ART APPRECIATION – PRELIMs – FINALS [2ND SEMESTER]
MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF ART
Art is a subject under humanities. Since art is subjective in the sense that people differ in their perception of an
object or thing. Hence, there can be no one universal definition of it. What may be beautiful and meaningful for some
people may be considered as something ugly and meaningless to others. In other words, different authors and writers
define art in various ways as they perceive it. Moreover, the meaning of art has changed throughout history due to
multicultural settings. Thus, every time a new movement in art emerged, the meaning of what is art, what is acceptable as
art, is being challenged.
Hereunder are some of the definitions of art given by various authors and writers.
Art is derived from the Latin word “ars,” meaning ability or skill- J.V. Estolas
Art is a product of man’s need to express himself- F. Zulueta
-emotions need not only be felt but expressed. These are emotions transformed into something that is beautiful
worthy to be shared. Art lets people express their emotions creatively and productively.
Art is that which brings life in harmony with the world- Plato
-art is meant to “express only images of good, and to prohibit them from exhibiting the opposite forms of vice and
intemperance and meanness and indecency” the main moral concern is the effect of art on minds and development
of the character of citizens.
Art is not what you see but what you make others see-Georgia O’Keeffe & Edgar Degas
-one of the things that makes a great art is its ability to convey message and its efficiency to stir up people’s ability
to think and interpret the artwork. Its influence or its impact on the viewers must be considered.
Art is the right reason of making things. It is the process of creating things that is guided by good intention and
it does not violate the universal concept of justice.- Aristotle
There are many reasons to make art. Some make art to make money. Well this is just fine, but Aristotle has his
own standard of what a real art is. For him, the artist must take into consideration the impact of a particular
artwork to its viewers. It must be created with good intention and for the greater good of all the people and not to
demean or to cause injustice/s to the people.
From the above definitions of art, it can be concluded that there are several ways of defining art as there are many people,
authors, and writers in the universe. Each definition is influenced by the unique perspective of the above authors and
writers as well as their own personality and character.
Nevertheless, a glimpse of the above definitions bring us four (4) common essentials of art.
1. Art is man-made, not God-made
-Art is a perceived, conceived idea on many items designed by man. We are driven to arrange our surroundings which for
want of a better term we call nature. Art is nature framed by the artist to reveal something specific about it. It reflects the
artist’s view of nature.
2. Art is creative, not imitative
-Art must be creative because it’s a product of our imagination. We can use art as an expression of our feelings, emotions
and selves. Art must be not imitative because every piece of art has its own artist. The artist has the property of those
artworks. We can adapt other people’s style but not the work itself.
3. Art benefits and satisfies man-when he uses art in practical life through artistic principles, taste, and skill.
-Let’s take into account the University’s Kaibigan ng Kalikasan Program (KKP) activity. The main purpose why we
implement this program is because of our care for the environment. Do we benefit from this? The benefit afforded to us by
the program is enough example to speak of art benefiting and satisfying man.
4. Art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates himself to his
fellows.
-The Spoliarium of Juan Luna would give us a message that Spanish friars are too much in handling the Filipino people
due to abuses suffered by the latter under their hands.
What are the importance of arts to my life as a student?
Arts play a valuable role to students in such a way that:
1. Through participation in arts-music, dance, drama, media arts, and the visual arts
students can develop their creativity, self-awareness, self-confidence, sense of well-being and to learn about
their identity
Arts create a safe space for students to explore talents and build their confidence
2. Through intense involvement in artistic activities
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students experience a sense of wonder and joy when learning though the arts
Working together for a common purpose teaches students that their contribution is important, which is perfect for
the collaborative nature of the arts.
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students can be motivated to participate more fully in cultural life
Arts provide a unique platfom to discuss many different cultures, socioeconomic levels, and current events. Through
arts, students have a place not only to learn about different cultures than their own, but also to ask questions and be more
informed about the daily struggles and realities of people who may seem different.
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students are able to gain educational opportunities which they can use later in their career life.
By working collaboratively on a project, students learn to communicate more effectively , compromise when
necessary, and work hard even if their role may seem small.
Other definitions of art

Ancient Latin, ars (“craft” or specialized form of skill)
Art then suggested the capacity to produce an intended result from carefully planned steps or method. (Build a house)
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It is considered as the “Lifeblood” of humanities
Without arts, it is impossible to speak of a human person. As a human person is bound to express his ideas and
thoughts. Such can be done only through medium of expression which is propounded by arts.
Everything around us, all that you can see is an art, and without it, man cannot survive
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Any creative skill, a talent, a painting, a design, a colorful creation, an original composition and a
masterpiece.
-Art can be expressed in many forms and it is commonly manifested by the skills embedded in person. Our innate gifts
and talents are enhanced through different art activities
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It is an essential factor that motivates an individual to create and appreciate a thing of beauty.
-It is impossible to appreciate something without our own standard that will help us to give our opinion about a work
of art. The existence of standards that we have will always motivate us to
improve further as to our satisfaction level
of arts. In this case, it will motivate us to either create or improve further.
What is the significance of Humanities?

