What Is Art? Artists create works of art to: Make us feel an emotion; Art can be beautiful.

Art can be frightening. Art can be provocative. Art can tell a story. Art can lighten our mood or make us feel better. Art can make us think. Art can change our lives

The Components of Art Presentation Transcript

1. The Components of Art Subject, Style, Content, Form, Media and Technique 0 2. The duty of an artist is to strain against the bonds of the existing style. Philip Johnson 0 3. Subject Matter The main theme of a work of art. The person, place, thing, or abstract idea selected by the artist. 0 4. Awareness of style, form, and content helps the viewer understand and appreciate the visual arts more fully. 0 5. ICONOGRAPHY Iconography - the study of subject matter and symbolism. Awareness of symbolism can enrich the viewing experience. 6. STYLE The characteristic manner of executing the visual elements used by an artist. The distinctive handling of the elements and media associated with the work of an individual artist, a school or movement, or specific culture or time period. 0 7. Historical context is the record of events that affected the artist and the development of his/her work. political, social, economic, scientific, technological, and intellectual background Ex.; Fall of Rome, Coming of Christianity, Barbarians Invasions, Industrial Revolution, WW II, 9/11 Art, Culture, and Context Context has a profound influence on style. 8. Variations in style are sometimes linked to cultural contexts. 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. Individual style is the manner of expression used by a particular artist. 9. Running Horse , Cave Painting, Lascaux, France Period Style

10. Christ as the Good Shepherd , Byzantine Mosaic, Mausoleum of Gala Placidia, Ravenna, Italy Regional Style 11. Claude Monet, Impression Sunset , Impressionism, oil on canvas Regional Style 12. VAN GOGH . Starry Night (c. 1890 ) oil on canvas Individual Style 13. Art, Culture, and Context The work of most artists is a product of their culture and time. There are many styles in art, they change often, and yet there are some standards. One of the best ways to illustrate stylistic differences is to examine a group of artworks with a common subject, such as the couple 14. Provenance is the source and history of a work of art. Artist biographical information When and where was it made? How was it made? Where was it exhibited? Who bought it? For how much? Where is it now? Provenance 15. Content Content is the meaning of a work of art. The content of a work of art not only refers its subject matter and its underlining meanings or themes. 16. The Levels of Content in a Work of Art Three levels of content: Subject Matter Elements and composition Underlying or symbolic meanings or themes 17. Amorous Couple (Mayan, Late Classic, 700900 CE). Polychromed ceramic. H: 9 34 . 18. CONSTANTINE BRANCUSI . The Kiss ( c. 19 12 ). limestone . 19. OSCAR KOKOSCHKA . The Tempest ( c. 19 14 ). Oil on canvas 20. GRANT WOOD. American Gothic (1930). Oil on beaverboard. 29 78 x 24 78 . 21. BARBARA HEPWORTH (19031975). Two Figures (Menhirs) (19541955). Teak. H: 54 . 22. ROY LICHTENSTEIN. Forget It, Forget Me! (1962). Magna and oil on canvas. 79 78 x 68 . 23. DONNA ROSENTHAL. He Said She Said;lets get physical-Do you think Im Sexy (1999). Mixed media. Suit 12 x 12 x 1 1/2; dress 10 x 8 x 8. 24. Realistic Art Realism is the portrayal of people and things as they are seen by the eye or as they are thought to be without idealization, without distortion. Realism , also, defines a specific school of art that developed during the mid-nineteenth century in France. 25. Realistic Art ROMAN ART. Cato the Elder, (c.500 BC) 26. REALISM Represents reality Records an artists own experiences. Gustave Courbet Burial at Ornans, oil on canvas

27. Photography WALTER LUBKEN. The Hancock Homestead, (c.1910) We think of photography as the most realistic. The technique of shooting, capturing, and documenting suggests candid truth and reality. 28. Realistic vs Representational Art Representational art presents natural forms in a recognizable manner, although not always in realistic way. Naturalistic Realistic Stylistic Expressionistic 29. Representational GOYA Third of May, 1808 Romanticism oil on canvas 30. Expressionistic Art In expressionistic art, form and color are freely distorted by the artist in order to achieve a heightened emotional impact Expressionistic is, also, a modern art movement. 31. OSCAR KOKOSCHKA . The Tempest ( c. 19 14 ). Oil on canvas Expressionism 32. Abstraction Abstract - art that departs significantly from the actual appearance of things; modification Cubism - transcribed natural forms into largely angular geometric equivalents. Simplification Distortion 33. Abstraction PABLO PICASSO, Les Demoiselles DAvignon (c. 1906) oil on canvas 34. Copy nature and you infringe on the work of our lord. Interpret nature and you are an artist. - JACQUE LIPCHITZ 35. BARBARA HEPWORTH (19031975). Two Figures (Menhirs) (19541955). Teak. H: 54 . 36. Nonobjective Nonobjective - art that makes no reference to nature or reality. Psychic Automation - when an artist attempts to clear their mind of purpose and concerns so that inner conflicts and ideas find expression through their works. - Abstract Expressionism - Action Painting; a record of the action of painting 37. Nonobjective - Psychic Automation JACKSON POLLOCK, Lavender Mist (c. 1950) Abstract Expressionism 38. JUDY PFAFF. Voodoo (1981). Contact paper collage on Mylar. 98 x 60 (framed). 39. Content Content is the meaning of a work of art. The content of a work of art not only refers its subject matter and its underlining meanings or themes. 40. The Levels of Content in a Work of Art Three levels of content: Subject Matter Elements and composition Underlying or symbolic meanings or themes 41. Subject Color Texture Space Balance Symbolism the touching of hands represents an agreement to wed. the dog represents fidelity. Looking at Art Jan Van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride, 1434 oil paint

