What is Art? An introduction to the concept of art

What is Art?
An introduction to the concept of art

Objectives of the Activity

• Determine a definition of art
• Decide what is art and what is not art
• Define terms related to the viewing of
  art
• Examine two images critically

In small groups answer the
        following Questions
1. What is art?
2. What are different types of art?
3. How does art reflect societies influence
   on the artist?
4. Does art influence society?
5. Why is art important?
6. What sort of messages can art
   convey?

Image #1

    • Is this art? Why or
      why not? What
      elements does it
      have or not have?

Image #2

    • Is this art? Why or
      why not? What
      elements does it
      have or not have?

Image #3
      • Is this art? Why or
        why not? What
        elements does it
        have or not have?

Image #4
    • Is this art? Why or
      why not? What
      elements does it
      have or not have?

Image #5
       • Is this art? Why or
         why not? What
         elements does it
         have or not have?

Image #6

• Is this art? Why or why not? What elements
  does it have or not have?

Elements of Art
•   Line
•   Color
•   Shape
•   Form
•   Value
•   Space
•   Texture

Lines
• The path of a dot moving though space. It can vary in
  width, direction, and length.

Color
• Same as Hue: the appearance of an object created
  by the quality of light it reflects.
• Use of different colors provide emphasis, emotion,
  etc. Often colors highlight parts of an image to draw
  specific attention to it.

Shape
• A two-dimensional figure created by
  connecting actual or implied lines that
  enclose an area of space.
• Shape can be geometric or organic.

Form
• A three-dimensional object or, in artwork the
  representation of a 3D object. H,W,& D
• By using light and shadows, artists give volume to
  their subjects. One way one can give figures three-
  dimensional form is to reflect light off their bodies and
  paint shadows cast by them.

Value

• The lightness or darkness of a color.
• Helps to create depth and intrest in
  otherwise flat figures.

Space

• The open or empty area around, above,
  between, within, or below objects.
• Positive Space- the space a form or
  shape occupies (FILLS) in an artwork.
• Negative Space- the EMPTY space that
  surrounds or defines a form or shape in
  an artwork.

Henry Moore
     Reclining Figure

What part of the sculpture is positive space?

Texture

• The way a surface feels or looks.
• Visual texture- the way it LOOKS like it
  feels.
• Tactile texture- the way it FEELS to the
  touch.

Visual Texture

If these were not picture but could be felt by the hand
than they would be tactile texture.

Principles of Design

•   Balance
•   Emphasis
•   Proportion
•   Pattern
•   Rhythm
•   Unity
•   Variety

Balance
• The arrangement of the parts of an
  artwork to give an overall sense of
  equality in visual weight.
• Symmetrical- same on both sides.
• Radial- spread out from a center point in
  a regular pattern.
• Asymmetrical- the two sides of an
  artwork are not alike but carry equal or
  nearly equal visual weight.

Name that balance:

The famous west front of Notre Dame Cathedral

The West Rose Window,
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris ,France

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher, ca. 1662
Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632–1675)
Marquand Collection, Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1889 (89.15.21)

Emphasis

• The visual accent, stress, or sense of
  importance created in an artwork.
• Focal Point- the place the viewer’s eye
  is drawn to in an artwork.
• Color, size, shape, and placement of an
  object or area help to show emphasis
  through dominance and contrast.

Identify two ways to show
emphasis

Proportion
• Proportion usually refers to the way different
  elements in an artwork relate to each other in terms
  of size.
• Normal- human body
• Monumental- larger than life
• Miniature- smaller-than-normal-size
• Exaggerated- distorted proportion of an object to
  show emphasis.

Fernando Botero, (1932-), Columbian, A
Family, 1996 Oil on canvas, 195 x 155 cm

Artist Unknown, Little Warriors, Basalt Bas-relief sculpture (From
a wall), Piedras Negras, Guatemala, Late Classic Period A.D. 667
(Copy)

Amedeo Modigliani, Italian, (1884-1920)
Portrait of Jeane Hebuterne, Left Arm behind Head,1919, Oil on
canvas, 39 1/8 x 25 3/4 in. Barnes Collection, Merion, Pennsylvania

Pattern

• The repetition of an element of art

Rhythm
• The sense of movement achieved by
  the repetition of one or more elements
  of art.
• Regular- same repeated.
• Alternating- created by repeating two or
  more elements on a regular,
  interchanging basis.
• Progressive- built on regular changes in
  a repeated element.

Repetition and Variation

Unity

• Unity is achieved when the elements of
  art and the principles of design belong
  together in a composition.
• Helpful tips to achieve Unity:
  – Repeat a color, a shape, or another element.
  – Use on major color or shape
  – Combine related colors, color schemes

Variety
• Combining one or more elements of art
  to provide interest.

       Wassily Kandinsky (Russian)1866-1944, Composition VII,
       1913
       Oil on canvas

Helpful Terms

Perspective
• Perspective is the way in which artists create an
  illusion of depth on a flat surface. For hundreds of
  years painters have tried to represent accurately a
  scene that exists in three dimensions on a two-
  dimensional canvas. One of the ways to create this
  illusion is to make the objects that are far away
  smaller than those that are closer to the viewer.

Salvador Dali (Spanish) 1904-1989, The Deterioration of The
Persistence Of Memory
1952-54, Oil on Board, Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Light
• Just as stage designers use lighting to spotlight a
  performer, painters will often highlight important
  elements in paintings

Motion
• Depicting motion is a technique painters use to keep
  our attention focused on the picture.

Symbols
• Many artists include items that symbolize other items,
  emotions, beliefs, ideas, etc.

The Peasant Dance, Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Looking @ Art

                                              •   Line
                                              •   Color
                                              •   Shape
                                              •   Form
                                              •   Value
                                              •   Space
                                              •   Texture

The Peasant Dance, Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Looking @ Art
•Balance
•Emphasis
•Proportion
•Pattern
•Rhythm
•Unity
•Variety

 Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride
 Jan Van Eyck, 1434