It introduces us to places we have never visited.
-It gives us a vicarious experience of going to places we have never been before by means of paintings, films, books and
the like. More so during this whole pandemic thing. We’re all kind of deprived to visit places we want to visit face to face.
But with the different products of arts, we can somehow experience going to places that are deemed impossible to go to. It
is just amazing how we could get a glimpse of what is happening in a place, real time with real people and get to feel how
they are feeling too. By just simply reading a fiction book where a character gets to travel to Dysney land gives us also the
opportunity to experience the place. This could be the cheapest way possible for us to go to places we have never visited
and yet provides all sorts of experience.
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It introduces us to ideas that never crossed our minds.
-By just merely looking at someone else’s creation, it gives us the opportunity to reflect and or formulate ideas that never
crossed our minds. You may even get to say, “oo nga ano, pwede pala to” or “ang galing naman ng gumawa nito,
magaya nga din”. That’s another thing about arts. It activates our creativity in the sense that it introduces us to concepts
that we never have thought of and not alone just to do the same but to have it as our basis in refining whatever is in our
hands and in our minds.
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It introduces us to persons we never met
-You may never get to experience a face to face interaction or encounter with your favorite artists but you know a lot and
you have a lot to say about them for you have been watching them through televisions, hear about them through radios
and read about them through books/newspapers. It gives us some sort of a connection to people who are beyond our reach,
even beyond our knowledge. A person can get inspired by a stranger he/she just met from a newspaper being read , or the
journal being studied. Thanks to youtube you’ve got to know and let yourselves be entertained and or even influenced
positively by your favorite vloggers.
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By showing how others have lived and thought about life, it helps us decide what is important in our lives
and what we can do to make them better.
-It gives us the chance to discover other people and their way of living, thinking and feeling. We get to see through them
how we can improve and decide for ourselves in a way that does not destroy us, rather to make us reach our potentials and
grow as a person.
We have been so openly presented with a lot of stories from which we are drawn to reflect on, to criticize, to look up to
and or to study and all of these are meant not only to touch our senses but to touch even the deepest of our core as a
person.
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By connecting us with other people, they point the way to answers about what is right or wrong, or what
is true to our heritage and our history.
-It’s always nice to connect with other people. Through them we get to learn a lot of stuff like things our immediate
family members or friends have never taught us or have made us realize. As we broaden our connection, we enrich our
lives as well with life lessons and wisdom. Their experiences and opinions help us become critical of what is good and
bad, what is true to our heritage and to our history.
Indeed it is just beneficial to get to know other people apart from our close ones. We get to hear variety of stories not only
of their present, but even stories of their past where we can learn all sorts of things. It is just fair to say that we learn from
all the people that we meet or have met even if it’s just one or two or too many. We learn from even the littlest of things.
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It helps us address the challenges we face together in our families, our communities, and as a nation.
-It helps us build better relationships and helps us cope with the different adversities of life by means of enlightenment. It
inspires us to get united and not divided.
By now, we are living in a world that needs more of unity, compassion, and resiliency. What better way is there for us to
overcome so many adversities in life but to have ourselves be enlightened of what really is happening around us.
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It develops ones critical and imaginative thinking
-It broadens your perspective. You may be able to use your critical and creative thinking skills to dissect the steps it took
to create a world-famous sculpture or painting. In this scenario, the humanities degree is less about you and more about
your ability to appreciate another person’s hard work. It makes us understand and appreciate the experiences of others.
Because by appreciating alone means we give respect of the artist’s talent, hardships and intention of creating such
beauty. In turn, we get not only the pleasures of experiencing the artwork but the wonders it could create from the inside
of your intellect. You must have experienced just merely looking at an artwork and you were just so entertained and
amazed by how one could even possibly think of it, how such ideas could come across the that person’s mind and how
thrilled you could possibly be to be as creative and as imaginative.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Arts and humanities are considered as two of the oldest fields of knowledge available to man. The difference between the
two is often seen with ambiguity. While art is seen as more all-inclusive field, humanities, on the other hand, takes into
consideration a diverse and oftentimes unrelated set of disciplines from literature to political history. Both humanities and
arts can prepare you to think critically, act creatively, and succeed in a rapidly changing world
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kinds of Art
The following are the different kinds of art. Definitions and examples are included below for you to better understand the
lesson.
Kinds of Art
Visual Arts
Film
Dance
Poetry Performance
Performance Art
Literary
Architecture
Theater
Applied Arts
Definition
These are art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature such
as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video,
filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture.
This is also called a motion picture, a medium used to simulate experiences
that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty or atmosphere
by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with sensory
stimulations.
The movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a
given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing
energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself.
It is a poetry that is specifically composed for or during a performance before
an audience
It is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the
artist or other participants and presented to an audience within a fine art
context, traditionally interdisciplinary.
It is the integrative discipline of ideation, literary appreciation and multimodal creative writing.
- In the most basic sense, literary art is any form or piece of art, made by use
of word’s and language. Like the paint to an artistic painter. Whether this
takes form in books, speeches, poem’s, news articles or anything else
It is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and
constructing buildings or any other structures.
It is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers, typically, actors
or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a
live audience in a specific place, called stage.
These are arts that apply design and decoration to everyday and essentially
practical objects in order to make them aesthetically pleasing.
Nature of Art
Art is everywhere
-When you wake up in the morning what do you see? When you go to school or hangout in Robinsons place with your
friends what do you see? When you shop in Lazada or shopee for a home décor or gadgets or school materials what do
you see? Basically, almost everything that we see around us, including the things that we use are all products of arts. You
may have just realized it by now that have created not just one but myriads of what we call now as art.
Art is part of one’s life. He/she cannot ignore its presence even if he/she tries to.
-We are all artists in some ways. Your choice of pairing of clothes is an art. The way you tie your hair is art. The movies
you watch, books you read, musics you listen to are all sorts of arts. So basically, arts has been part of our day to day life.
In fact, we desperately look for art much as we want to ignore it. Artworks have been some sort of an opium that fills the
void in our lives. With it, we kept entertained. Our lives have been so much easier and comfortable with its presence and
that is why people, the artists, continuously create more of it up until now. The creations improve and becomes far more
impressive as time progresses.
ART as expression and communication
-Art is the expression of inner feelings, idea, thought about something or the environment.
Art is created through expressing ones feelings, emotions, intuitions, and desires, but it is even more personal than that;
it’s about sharing the way we experience the world, which for many is an extension of personality.
Art is not nature
A work of art is man-made whereas nature is given around us. Although art may closely resemble nature, it can never
duplicate nature. It is only man’s way of interpreting nature.
Art perfects nature
Although nature displays order and harmony, sometimes it is in its chaotic state. Artist duplicate things they like and
eliminate the undesirable elements in nature to convey their message of love and beauty.
Art and culture are linked. Art is an expression of a particular person or group of people.
Art mirrors the beliefs and practices of a certain group of people. Thus art reveals not only the identity of the artist but
even the society he/she belongs to.
Art must be universally significant.
The works of Rizal and Francisco Balagtas are not read because they are old but because they are beautifully written.
Arts, regardless of its origin, time, and place are liked and enjoyed by people continuously.
WEEK 3-4
Let us make it our practice to recite the Louisian prayer in every beginning of our lessons. Include also in your prayer the
well-being of everybody most especially those who are suffering from any kind of illnesses. To begin with, let me
congratulate everybody for a job well done. I can see that everybody are giving the best they can to comply with the
requirements of this subject. I appreciate all the efforts and the time you have given in your studies. Keep doing a great
job! Let us continue our lesson with the different definitions of beauty.
The word beauty connotes balance and proportion, something that is pleasing to the eye, perfection, and pleasure. These
are just few of the words that are usually associated with beauty. But what really is beauty?
The term has always been linked with positive qualities but to require for a universal single definition of the word beauty
would be considered as an invalid claim as the word itself is relative in nature. What may be beautiful for a particular
country may not be considered as such in another place. Given also the fact that the definition itself is indeed fleeting in
nature.
Nevertheless, it is, but just acceptable to have it defined based on how a particular society sets standard of their own.
Thus, below are some diversified definitions of beauty.
DEFINITIONS OF BEAUTY
Webster dictionary: Beauty is an assemblage of perfection through which an object is rendered pleasing to the eye.
Plato: Beauty is equated with the sublime identity with good. Basically, for Plato, a thing is not considered beautiful if it
does not serve a good intention. The same is true to a person as he/she will be considered beautiful so long as the beauty
applies both on the outside and on the inside (personality).
Aristotle: Beauty is symmetry, proportion, and an organic order of parts into united whole. For Aristotle, what we can
certainly state is that our attraction to another person’s body increases if that body is symmetrical and in proportion.
*Scientists believe that we perceive proportional bodies to be healthier.
Spinoza: A thing is beautiful if we desire it, and desire it because it is good; and if it is good, it is therefore beautiful. He
dismisses beauty as mere sensual content. The standards include your desire on that particular thing. Hence, beauty for
Spinoza is subjective.
Idealist: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” We have different standards of beauty. What may be beautiful for me may
not be beautiful to you. We cannot really judge other people of their choices because we perceive things differently and as
a matter of fact, matters of taste are not matters of dispute.
Santayana: Beauty is pleasure objectified. It is when the experience and emotion of pleasure intertwines with the qualities
of the object that beauty arises.
With art, beauty has become an artist’s definitive goal. But surprisingly, an artist’s passion transcends beyond his master
pieces. It is his ultimate goal to touch and connect with human emotion. Artists are able to stimulate their audiences in
some way that which would create feelings, curiosity and interest. It is capable of bringing the audience into another
dimension that which play with their thoughts and memories and thus bring beauty in a sensual way.
TYPES OF BEAUTY
IDEAL BEAUTY
One finds from objects or scenes in nature which conforms or approximate to his idea of how beauty should be made or
formed, which expectation is the result of man’s accumulated knowledge or total aesthetic experiences. This type of
beauty resembles perfection.
REAL BEAUTY
A type of beauty which conforms to the general expectations of man in a particular society, period and culture according
to subject, function or genre that it represents. One best example for this is Liza Soberano. Liza’s beauty matches the
standard/ tastes of Filipino about being beautiful. However, this does not mean that Liza’s beauty accords with all other
people in other countries
NATURAL BEAUTY
