What is Art?

Art - the product of creative human activity in which materials are shaped or
selected to convey an idea, emotion, or visually interesting form . Visual arts - the arts whose objects are appreciated by viewing or through the sense of sight. Visual Arts are a class of art forms, including painting, sculpture, photography, and others, that focus on the creation of artworks which are primarily visual in nature. The visual arts are distinguished from the performing arts, language arts, culinary arts, and other such classes of artwork. The definition is not strict, and many artistic disciplines involve aspects of the visual arts as well other types Artwork - A general term referring to any artistic production.

Common Types of Visual Arts

We have two ways of looking at this topic when we refer to art. 1. 2D Artworks they are flat has a dimension of height and width, . Painting or 2-dimensional art viewed only from front side. Painting Drawing Printmaking Photography Textile Art Body Art Comics Mosaic

Fernando Amorsolo, Afternoon Meal Under the Mango Tree, 1961,Oil on Canvas

2. 3D Artworks - they are solid and has three dimension of length, width and depth They can be viewed on all sides front, back, sides, up, down Sculpture Architecture Ceramics/Pottery Landscape Design Jewelry Furniture Glass Art

When you view a sculpture or piece of pottery, a 3-Dimensional art, you need to view it from all sides. If one were to view it just from the front, a lot of expression and detail would be missed. 1

Dimension - A measure of spatial distance. Height - The first dimension, the measurement of the distance from the level of the lowest point to the level of the highest point of a shape or space. Width - The second dimension, after height. Width is usually the measurement of the extent of a shape or a space from side to side. Length - Usually refers to the longest dimension. Depth - The third dimension. The apparent distance from front to back or near to far in an artwork. When depth refers to an object's smallest dimension, then this distance can also be called its thickness.

The Language of Art

Art is a powerful language. Through it, artists communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Like most languages, the language of art has its own special vocabulary. Unlike other vocabularies, however, the vocabulary of art is not made up of words. Rather, it is made up of visual elements. The visual elements include line, shape, form, texture, value color and space. The Elements of Art are the building blocks for a work of art. Artist use the elements planned and organized ways. They are organized according to the Principles of Design. Elements of Art - The basic components used by the artist when producing works of art. Those elements are color, value, line, shape, form, texture, and space. Line - A mark with length and direction(-s). An element of art which refers to the continuous mark made on some surface by a moving point. Kinds of Line 1. Curve line - a mark with length and direction that forms an irregular shape, or one that might be found in nature, rather than a regular, mechanical shape Such convex, concave, scroll, spiral and wavy lines Curve - A line or edge that deviates from straightness in a smooth, continuous way. The lines that arc through space Concave- having a surface or boundary that curves or bulges inward Concave Convex - having a surface or boundary that curves or bulges outward, as does the exterior of a sphere, or a balloon. Convex

2. Straight line - a mark with length and direction that is straight and forms a geometric shape Such as vertical, horizontal, diagonal lines Straight - Extending continuously in the same direction without curves or other deviations Vertical - The direction going straight up and down. Horizontal - Straight and flat across, parallel to the horizon. Diagonal - Having a slanted direction.

Vertical Horizontal Diagonal Shape - An element of art, it is an enclosed space defined and determined by other art elements such as line, color, value, and texture. Shape is an area enclosed by line, or seen as an area because of color or value changes. Shapes have 2-dimensions the height and width. They appear to be flat. Kinds of Shape 1. Geometric Shapes shapes that have smooth, even edges and angular corners. They are typically made with straight lines or shapes from geometry, including circle, ovals, triangles, rectangles and squares.

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width

2. Organic or Natural Shape shapes found in nature such as trees, leaves, animals etc. Organic shapes are usually more rounded and appear most often in nature.

3. Positive Shape - filled with something, such as lines, designs, color, or shapes. The subject matter is the representational objects and is usually positive (like the sheep). 4. Negative Shapes - the background (black area) is the negative shape in the composition. The empty area in an artwork, a void.

Form - refers to an element of art that is three-dimensional (height, width, and depth) and encloses volume. For example, a triangle, which is two-dimensional, is a shape, but a pyramid, which is three-dimensional, is a form. Cubes, spheres, ovoids, pyramids, cone, and cylinders are examples of various forms.

Volume - Refers to the space within a form. Thus, in architecture, volume refers to the space within a building. Mass - Refers to the effect and degree of bulk, density, and weight of matter in space; the area occupied by a form such as a building or sculpture. As opposed to plane and area, mass is three-dimensional. Types of Form 1. Natural or Curvilinear forms abound in nature. These curvilinear forms are free form and usually curving along the edges. Similar to what we discussed about organic shapes but now we have forms instead. Curvilinear - Form characterized by curving lines.

2. Rectilinear forms are used in architecture. Rectilinear forms have geometric sides and have angular corners and edges. Rectilinear Form - form that is characterized by straight lines