society?
Art Reveals TruthIn her self-portraits, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo used her tragic life as an emblem for human suffering.Frida Kahlo. Diego in My Thoughts
ArtImmortalizesPop Art – an art style originating in the 1960s that uses commercial and popular images and themes as its subject matterAndy Warhol. Marilyn screen print
ANDY WARHOL. Four Marilyns (1962). Synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen ink on canvas. 30" × 23⅞".
Looking at ArtIs this art? Why or why not? Warhol. Campbell’s Tomato Soup
Why is art important?
Art Expresses Religious Beliefs Hagia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey Christ Pantocrator Byzantine Art
Art Expresses FantasyMarc Chagal, I and the Village, (1911) oil on canvas
Art and the PsychoanalyticMany 20th Century artists looked to the psychoanalytic writings of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who suggested that primeval forces are at work in the unconscious reaches of the mind. Artist’s sought to use their art as an outlet for these unconscious forces.
Max Beckman. The Dream
0ART, INTELLECT, AND EMOTIONArt can make you think.Art can make you feel.Art can trigger associations.
Art Simulates the Intellect Buckminster Fuller stands in front of his geodesic domeLeonardo. Polyhedron
Art Creates Order and HarmonyIctinos and Callicrates, The Parthenon, Acropolis, AthensApplication of the Golden Section Design - The combination of the visual elements according to principles of design such as proportion and harmony.
0Art is harmony.–Georges SeuratArtists and scientists try to find the underlying order of nature.Zen - A Buddhist sect that seeks inner harmony through introspection and meditation.
Ryoanji Zen Temple, Japanese sand garden, Kyoto, Japan.
Art Protests InjusticeEugene Deacroix. Liberty Leading the People oil on canvasAllegory - A narrative in which people and events have consistent symbolic meanings; extended metaphor.
Conceptual ArtConceptual art does not represent an external object. It also challenges the traditional view of the artist as creative visionary, skilled craftsperson, and master of ones media. The “art” lies in the artist’s concept or idea.
Art Elevates the CommonplaceReadymade – found objects that are exhibited as works of artAssemblage – a work of art that consists of assembled three-dimensional objectsDuchamp. Fountain
Art Elevates the CommonplaceGustave Courbet. The Stonebreakers, oil on canvas
Art Reflects the Social and Cultural ContextEdward Hopper. Night Hawks (1942) oil on canvas
Art Meets the Needs of the Artist Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The Gates, Central Park, New York, NY 2005 Christo. The Gates drawing
A Structure for Understanding ArtComponents of Art
Elements of Art
Principles of Design
Underlying Concepts Picasso’s Garçon à la pipe
The Components of ArtSubject
Content
Form
Style
Media
Technique Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet
* The Visual Elements – Used by artists to create imageryValue
Color
Line
Shape
Mass
Texture Hokusai. The Great Wave color wood-cut

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What is Art?

  • 1. What is Art?An Introduction to Visual Art
  • 2. Objectives of the ActivityDetermine a definition of visual artExamine how we see and perceive artDefine terms related to the viewing of artExamine images critically
  • 4. What is Art?Britannica Online defines art as: "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.“Visual Art has been defined as a language of visual signs which conveys ideas, feelings, or moods.
  • 5. The Meaning of the Word Art…The word art encompasses many meanings, including ability, process, and product.Ability - The human capacity to make things of beauty and things that stir us; skill, mastery, and creativity.Process - The different classifications of art such as drawing, painting, sculpting, architecture, music, and photography; methods and processes.Product - The completed work; painting, sculpture, . . Whatever the definition, it is important to know the vocabulary of art in order to understand it.
  • 6. How is Visual Art Classified?
  • 7. How is Visual Art Classified? Traditional and contemporary art encompasses activities as diverse as: painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, illustration, cartoons, ceramics, stained glass, photography, installation, video, film, and architecture, to name a few.
  • 8. StyleOver time, an artist’s body of work can reveal an expressive character unique to the individual artist, like a signature. This expressive quality is known as an artistic style. Individual Style is the characteristic manner of expression used by a particular artist.For each piece, the artist makes choices about the structure, media (materials and tools), techniques (methods of using the media), and treatment of subject matter that will best express his or her idea. Young artists are often tempted to prematurely impose a style on their work, instead of allowing it to mature naturally. However, they must remember— just like a signature—one’s expressive style truly only develops through time and repeated practice. Some styles, once unique to individual artists, have been adopted by generations of artists and have broader historical application. Period style is the general characteristics common to much of the work from given period of time or cultural phase.Regional style is the manner of expression common in the work of artists working in the same country or area. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, artists often confounded the public by the increasingly abstract treatment of subject matter. Contemporary artists, too, make expressive choices that the public often doesn’t understand or find personally relevant. In many cases, a single artist’s style changes as his or her body of work develops and grows. One prime example is the work of Piet Mondrian whose final style has influenced artists in other fields.
  • 9. Piet Mondrian. The Grey Tree The Trees
  • 10. Composition - The act of organizing the visual elements of art. The organization of the visual elements in a work of art.Piet Mondrian. Composition in Red, Blue, and Yellow
  • 11. Seeing – Visual Perception awareness: intuitive, rational, informative
  • 14. Art and Perceptionfigure ground reversal
  • 18. Why do artists make art?
  • 19. The Three SearchesThe three basic searches in which artists are involved:Search for understanding of:Nature,the Supernatural,and Self.
  • 20. What are the purposes of art?