Natural beauty is a type of beauty as found in nature and is not man-made. Objects which exhibits manifestations that
there has been no intervention made by man are qualified under this type of beauty.
One example for this is the Blue water located in Baggao,Cagayan
ARTIFICIAL BEAUTY
This is a type of beauty is realized the moment man tries to make some changes in nature in order to realize some concept,
atmosphere or mood. This is some sort of a corrective measure man does to qualify a thing or a person on the standards
they have for beauty. An example of this is the Banaue Rice Terraces.
DECORATIVE BEAUTY
The type of beauty that is realized from the actual physical or material presence of the work of art. It refers to the
decorative function of the work of art that helps beautify the place. An example of this is the chapel with impressive
lighting Callao Cave (Penablanca Cagayan).
SPIRITUAL BEAUTY
This type of beauty is discerned from works of art in which subjects are about religion, or beauty found in noble and
virtuous life. This type of beauty surpasses physical beauty. This type of beauty includes qualities such as joy, love, grace,
gentleness, unselfishness and not only limited to spiritual materials such as the bible and its content, churches and spiritual
statues. When we express these Godlike qualities, actively live them, we're actually expressing beauty! The picture on the
right shows a lot of these qualities.
INTELLECTUAL BEAUTY
This type of beauty is discerned after giving due consideration to points or elements or a meaning found beyond the
surface or composition’s observable features. Just like how the picture on the right illustrates how our medical frontliners
are, without a doubt, the biggest heroes during this COVID-19 pandemic. They've sacrificed their time and effort, and
even put their lives on the line, just to make sure that we're safe.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF ART
ACCORDING TO PURPOSE
1. Practical or Useful Arts
It is concerned with the skills and methods of practical subjects such as manufacture and craftsmanship. These types of
arts are human creations used to produce artifacts, tools, and utensils used in doing household and everyday chores.
Examples: basket weaving, agriculture
2. Liberal Arts
Liberal arts, also referred to as the humanities, include the study of history, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology,
psychology, creative arts, and more. It involves the development of man’s intellectual reasoning More broadly speaking,
students earning a liberal arts degree learn to formulate effective arguments, communicate well, and solve problems.
Examples: Mathematics, Philosophy, Psychology
3. Fine Arts
These types of arts are the products of human creative activity as they express beauty in different ways and media for the
satisfaction and relaxation of man’s mind and spirit.
The term "fine art" refers to an art form practiced mainly for its aesthetic value and its beauty ("art for art's sake") rather
than its functional value. Fine art is rooted in drawing and design-based works
Examples: painting, Sculpture, Architecture, printmaking
*The set of “fine arts” are sometimes also called the major arts, with "minor arts" equating to the decorative arts.
4. Minor Arts
The minor arts include jewelry, silverware, coins, miniature sculptures and carvings - in short, anything excluded by the
"major arts" such as paintings, prints and monumental sculptures are products of minor arts. The minor arts may be
small, but, as the saying goes, good things come in small packages. It is really hard separate minor from practical arts
since these works are connected with each other. In a way, we can categorize practical arts under minor arts.
5.
Major Arts
Major arts are characterized by their actual and potential expressiveness and by a purely disinterested purpose. Major arts
require tremendous amount of training, effort, time and focus. Although the same demands go with performing a minor art
but this classification demands for a more serious and long-term practice to perform and excel on it. Thus, requires an
extensive training, focus and commitment to practice. Major arts, unlike minor arts had undergone further development/
enhancement to improve its purpose, hence more mature than minor arts.
Examples: Music, Poetry, Sculpture
ACCORDING TO MEDIA AND FORM
1. Plastic Arts
The term "plastic art" - derived from the word "plasticize", meaning "to mould" - describes any art form which involves
modelling or moulding in three dimensions. The most common example of the plastic arts is sculpture. This is because
sculptors chip, carve, shape or modulate a range of traditional materials, such as marble, granite, sandstone, bone, ivory,
wood, and terracotta, as well as contemporary materials such as concrete, aluminium, and foam rubber. These are
developed through space and perceived by the sense of sight.
Examples: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture
2. Phonetic Arts
These are based on sounds and words as media of expression. Example: Music, Drama, Literature
3. Kinetic Arts
It makes use of rhythmic movement as the elements of expression. It is an art from any medium that contains movement
perceivable by the viewer or depends on motion for its effect. Canvas paintings that extend the viewer's perspective of the
artwork and incorporate multidimensional movement are the earliest examples of kinetic art.
Example: Dance, optical illusion paintings
4. Pure Arts
These are artworks in which the artist utilizes only one and no other medium of expression. We can use this to categorize
the other classifications of arts. This type of art is not as experimental/exploratory as mixed art. It focuses only on one
medium probably to require focus our attention to the audiences
Example: Sound in music, Color in painting
5. Mixed Arts
As opposed to pure arts, this type of art uses two or more media to express oneself. It is playful, exploratory, and
experimental and provides variety of exposure on different mediums resulting into a beautiful harmony.
Example: Opera which includes music, drama, and poetry all together.
FUNCTIONS OF ART
Art’s general function is to satisfy our individual needs for personal expression, our social needs for display, celebration,
and communication and our physical needs for utilitarian objects and structures.
Below are the three functions of art. Read carefully and understand the differences between the three.
SOCIAL FUNCTION
It seeks or tends to influence the collective behavior of people as opposed to one person's point of view or experience. It
is created to be seen or used primarily in public situations.
Arts with social function have the power to affect all of us. These would include posters, political cartoons, religious
paintings, bill boards, in other words, these are created works of art that are targeted to an audience. Even works that we
might assume to have been done merely for the artist’s pleasure may have in fact been painted to serve a social function.
In Death and the Mother, Kollwitz seems to effortlessly describe a myriad of powerful emotions exposed in the
confrontation of death. The mother appears to be locked in a desperate struggle with a skeletal figure personifying death
as she cradles her dying child, trying to keep the figure at bay. The look on her face is shock, more so than fear. It is the
shock of realization, that regardless of all her efforts, she cannot save her child. It is final.
PHYSICAL FUNCTION
The forms and structures of art make one to live his/her life comfortably. This type of function is the easiest to spot and
understand for it can be realized through the objects and environments we create which fill a utilitarian need. The process
through which a designer arrives at a solution to a problem (an answer to a need) is surely a creative process.
Examples of work of arts that serves their functions include architecture, jewely, and furnitures
PERSONAL FUNCTION
Why do artists make art? Obvious answers, "because they choose to, because they want to, because they need to, because
they can." All of these answers all point to the personal function.
Most artists produce work done specifically to satisfy their own desire to produce work. It can be that simple as the artist
simply enjoys painting, drawing or sculpting. They are pleased with their ability to represent the world, and they derive a
certain satisfaction from doing so. Perhaps the artist finds the process art making, therapeutic. It calms them or relieves
stress.
You performing arts this pandemic such as vlogging, painting, singing, sculpting or dancing to reduce the burden and
stress is art serving its personal function.
PHILOSOPHICAL IMPORT OF ART
Philosophy, science and art differ principally according to their subject-matter and also the means by which they reflect,
transform and express it. In a certain sense, art, like philosophy, reflects reality in its relation to man, and depicts man, his
spiritual world, and the relations between individuals in their interaction with the world.
1. ARTISTIC INTEGRITY
Integrity gives us a foundation from which to draw on for future projects. It serves as our secret back up system. We
automatically know our strength because we have proven it to ourselves.
Artistic integrity is generally defined as the ability to omit an acceptable level of opposing, disrupting, and corrupting
values that would otherwise alter an artist's or entities' original vision in a manner that violates their own preconceived
aesthetic standards and personal values.
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Always painting with passion
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Never copying but taking ideas and tweaking them to make them our own
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Being original….not normal
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Having the courage to take a chance
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Always remembering your artistic vision comes from your life, your thoughts….your courage
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Creating a painting because it comes from your soul and not for recognition or prizes
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Being willing to be scared….to create on the edge
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To continue creating when doubt in yourself appears
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Doing your very best each and every day
2. PROPORTION AND SCALE
These are the principles of art that describes the size, location, or amount of one element in relation to another. They have
something to do with the overall harmony of an individual piece and our perception of the art.
Scale is used in art to describe the size of one object in relation to another, each object is often referred to as a whole.
Proportion has a very similar definition but tends to refer to the relative size of parts within a whole. In this case, the
whole can be a single object like a person's face or the entire artwork as in a landscape. This will be further discussed in
the next module
3. RADIANCE
It is the quality of an object that makes us want to continue perceiving it.
The image Aquinas has in mind here is light. A radiant object shines before us. This doesn’t necessarily have to be actual
light. Radiance might involve real light, but it is also metaphorical for the quality that captures our attention and holds
onto it.
In viewing art, there are clues that mediate between the artwork and the viewer, allowing the viewer to more easily
comprehend what he is seeing. These clues which are also the three basic components of a work of art include the subject,
content, and form. Starting with the SUBJECT which is the visual focus of the image that may be extracted from
examining the artwork. This is the “what”. Next is the CONTENT or the meaning that is communicated by the artist or
the artwork. This is the “why”. Lastly, we have the FORM which is s the development and configuration of the artwork.
The form is how the elements and the medium or materials are put together. This is the “how”.
Subject
Content
Form
The “what”
The “why”
The “how”
SUBJECT TYPE
There are two types of art - representational art and non-representational art. Each of them has different styles of artwork
and can be easily distinguished.
A. REPRESENTATIONAL ART- is the type of art that we see the most. Representational means descriptive, figurative
and symbolized. Briefly, it depicts something easily recognized by most people. For example, the painting below is called
Thunder Magic by Marcia Baldwin. People can generally recognize it as a horse without doubt. Although the using of
color may not be realistic, it represents an actual subject from reality. Painting, sculpture, the graphic arts, literature and
the theater arts are generally under this category. Some musical composition have subjects, they are called Program
music.
B. NON-REPRESENTATIONAL ART- The opposite of representational art is complete abstraction, where the lines,
colors, and shapes themselves are the focus of the artwork, rather than any existing thing. This is known as nonrepresentational art.
For example, the painting below by Wassily Kandinsky is a great example. Kandinsky may well have intended for this
composition to represent something which already exists, but the abstraction is so extreme that to most people, it is just an
assortment of lines, colors, and shapes.
Music, architecture and many of the functional arts fall under this type. The kind of music without subject may imitate
natural sounds.
In short, representational art can describe a physical object clearly and the expression of artists can be easily
understood by people. Non-representational art on the other hand is abstract that the artists view the subjects in a
non-traditional manner. The meaning behind the picture is not obvious and may not be perceived by all
people consistently. Nevertheless, the sake of both types of art is the same - express the thoughts or emotion of
artists.
KINDS OF SUBJECT
There are many different kinds of subject in a painting. Some of the most common are:
1. Landscapes- An outdoor view of nature, such as mountains, rivers, sky desert, fields or forests. In a Landscape,
Seascape, or Cityscape, an artist creates the illusion of a three-dimensional world on a flat canvas or paper.