42. 43. 44. JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID. Death of Marat (1793). Oil on canvas. 63 34 x 49 18 . SANDOW BIRK. Death of Manuel (1992). Oil on canvas. 33 x 25 . 45. JACQUES - LOUIS DAVID. The Oath of the Horatii (1784). Oil on canvas. 11 x 14 . 46. FORM The form of a work refers to its totality as a work of art. The organization of the elements including the design principles and composition of a work of art. 47. Formalistic criticism is an approach that concentrates on the formal concepts such as the elements and principles, but not content, historical context or the biography of the artist.

Question: What are the "elements" of art? Why are they important? Answer:

The elements of art are sort of like atoms in that both serve as "building blocks." You know that atoms combine and form other things, right? Sometimes they'll casually make a simple molecule, as when hydrogen and oxygen form water (H2O). If hydrogen and oxygen take a more aggressive career path and bring carbon along as a co-worker, together they might form something more complex, like a molecule of sucrose (C12H22O11). A similar activity happens when the elements of art are combined. Instead of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, etc., in art you've got line, shape, form, space,texture, value and color. Artists manipulate these elements, mix them in with principles of design and compose a piece of art. Not every work has every last one of these elements contained within it, but there are always at least two present. For example, a sculptor, by default, has to have bothform and space in a sculpture, because these elements are three-dimensional. They can also be made to appear in two-dimensional works through the use of perspective and shading. Art would be sunk without line, sometimes known as "a moving point." While line isn't something found in nature, it is absolutely essential as a concept to depicting objects and symbols, and definingshapes. Texture is another element, like form or space, that can be real (run your fingers over an Oriental rug, or hold an unglazed pot), created (think of van Gogh's lumpy, impasto-ed canvases) or implied (through clever use of shading). Now, I will try not to leap up and down and pinwheel my arms in large, excited arcs overcolor, but, really - it's often the whole point for us visual types. Show me a red spectrum, regardless of value (lightness or darkness), and my brain yells "Hallelujah!" Then, of course, there are all of those lovely, soothing

blues...oh! And green! The color of nature and the renewal of life. There have got to be at least 84,000 tints and tones of green. And, yellow! My goodness, I do love a sunny yellow. Not a sickly-looking "Whoa! Hey, you should get your liver function tested, buddy" shade of yellow, mind you, but...what? Sorry. What was the other part of the question?
Why are the elements of art important? Right. The elements of art are important for several reasons. First, and most importantly, a person can't create art without utilizing at least a few of them. No elements, no art, end of story. And we wouldn't even be talking about any of this, would we? Secondly, knowing what the elements of art areenables us to (1) describe what an artist has done, (2) analyze what is going on in a particular piece and (3) communicate our thoughts and findings using acommon language. Musicians can talk about the key of "A," and they all know it means "a pitch relating to 440 oscillations per second of vibration." Mathematicians may use the very basic word "algorithm" and feel confident that most people know they mean "a step-by-step procedure for carrying out computation." Botanists world-wide will employ the name "rosa rugosa," rather than the much longer "that old-fashioned shrub rose - you know, the one that leaves hips in the fall - with the five-petaled flowers that can be yellow, white, red or pink." These are all specific examples of a common language coming in handy for intelligent (and shortened) discourse. So it is with the elements of art. Once you know what the elements are, you can trot them out, time after time, and never put a wrong foot forward in the Art World. Does your instructor want you to write a few words and/or pages on a painting of your choice? Choose wisely, and then wax euphoric on form, lines and color. Have you found an unidentified work in your great-aunt's attic/toolshed/outhouse? It is helpful, when describing the piece to someone who may be able to supply you with further information, to throw in some of the piece's elements of art along with: "It's an etching. It's on paper." Stumped for conversation at a gallery show? Try "The artist's use of _________(insert element here) is interesting." This is a much safer course than attempting to psychoanalyze the artist (after all, you may be standing in a clump of people that includes his or her mother) or using words which leave you a bit uncertain of exact meanings and/or pronunciations. See? The elements of art are both fun and useful. Remember: line, shape, form, space,texture, value and color. Knowing these elements will allow you to analyze, appreciate, write and chat about art, as well as being of help should you create art yourself

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