  • 21. Art Creates BeautyAesthetics – the search for beautyIdealism – the representation of forms according to a concept of perfection Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa
  • 22. Art can be used toReplicate nature (naturalistic)Depict reality (realistic, objective, perceptive)Record an artist’s own experiences (representational)Gustave Courbet Burial at Ornans
  • 23. Art Enhances Our Environment5th century Byzantine MosaicsMausoleum of Galla Placidia Ravenna, Italy
  • 24. Art Enhances Our Environment Dale Chihuly. Fiori di Como (detail)Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
  • 25. DALE CHIHULY. Fioridi Como (1998). 70’ x 30’ x 12’
  • 27. How does art influence society?
  • 28. Art Reveals TruthIn her self-portraits, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo used her tragic life as an emblem for human suffering.Frida Kahlo. Diego in My Thoughts
  • 29. ArtImmortalizesPop Art – an art style originating in the 1960s that uses commercial and popular images and themes as its subject matterAndy Warhol. Marilyn screen print
  • 30. ANDY WARHOL. Four Marilyns (1962). Synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen ink on canvas. 30" × 23⅞".
  • 31. Looking at ArtIs this art? Why or why not? Warhol. Campbell’s Tomato Soup
  • 32. Why is art important?
  • 33. Art Expresses Religious Beliefs Hagia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey Christ Pantocrator Byzantine Art
  • 34. Art Expresses FantasyMarc Chagal, I and the Village, (1911) oil on canvas
  • 35. Art and the PsychoanalyticMany 20th Century artists looked to the psychoanalytic writings of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who suggested that primeval forces are at work in the unconscious reaches of the mind. Artist’s sought to use their art as an outlet for these unconscious forces.
  • 36. Max Beckman. The Dream
  • 37. 0ART, INTELLECT, AND EMOTIONArt can make you think.Art can make you feel.Art can trigger associations.
  • 38. Art Simulates the Intellect Buckminster Fuller stands in front of his geodesic domeLeonardo. Polyhedron
  • 39. Art Creates Order and HarmonyIctinos and Callicrates, The Parthenon, Acropolis, AthensApplication of the Golden Section Design - The combination of the visual elements according to principles of design such as proportion and harmony.
  • 40. 0Art is harmony.–Georges SeuratArtists and scientists try to find the underlying order of nature.Zen - A Buddhist sect that seeks inner harmony through introspection and meditation.
  • 41. Ryoanji Zen Temple, Japanese sand garden, Kyoto, Japan.
  • 42. Art Protests InjusticeEugene Deacroix. Liberty Leading the People oil on canvasAllegory - A narrative in which people and events have consistent symbolic meanings; extended metaphor.
  • 43. Conceptual ArtConceptual art does not represent an external object. It also challenges the traditional view of the artist as creative visionary, skilled craftsperson, and master of ones media. The “art” lies in the artist’s concept or idea.
  • 44. Art Elevates the CommonplaceReadymade – found objects that are exhibited as works of artAssemblage – a work of art that consists of assembled three-dimensional objectsDuchamp. Fountain
  • 45. Art Elevates the CommonplaceGustave Courbet. The Stonebreakers, oil on canvas
  • 46. Art Reflects the Social and Cultural ContextEdward Hopper. Night Hawks (1942) oil on canvas
  • 47. Art Meets the Needs of the Artist Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The Gates, Central Park, New York, NY 2005 Christo. The Gates drawing
  • 48. A Structure for Understanding ArtComponents of Art
  • 51. Underlying Concepts Picasso’s Garçon à la pipe
  • 52. The Components of ArtSubject
  • 54. Form
  • 55. Style
  • 56. Media
  • 57. Technique Van Gogh’s Portrait of Dr. Gachet
  • 58. * The Visual Elements – Used by artists to create imageryValue
  • 59. Color
  • 60. Line
  • 61. Shape
  • 62. Mass
  • 63. Texture Hokusai. The Great Wave color wood-cut
  • 64. The Principles of DesignHarmony
  • 70. EconomyRembrandt Anatomy Lesson oil on canvas
  • 71. Underlying Core ConceptsLight – that form of radiant energy which simulates visual perception, illumination (value, color, hue, neutral, tone, key, tint, shade, shadow, highlight, modeling, chiaroscuro)Space – the environment in which all things exist (line, shape, mass, length, width, size, area, measurement, depth, volume, dimension, proportion, scale)Time – period of duration, fourth dimension (duration, motion, moment, date)
  • 72. Other Key TermsComposition - The act or organizing or composing the visual elements of art. Design - The combination of the visual elements of art according to principles of design such as balance and unity.Form - The organization of the visual elements in a work of art.
  • 73. Looking at ArtIs this art? Why or why not? What elements does it have or not have? Monet. Water Lilies oil paint
  • 74. 0COMPARE & CONTRASTThe Piano Lesson(s) by Matisse and Bearden
  • 75. HENRI MATISSE. Piano Lesson (1916). Oil on canvas. 8’ x 6’11 “ROMARE BEARDEN. Piano Lesson (1983). Oil with Collage. 29” x 22”
  • 77. Color
  • 79. Space
  • 82. Scale
  • 83. Subject matterPierre-Auguste Renoir. The Piano Lesson c. 1889
  • 85. Color
  • 87. Space
  • 90. Scale
  • 91. Subject matterHenri Matisse. Piano Lesson oil on canvas c. 1916
  • 93. Color
  • 95. Space
  • 98. Scale
  • 99. Subject matterRomare Bearden. The Piano Lesson oil on canvas c. 1983
  • 102. Space
  • 105. the touching of hands represents an agreement to wed.
  • 106. the dog represents fidelity.Jan Van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride, 1434 oil paint