Landscapes include people, animals, buildings (barns, houses, or sheds), quiet roads or streets. If people or
animals are included, they are not the focal point.

Seascapes- A scene at sea (a ship on the water) or a scene including a portion of the sea, like waves along the
beach. The water (ocean or sea) is the focal point, or a larger part of the scene and;

Cityscapes- A scene including city buildings, bridges, streets or traffic lights. A Cityscape might include a
river or a park surrounded by skyscrapers.
2. Still-life- groups of inanimate objects arranged in an indoor setting. The objects themselves are the focal point. In
general, almost any object can be included, as long as it is inanimate (nonliving) and small enough to fit on a table.
Occasionally, a live animal that can be “still” is included (goldfish in a bowl, bird in a cage, sleeping cat). A Still Life is
usually set indoors and contains at least one man-made object, such as a vase or bowl. Flower arrangements are a popular
object found in Still Life paintings. Cut flowers no longer growing in the garden are considered inanimate. You might
see some of these objects in a Still Life painting: Fruits, vegetables, baskets, other food, vines or houseplants, pottery,
vases, jugs
3. Animals- Along with the human form, animals was subjects of the earliest art ever created. They are the earliest
artworks known to us most especially in cave paintings.
4. Portraits- These have realistic likeness of a person in a sculpture, painting, drawing or print. Portraits might show only
the face, but may include part, or all, of the body as well. Portraits may be set inside or outdoors. The subject usually
fills most of the picture. Some artist’s portraits do not look realistic. A portrait may be a painting, a photograph, or even
a sculpture.
5. Figures- unlike portraits, the emphasis here is on human body, either nude.
The two pictures below are examples of a portrait and a figure respectively
6. Everyday life-this includes a set up similar to what is happening in our daily lives. The content here must be realistic.
7. History and legend- legend refers to the story of a definite place, local custom and haunted place. Example: Biag-niLam-ang (Ilocano), Biuag and Malana (Itawes)
8. Dreams and fantasies- How a given artist renders the world of dreaming is clearly not all about fantasy. Images of
dreams might also demonstrate, speak to the intellectual, sexual, social, and artistic values of artist and audience. It is easy
to identify a subject as such for it has magical and unfamiliar contents.
9. Religions and myths- myth refers to the story that deals with supernatural tradition, men, culture, heroes and
beliefs. Ex. Si Malakas at Si Maganda
WAYS OF REPRESENTING THE SUBJECT
1. REALISM
Artists working in the Realist style rejected the standards of Romanticism (1800-1850), a genre defined by a heightened
sense of emotion. Typically, Romantic paintings feature either mythological figures or sublime scenes of nature. In either
case, it glorifies its subjects—a trait that Realist artists directly dismissed.
The realist style attempts to portray the subject as it is. The artist’s main function is to describe as accurately and honestly
as possible what is observed through the senses. In the process of selection and presentation of his material, he is
influenced by his feelings and thoughts. From the word real, you can identify a painting as such when the image would
appear realistic (“makatotohanan”). Paintings identified as realism are quite usual and familiar as it portrays images from
our day to day lives.
2. ABSTRACTION
This is a direct opposite of realism as it does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead,
uses shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect.
It is used when the artist becomes so interested in one phase of a scene or a situation that he does not show the subject at
all as an objective reality, but only his idea, or his feelings about it. Abstract means “to move away or separate”. It
deviates from the actual visual reality.
An interesting thing about this type of painting is that most people would say that it is hard to interpret one. Well actually
it’s not. We are just so afraid that we might be wrong, but you see, this is actually the beauty of an abstract painting. It is
open to interpretation. All it requires is an open mind and a big imagination. It requires you to enter the painting and see
where it takes you. Abstract art gives you the freedom to explore the artwork and assign your own meaning to the piece.
You may have seen myriads of abstract paintings that seem worthless. You may have encountered lots of highly admired
and expensive abstract paintings which you think even a five-year old kid can do. So, does creating and understanding an
abstract painting come naturally to everyone? The answer to this question is no. What people don't realize is that the best
abstract artists have excellent drawing skills, a finely honed sense of composition, and a deep understanding of the
workings of color. Most abstract artists have the ability to draw a perfectly rendered rose or a realistic portrait, but they
choose not to. Instead they choose to express their creativity by creating a visual experience that is freer and more
unencumbered by the weight of objects.
Stylistically, abstract art included the movements of Surrealism, Dadaism, Cubism, and Fauvism.
a. Distortion
It is clearly manifested when the subject is in misshapen condition or the regular the shape is twisted out. There is an
alteration of the original shape of something
. -Example: Recumbent Figure 1938 by Henry Moore
b. Elongation
It is when the art subject is lengthened, a protracted or an extended much more than the reality.
Ex. Gaston Modot (Oil on Canvas), by Amedeo Modigliani
c. Mangling
It is showing subjects which are cut, lacerated, mutilated or hacked with repeated blows. Ex. The Weeping Woman by
Pablo Picasso
d. Cubism
It stresses abstract form through the use of cone, cylinder or a sphere at the expense of other pictorial elements. The
cubists want to show form in their basic geometrical shape.
Ex. Violin and Paletteby Georges Braque
e. Abstract expressionism
In many paintings under the movement of Abstract Expressionism an expression of reality is expressed in a nonrepresentational statement with line, colour and size as well as the aggressive mingling of colours, shapes and forms that
creates a painting of pure thought and emotion.
It is characterized by great verve, the use of large canvasses, and a deliberate lack of refinement in the application of the
paint. Strong color, heavy impasto, uneven brush strokes, and rough texture are other typical characteristics. It is messy
and has unconventional application of paint usually without a recognizable object.
Ex. Door to the River by Willem de Kooning
3. SYMBOLISM
It is an emblem that assumes new meaning originating from a highly personal and unique association in the mind of the
creator. Symbolist painters used a wide variety of subjects including heroes, women, animals, and landscapes. They
typically gave these subjects deep meanings such as love, death, sin, religion, or disease. Taking for example the painting
below (Spoliarium, by Juan Luna)
Spoliarium- The painting, shows how the Filipinos were treated before when they were colonized by Spaniards. It shows
that they were forced to entertain the Roman oppressors and the Spaniards with their lives and sacrifice themselves for the
Roman's and Spaniard's honor.
Examples: Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar”, Matthew 18: 2-14, Juan Luna’s “Spolarium” (Exposicion
Nacional de Bellas Artes), Bertel Thornwaldsen’s “The Lion Monument”
At the center of Luna’s painting are fallen gladiators being dragged by Roman soldiers. On the left, spectators ardently
await their chance to strip off the combatants of their metal helmets and other armory. In contrast with the charged
emotions featured on the left, the right side meanwhile presents a somber mood. An old man carries a torch perhaps
searching for his son while a woman weeps the death of her loved one.
4. FAUVISM
It was the first art movement in the 1900’s headed by Henry Martisse and others such as Andre Derain, Raoul Drify,
George Rouault. The used of extremely bright colors which symbolizes comfort, joy, and pleasure characterized this
method. Ex. The Girl from Rat Mort by Maurice de Vlaminck
It is characterized with a radical use of unnatural colors that separated color from its usual representational and realistic
role, giving new, emotional meaning to the colors. It uses bold brush strokes using paint straight from the tube instead of
preparing and mixing it
Imagine trees that don't have to be green and brown, people who are blue and green, and red skies in paintings. All of
these ideas, which express the feelings of the artist through a somewhat irrational use of color, create the Fauvist style.
5. DADAISM
Dada began among artists, writers, and intellectuals who fled to neutral Switzerland during World War I. The movement
was a form of protest against the society that allowed the bloodshed to take place. It challenged the perceptions of
nationalism, materialism, and rationalism during this “humiliating age”.
The Dadaist reached to what they believed were outworn traditions in art, and the evils they saw in the society. They tried
to shock and provoke the public with outrageous pieces of writing, poetry recitals, and art exhibitions. The only rule of
Dada is not to follow any known rules. Still, Dadaist works shared some characteristics: satire and wit, irreverence, and
spontaneity. It is playful and highly experimental art.
The name “dada” a French word means “hobby horse”. The best known Dadaist was the French artist Marcel Duchamp.
6.FUTURISM
It was developed in Italy.Futurist painters wanted their works to capture the speed and force of modern industrial society.
Their paintings glorified the mechanical energy of modern life. Subjects include automobiles, motorcycles and railroad
trains that express the explosive vitality of a modern city.
7. SURREALISM
Surrealism has no unified style, but, in painting, one can distinguish a range of possibilities falling between two
extremes. At one pole, the viewer is confronted by a world that is completely defined and minutely depicted but that
makes no rational sense: realistically painted images are removed from their normal contexts and reassembled within an
ambiguous, paradoxical, or shocking framework.
The surrealists claim to create form and images not primarily by reason but by unthinking impulse and blind feeling
or even by accident. The surrealists declare that a magical world- more beautiful than the real one-can be created in art
and literature.
Example: Philosopher's Lamp by René Magritte
8. EXPRESSIONISM
The proponents of expressionism believed in the necessity of a spiritual rebirth for man in an age that was fast becoming
influenced by materialism. The emotional expression in expressionistic painting could be described as involving pathos,
morbidity, violence or chaos and tragedy. It sometime portrays defeat.
Expressionism artists used the expressive possibilities of color and line to explore dramatic and emotion-laden themes, to
convey the qualities of fear, horror, and the grotesque, or simply to celebrate nature with hallucinatory intensity. They
broke away from the literal representation of nature in order to express more subjective outlooks or states of mind.
Example: Starry Night by Van Gogh
WEEK 5-6
Elements of Art
An element is one of those basic visible things. In science, the elements are what everything thing on the earth has been
created from (like those in the periodic table of elements). In art, it is an element if it is visible and there is nothing more
simple or basic to define it. This section contains the Ingredients for a great Composition.
The Elements of Art are the “tools” that artists use to make art. There are 7 of them:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Line
Value
Texture
Shape
Form
Space
Color
Line
– is a mark on a surface that describes a shape or outline. It can create texture and can be thick or thin. Line can be actual
or implied, such as the horizon line in a Landscape.

Five basic line types – horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, and zigzag

Line quality refers to the description of a line – thick, thin, dotted, etc.
Horizontal Lines are generally restful, like the horizon, where the sky meets land.
Vertical lines seem to be reaching, so they may seem inspirational like tall majestic trees or church steeples
Diagonal lines tend to be disturbing. They suggest decay or chaos like lightening or falling trees.
Lines can convey emotion as well. They may show excitement, anger, calmness, tension, happiness and many other
feelings. Because of this, some are said to be expressive.
Expressive Lines tend to be found in nature and are very organic.
Other lines that are very measured, geometric, directional and angular are called Constructive lines. They tend to appear to
be man-made because of their precision.
SHAPE
Shape is created when a line becomes connected and encloses space. It is the outline or outward appearance of something.
Shapes are 2 Dimensional (2-D) which means there are 2 ways they can be measured. You can measure its HEIGHT and
its WIDTH.
There are two basic types of shape.


Geometric shapes have smooth even edges and are measurable. This includes the square, the circle, the triangle
and the rectangle.
Organic shapes have more complicated edges and are usually found in nature. Leaves, flowers, ameba, etc.
FORM
–is a three-dimensional object having volume and thickness. A Form is a shape that has become 3- Dimensional (3-D)
Form has HEIGHT, WIDTH and DEPTH--which is the 3rd dimension.Depth shows the thickness of the object. Forms are
NOT flat like shapes are!
It is the illusion of a 3-D effect that can be implied with the use of light and shading techniques in a 2-D work of art.
Form can be viewed from many angles.
Turning Shapes into Forms
A triangle becomes a cone or a pyramid
A square becomes a cube
In order to turn a circle into a sphere, you must shade it. You can’t add another side to it!
VALUE
– is the degree of light and dark in a design. It is the contrast between black and white and all the grays between. Value
applies to colors as well, with all the tints, shades, and tones between the primary, secondary and intermediate colors.
Value makes objects appear more real because it imitates natural light. When showing value in a work of art, you will
need a LIGHT SOURCE.
A light source is the place where the light is coming from, the darkest areas are always on the opposite side of the light.
In order to have a successful drawing, you will need to show a full value range, which means that there are very light
areas, middle tones, and very dark areas. This is a way of giving a work of art Contrast.
In drawing value can be added several ways
A. Cross-hatching is when you use irregular lengths of parallel lines that cross over each other diagonally. The closer
together the lines are placed, the darker the value.
B. Stippling is the use of dots to create shade. This is accomplished by placing dots very close together to create dark
values and farther apart to create lighter values.
C. Soft shading is when you use your pencil to create soft gradual movements from one value to the next using full value
range.
COLOR
– refers to specific hues (another word for color) and has properties of Intensity and Value. The color wheel is a way of
showing the chromatic scale in a circle using all the colors made with the
Primary triad (red, blue, and yellow)
Secondary colors (orange, purple, and green) are mixed from the primary colors.
Intermediate (tertiary) colors are a combination of a primary and a secondary color (found next to each other on the color
wheel) mixed (blue-green).
When light is reflected through a prism, colors can be seen. These colors are: Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Indigo, Blue
and Violet
Remember the anagram: ROY G BIV
Black and white can be added to produce tints (add white), shades (add black), and tones (add gray).
Complimentary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel (yellow, purple).
Color can add interest and reality to artwork. The use of a 12-step color wheel will help us understand color more
effectively.
Color Wheel
A long time ago, artists decided that these colors would be more useful to them if they were placed in a wheel fashion.
This became known as the color wheel
There are 3 primary colors:
Red, Yellow and Blue
These colors are primary for 2 reasons:
1. They can’t be mixed to be made
2. They make all the other colors on the color wheel
3. When you mix 2 primary colors together, you get a secondary color.
When you mix a primary and a secondary color together you get an intermediate (or tertiary) color For example:






Red and Orange= Red-Orange
Yellow and Green=Yellow-Green
Blue and Green=Blue-Green
Red and Violet=Red-Violet
Yellow and Orange=Yellow-Orange
Blue and Violet=Blue-Violet
Color Schemes
Color is divided into groups based on the way they are placed on the color wheel:
3-4 colors “next-door-neighbors” to each other creates an analogous color scheme
2 colors that are directly opposite each other (going across the center) create a complimentary color scheme
A Split-Complimentary color scheme is a complimentary color and the two colors on either side of its compliment.
A Triadic color scheme uses 3 colors that are equally spaced apart on the color wheel
When you use only one color plus its tints and shades, you are using a monochromatic color scheme


A tint is a color plus white
A shade is a color plus black
COLOR HAVE TEMPERATURE
Colors can convey emotion and feelings too.
Have your ever felt “blue?”
Been “green’ with envy?
Called a “yellow” coward?
It is important that artists understand the effects of color when they are trying to get the viewers of their art to feel a
particular way.


Warm colors are those that have Reds, Yellows and Oranges. Warm colors seem to advance (or come forward)
in an artwork.
Cool colors are those that have Blues, Greens and Violets. Cool colors seem to recede (or go back into) an
artwork.
TEXTURE
- is the way the surface of an object actually feels.
In the artistic world, we refer to two types of texture---tactile and implied
Tactile (or Real) Texture is the way the surface of an object actually feels. Examples would be sandpaper, cotton balls,
tree bark, puppy fur, etc.
Implied Texture is the way the surface of an object looks like it feels. This is the type of texture that artists use when they
draw and paint. Textures may look rough, fuzzy, gritty, or scruffy, but can’t actually be felt.
SPACE
Space is basically divided into 3 parts: Foreground, Middle Ground and Background
Generally, the background area is considered to be the upper 1/3 of the picture plane. The middle ground area is
considered to be the middle 1/3 of the picture plane. The foreground area is considered to be the lower 1/3 of the picture
plane.
Space can be shallow or deep depending on what the artist wants to use. Shallow space is used when the artist has objects
very close to the viewer.
Deep Space may show objects up close but objects are shown far away too.
Positive and Negative space is a way that an artwork is divided. When planning a work of art, both areas must be
examined so that they balance one another. Drawing items running off the page and zooming in on objects are ways to
create visual interest within a work.
Positive space is the actual object(s) within the artwork
Negative Space is the area in and around the objects. It is the “background” and it contributes to the work of art---you
can’t have positive space without negative space
Perspective is also a way of showing space in a work of art. Perspective is when the artist uses a vanishing point on the
horizon and then creates a sense of deep space by showing objects getting progressively smaller as they get closer to the
vanishing point.
Objects may overlap as well. When objects are overlapped it is obvious that enough space had to be in the picture to
contain all the objects that have been included.
The Elements of Art in Review
The Elements of Art are the “tools” that artists use to make art. They are the basic “foundation” of a good composition
Line
Value
Color
Texture
Shape
Form
Space
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
A principle is something that can be repeatedly and dependably combined and used with the elements to produce some
visual effect in a composition. The principles of design are the recipe for a good work of art. The principles combine the
elements to create an aesthetic placement of things that will produce a good design. Principles of design help artists
carefully plan and organize the elements of art so that an artwork will hold interest and command attention. This is
sometimes referred to as visual impact. Principles of design successfully “glue” the artistic elements together.
BALANCE – a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance can be symmetrical (evenly balanced)
or asymmetrical and unevenly balanced.
SYMMETRICAL BALANCE
Achieved by placing identical objects on either side of a central point.

Creates a quiet, restful feeling.

Suggests restraint, orderliness, formality.

Also called, FORMAL balance.
ASSYMETRICAL BALANCE
Achieved by placing different objects of equal visual weight on either side of a central point.

Creates more interesting arrangements.

Suggests informality, relaxed.

Also referred to as INFORMAL balance.
RHYTHM – a sense of movement in which some elements recur regularly. Like a dance, the work will have a flow of
objects (shapes), lines, or colors that will seem organized similar to the beat and rhythm of music.
It leads the eye from one point to another, creates motion.
SCALE & PROPORTION

Scale relates to the size of a design in relation to the height and width of the area in which it is placed.

Proportion relates to the parts of the object and how one part relates to another.
Scale
- Relates to the actual and relative size and visual weight of the design and its components.

Furniture and accessories must be in scale to the room
Proportion
The Golden Mean – the division of a line or form so that the smaller portion has the same ratio to the larger as the larger
has to the whole.

Effective Ratios are 2:3, 3:5, 5:8, 4:7, etc.

Square is the least pleasing shape.

Rectangles are more pleasing, especially with a ratio of 2:3.
The creative use of color, texture, pattern, and furniture arrangement can create illusions of properly proportioned space.
CENTER OF INTEREST/EMPHASIS
This refers to the area that first attracts attention in a composition. When there is a feature that commands attention and
makes a design visually interesting. This area is more important when compared to the other objects or elements in an
artwork. Emphasis can be created by placement in the format, contrast of values or more colors.
Ways to create emphasis:

Arrangement of furniture around a focal point.

Use of color, texture, or pattern.

Placement of accessories.

Use of lighting.
The point of emphasis should command attention, but not dominate the overall design.
Other features within the room should not compete for the emphasis.
HARMONY/UNITY/VARIETY
A composition brought together with similar units or elements. If an artwork were begun using wavy lines and organic
shapes, it would need to be finished with the same types of line and shapes. A single geometric shape or a single straight
line would disrupt the harmony and unity. Using the combination of wavy lines as well as organic shapes creates variety
in the composition.
There are 2 types of harmony.

Unity

Variety
Unity occurs when all the parts of a home or room are related by one idea. A unified design has consistency of style
Variety- when two or more different elements of design are used to add interest to a design. Variety can be achieved by
combining different styles and materials, as long as they are compatible.
Harmony is achieved when unity and variety are effectively combined.

Carrying variety too far creates confusion.

A lack of unity may make a small home seem even smaller.
ART APP – MIDTEERM
WEEK 1: READING THE IMAGE
Art has two interrelated aspects.
Two interrelated aspects in the study of art:

The first is that art has its specificity: that is, its particular language or vocabulary has something to do with the
mediums, techniques, and visual elements of art that constitute it as a distinct area of human knowledge and
signifying practice.

The other aspect is that art, while it has its specificity, is at the same time historically situated and shaped by
social, economic, and political forces
Both these aspects need to be taken into account so as to be able to fully understand and appreciate art.
For a study of the formal elements alone will not lead to a full understanding of the work, in the same way, that the
exclusive study of the social determinants risks collapsing the artistic into the sociological.
Meaning in art is a complex of intellectual, emotional, and sensory significations which the work conveys and to which
the viewer responds, bringing in the breadth of his or her cultural background, artistic exposure and training, and human
experience in a dialogic relationship with the art work.
The analytic study of how the various elements and material features of the work produce meaning should lead to a more
stable and consensual field of meaning, away from erratic, whimsical, purely subjective and impressionistic readings.
FOUR PLANES OF ANALYSIS
1. THE BASIC SEMIOTIC PLANE - is the study of "signs”. It consists of “signifier" or its material/physical
aspect and its "signified" or non-material aspect as concept and value.
The visual elements and how they are used conveys meaning which form the text of the work. It also includes the choice
of medium and technique that refers to material and style that the artist exercises free selection. Then, the format of the
work which are symbolic representations that participates in its meaning (fragment). Lastly the physical properties and
marks of the work such as notations, traces, and marks (fragment). Semiotic plane is concerned with everything that can
be taken as a sign. The elements of the visual arts derive their meaning-conveying potential from two large sources:
human psychophysical experiences and the socio-cultural conventions of a particular society and period.
BASIC SEMIOTIC PLANE
– study of signs, elements, technical and physical aspects of work.
o
Visual Elements
o
Choice of medium and technique
– material and style
o
Format of work
– symbolic elements, figurative representations
- shape of work
o
Physical Properties and marks of the work
– significations of the work (importance/relevance)
Details of the art:
When: The Third of May 1808
What time: Early hours of the morning
What: uprising.
Description of the art: two masses of men: (1) one a rigidly poised firing squad, (2) disorganized group of captives held
at gun point.
How the art is being portrayed: Executioners and victims face each other across a narrow space
Analysis: Contrast the soldiers' attitudes and the steely line of their rifles, with the crumbling irregularity of their target.
Symbol of the artwork:
A square lantern situated on the ground between the two groups
Meaning of the art work:
-dramatic
The brightest illumination falls on the huddled victims to the left, whose numbers include a monk or friar in prayer.
Physical Description
Position:
right and center, condemned figures stand next in line to be shot. The central figure is the brilliantly lit man kneeling his
arms flung wide in either appeal or defiance. (surrender). Yellow and white clothing repeats the colors of the lantern.
Plain white shirt and sun-burnt face show he is a simple laborer.
Background:
Between the hillside and the shakos, crowd with torches, onlookers, more soldiers or victims.
2. THE ICONIC PLANE OR THE IMAGE ITSELF- is still part of the semiotic approach since it is still based
on the signifier-signified relationship. The only difference is that the material elements of the work have
something to do with the particular features, aspects, and qualities of the image. The iconic plane includes the
choice of the subject which may bear social and political implications. Also part of the iconic plane is the
positioning of the figure (frontal, in profile, three-fourths, etc.) that implies its bearing to the meaning of the work.
This is important not only in defining the relationship of subject and viewer but also in describing pictorial space. This
plane also takes into account the relationship of the figures to one another, whether massed, isolated or juxtaposed in
terms of affinity or contrast. The style of figuration or the proportion of the body deals with the image itself. In the basic
semiotic plane which deals with the material aspect of the work and in the iconic plane which deals with the features of
the image itself, one can see that as the signifier cannot be separated from the signified, concrete fact or material data
cannot be divorced from value
ICONIC PLANE OR IMAGE
Signifier(Signs)-signified (the meaning of symbol) relationship

Particular features, aspects, and qualities of the image

Includes the choice of subject (socio-political implications)
Position of figures

Presentation of the image (frontal, three-fourths, etc.)
Style of figuration

The proportion of the body
Position
the man with raised arms is compared to a crucified Christ. Similar pose in Juan Luna’s Spoliarium, and Picasso’s
Guernica. The figure displays stigmata-like marks on his right-hand center of the canvas. The traditional attribute of the
Roman soldiers who arrested Christ in the garden.
3. THE CONTEXTUAL PLANE- Resituating the work in its context will bring out the full meaning of the work in
terms of its human and social implications. The viewer draws out the dialogic relationship of art and society. If
one does not view the work in relation to its context but chooses to confine the analysis to the internal structure of
the work then he reduces its meaning. The meaning of a work is a complex that involves concepts, values,
emotions, attitudes, atmospheres, and sensory experiences that arise from the three planes. The experience of a
work cannot be reduced. Broad knowledge of history and the economic, political, and cultural conditions, past
and present, of a society, is called upon in the contextual plane. It shows the progress of time
CONTEXTUAL PLANE

Full meaning of the work (human and social implications)
-Relationship of art and society
-Complex such as – concepts, values, emotions, attitude, atmosphere, sensory experience

The personal and social circumstances of its production.
It contains allusions to personal or public events, conditions, stages, as well as influences
Full meaning

It shows the progress of time

Death presents a conclusive episode, imbued with the virtue of heroism.

It presents a mechanical formalization of murder.
-the corpse of a man, splayed on the ground in the lower left portion of the work.

disfigured head and body render resurrection impossible.

The painting cannot be described as pleasing
-colors are restricted to earth tones and black, punctuated by bright flashes of white and the red blood of the victims.
-quality of the pigment foreshadows Goya's later works: a rough solution producing a matte, sandy finish
-Finally, there is no attempt by the artist to soften the subject's brutality through technical skill.
4. THE AXIOLOGICAL OR EVALUATIVE PLANE -it has something to do with analyzing the values of a
work. The plane of analysis that examines the value of work having a dialogic relationship with public. The
evaluation of a work necessarily includes the analysis and examination of its axiological content since values are
expressed in the work which holds a dialogic relationship with reality. The style of figuration where subject is
taken from visible world; object may be stylized but still recognizable.
EVALUATIVE PLANE

Form and content
Evaluation of the material

Full meaning of the work
Real life and the real world

Analysis and examination
It depicts an execution, an early event in the so-called Peninsular War between France and Spain.
-no attempt to find transcendence, and
-no sense that the sacrifice of life will lead to salvation.
-he wears yellow and white: the heraldic colors of the papacy.

The victim
-is as anonymous as his killers
-(beneath) a bloody and disfigured corpse
- (behind and around) others share the fate
-nobility is replaced by futility and irrelevance, the victimization of mass murder, and anonymity as a
hallmark of the modern condition.

Deeper Meaning
- It is indiscriminate killing of civilians by French soldiers
-It is a painting of the massacre
-It shows terrified civilians facing a firing squad
-It intends to arouse anger and hatred
-It is a highly romantic picture of a deeply emotional episode.
-It is cited as an influence on Pablo Picasso's 1937 Guernica, which shows the aftermath of the Nazi German bombing of
Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.
GUIDE IN READING THE IMAGE
Basic Information

Title of the Work

Artist’s Name

Medium and Technique

Dimension or measurement

Date of work

Provenance
BASIC SEMIOTIC PLANE

Visual Elements

Choice of medium and technique

Format of work

Physical Properties and marks of the work
DESCRIPTION

When:

What time:

What:

Description:

How:

Analysis:

Symbol:

Meaning:
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Position: (At least 3-5)

Background: (At least 3-up)
ICONIC PLANE OR IMAGE

Signifier-signified relationship (At least 3-5)

Position of figures (At least 2)

Style of figuration (At least 2-5)
Position: (At least 5-up)
CONTEXTUAL PLANE
Full meaning of the work (human and social implications) (At least 5-UP)
EVALUATIVE PLANE

Form and content:

Full meaning of the work:

Analysis and examination:

Deeper Meaning:
Main Subject:
Other subjects:
The art as a whole:
WEEK 2: CAVE ART
Importance of Cave Art
Cave art is significant because it was what people in prehistoric times did in order to record history and culture. But,
prehistoric cave art was also significant because it also served as a warning to people who were to come later. For
example, they could show the way to kill a beast or warn them of a beast. In today’s generation, this art helps us indicate
the ability to think symbolically, and to be creative. It’s truly astounding that this art is old and survived.
Prehistoric Art: Paleolithic Origins
Humans make art. We do this for many reasons and with whatever technologies are available to us. Extremely old, nonrepresentational ornamentation has been found across Africa. The oldest firmly-dated example is a collection of 82,000year-old Nassarius snail shells found in Morocco that are pierced and covered with red ochre. Wear patterns suggest that
they may have been strung beads.
Nassarius shell beads found in Israel may be more than 100,000 years old and in the Blombos cave in South
Africa, pierced shells and small pieces of ochre (red Haematite) etched with simple geometric patterns have been
found in a 75,000-year-old layer of sediment.
The oldest known representational imagery comes from the Aurignacian culture of the Upper Paleolithic period. The
Aurignacian is an archaeological tradition of the Upper Paleolithic associated with European early modern humans lasting
from 43,000 to 26,000 years ago. Archeological discoveries across a broad swath of Europe (especially Southern France,
Northern Spain, and Swabia, in Germany) include over two hundred caves with spectacular Aurignacian paintings,
drawings and sculpture that are among the earliest undisputed examples of representational image-making.
The oldest of these is a 2.4-inch tall female figure carved out of mammoth ivory that was found in six fragments in the
Hohle Fels cave near Schelklingen in southern Germany. It dates to 35,000 B.C.E.
The caves at Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc (see the image below), Lascaux, Pech Merle, and Altamira contain the best known
examples of prehistoric painting and drawing. Here are remarkably evocative renderings of animals and some humans that
employ a complex mix of naturalism and abstraction. Archeologists that study Paleolithic (old stone age) era humans,
believe that the paintings discovered in 1994, in the cave at Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc in the Ardèche valley in France, are more
than 30,000 years old. The images found at Lascaux and Altamira are more recent, dating to approximately 15,000 B.C.E.
The paintings at Pech Merle date to both 25,000 and 15,000 B.C.E. Cave painting with bison, rhinos, and horses.
What can we really know about the creators of these paintings and what the images originally meant? These are questions
that are difficult enough when we study art made only 500 years ago. It is much more perilous to assert meaning for the
art of people who shared our anatomy but had not yet developed the cultures or linguistic structures that shaped who we
have become. Do the tools of art history even apply? Here is evidence of a visual language that collapses the more than
1,000 generations that separate us, but we must be cautious. This is especially so if we want understand the people that
made this art as a way to understand ourselves. The desire to speculate based on what we see and the physical evidence of
the caves is wildly seductive.
The earliest known rock paintings are dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 40,000 years ago, while the earliest European
cave paintings date to 32,000 years ago.
The earliest known rock paintings are dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 40,000 years ago, while the earliest European cave
paintings date to 32,000 years ago. This period was marked by the rise of the homo sapiens and their ever developing
ability to create tools and weapons “OLD STONE AGE”.
Cave art is the painting or drawing of figures called pictographs and petroglyphs to portray a story or
to record known history. It is sometimes even used to design plans for hunting or gathering.
IN ALTIMIRA, SPAIN…
The first cave paintings were found in 1870 in Altimira, Spain by Don Marcelino and his daughter. They were painted by
the Magdalenian people between 16,000-9,000 BC. This would have been 11,000-19,000 years ago. These paintings are
sometimes called “The Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art”.
In Lascaux, France…
There are two boys two boys chased after their dog into a hole where their ball got stuck in. When they followed the dog,
they were astonished/surprised to discover a cave with beautiful paintings at Lascaux Cave, France in 1940. These
paintings were created around 15,000 BC, which would make them about 17,000 years old. There are seven chambers in
the Lascaux cave; the Great Hall of the Bulls, the Painted Gallery, the Lateral Passage, the Chamber of Engravings, the
Main Gallery, the Chamber of Felines, and the Shaft of the Dead Man.
Paleolithic art is intricately bound to anthropological and archaeological studies. It concerned itself with either food
(hunting scenes, animal carvings). Its predominant theme was animals. It is considered to be an attempt, by Stone Age
peoples, to gain some sort of control over their environment, whether by magic or ritual. It represents a giant leap in
human cognition: abstract thinking.
Humans had not known how to write during the prehistoric time period. So, they communicated through cave paintings.
Prehistoric humans were basically hunters. Thus, most paintings are of animals. Early paintings are believed to be of
social and religious significance. The painting of the animal sends a message to its spirit, that great respect is intended and
that only those needed for survival will be hunted and killed.
There are three general themes that tend to appear in cave paintings:
1. Humans
Humans are rarely depicted in caves. When they are shown, they are drawn as a cartoon-like silhouette.
2. Animals
The most abundant animal depictions are those of horses. A quarter of all the animal images painted in caves in Western
Europe are horses. Images of Bison are also very common. The animals tend to be painted larger than the other images.
3. Signs
Signs are abstract symbols that are difficult to interpret because of their ambiguity. Signs are commonly associated with
hunting equipment and the female form.
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE during this period:
Cro-Magnons
Cro-Magnons were the first species of the Homo sapiens sapiens. They lived in Europe during the period before the
emergence of Indo-Europeans, from 40,000 to 8,000 BCE. The Magdalenian civilization of cro-magnons, which
populated Spain and France, were responsible for the cave paintings found in Lascaux, France dating about 17,000 years
ago and Altamira, Spain dating about 12,000 years ago.
Shamans
The shaman would retreat into the darkness of the caves, enter into a trance state and then paint images of their
visions, perhaps with some notion of drawing power out of the cave walls themselves. Shamanism is a form of worship
based on direct, personal interaction between a shaman and the spirit world. Typically, this interaction occurred when the
shaman entered a trance, or altered state of consciousness, sometimes state, the shaman could obtain supernatural power
in the form of a spirit helper.
MEDIUM of artwork during this period:
Prehistoric people would have used natural objects to paint the walls of the caves. To etch into the rock, they could
have used sharp tools or a spear. The paint or color that they probably used was from berries, clay, soot, charcoal or
animal fat. The tools used to apply the paint could have been made by attaching straw, leaves, moss, or hair to sticks.
They might have used hollow bones or reeds to spray the color on, similar to an airbrush technique. Their art forms
painting, drawings, engravings, and handprints.
WEEK 3: ART HISTORY
Art history is the study of objects of art considered within their time period. Art historians analyze visual arts’ meaning
(painting, sculpture, architecture) at the time they were created.
Art history is not simply listing all the art movements and placing them on a timeline. It is the study of objects of
art considered within their time period. Art historians analyze visual arts’ meaning (painting, sculpture, architecture) at the
time they were created. Also, another of art history’s mission is to establishes authorial origins of artworks, i.e.
discovering who created a particular artwork, when, when and for what reason.
Iconography is a major part of art history. It consists in analyzing the symbolism of works of arts. For instance,
art historians identify the visual elements of a painting and interpret its meaning. Art historians are interested in what the
works of art represented at the time they were created. It is a way to learn about the civilizations of the past.
Beginning of Architecture
The beginning of architecture was when the early man began the practice of burying the dead. The first architectural
structures were the menhirs, dolmens, and cromlechs. They were associated with funeral and religious purpose
1. Menhirs were simple monuments consisting of a single large piece of stone called megalith.
2. Dolmens were made up of a number of vertical megaliths with a horizontal slab spanning them. They are beginning of
post-and-lintel system (this is a building system where strong horizontal elements are held up by strong vertical elements
with large spaces between them.)
3. Cromlechs were more complex structures made up of a number of megaliths in concentric circles extending over a
wide area. An example of the cromlech is the famous Stonehenge in Salisbury Plain, England, which served as a huge
calendar.
River Civilization
At the onset of warmer weather throughout the world, man migrated and settled along the banks of the river:
The first writing system was invented: The cuneiform writing of the Phoenicians
Cuneiform is a system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia c. 3500-3000 BCE. It is
considered the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians and the greatest among those of
the Sumerian city of Uruk which advanced the writing of cuneiform c. 3200 BCE.
In Mesopotamia arose the kingdoms of Sumeria and Babylonia. The first codes of law were drawn up, the most famous of
which is the Code of Hammurabi with its principles: “Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” - or the law of retaliation is the
principle that a person who has injured another person is to be penalized to a similar degree by the injured party. In softer
interpretations, it means the victim receives the estimated value of the injury in compensation.
In Babylonia, known for its Tower of Babel, was erected the ziggurat, a tower-like structure which strove to reach the
skies. Sculpture was generally associated with the religious function. All the arts were in the service of religion and the
glory of the ruler.
Egyptian Art
The art of the Egypt was closely knit with religion and its very core is profound preoccupation with death and
immortality. The basic religious scripture was the Book of the Dead with its funeral prayers and rituals. The remains of
the dead were preserved through mummification, and their image was preserved in painting and sculpture. Egyptians
devoted more time in the building of tombs rather than the construction of dwellings. The earlier and simpler type of tomb
was the mastaba. This later developed, with the addition of several levels into the step pyramid.
PYRAMIDS
The great pyramids of the kings especially that of King Khufu or Cheops, were the highest points of Pyramid
construction. Within the chambers of the royal dead were spacious apartments with interconnecting corridors. Here the
treasures of Pharaoh were kept. The king’s mummy was concealed beneath several layers of gold and silver sarcophagi,
which also doubled as full-length images of Pharaoh. All around the walls were painting of the king surrounded by his
family and other deities. These paintings were stylized linear geometric style. The paintings, with the face in profile, have
a fully delignated eye, and the shoulders in frontal position.
TEMPLES
It is in the ancient Egypt temples that the visual arts – painting, sculpture, and architecture – found fullest expression.
Egyptian architecture developed the use of post-and-lintel system. It is also made use of columns with lotus and papyrus.
Examples of temples were:
QUEEN HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE
History: Built for the Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh Hatshepsut, who died in 1458 BC, the temple is located beneath the
cliffs at Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near the Valley of the Kings.
THE ABU SIMBEI TEMPLE OF RAMESSES II in Egypt
History: The Abu Simbel Temples were constructed during the rule of Pharaoh Ramesses II in around 1264 BCE. The
pharaoh commissioned the construction of the monuments as a commemoration of his victory against the Hittite Empire
led at the ancient city of Kadesh during the Battle of Kadesh in May 1274 BCE. The temples were also meant to showcase
Egyptian religious superiority to its neighbors. Archeologists and historians believe that it took 20 years to complete the
temples which were dedicated to the Egyptian deities Ptah and Ra-Horakhty.
Ancient Greek Art
The Greeks were known to excel in various fields and aspects of society. For example, their political ideals eventually
became the framework for the democratic form of government in modern times.
They also valued poetry, drama, and philosophy, which remain interesting fields of study for the contemporary times. For
those who want to be involved in arts such as painting, sculpture, and architecture, it is required to have a certain skill sets
and body of knowledge.
The Greeks were known to place prime importance in the use of reason. For the civilization, man was at the center of
society and how they train their minds could be the very foundation of how they lived their lives. The humanist ideals of
the Greeks were reflected in their democratic form of government.
This certain level of freedom was also reflected in their artworks, architecture, literature, and philosophy. They were
notably passionate about natural phenomenon and believed that nature should be in perfect order. These principles, belief
system, and ideologies are at the core of Greek art and architecture.
The development of Greek art can be divided into four periods:
1. Geometric Period was a time when Greece was starting to get back from the onslaught of what seemed to be their Dark
Ages. It was a period when geometric shapes and patterns have taken the spotlight in most of the artworks.
2. Archaic Period, on the other hand, placed importance on human figures. This was primarily a result of Greece's trading
activities with other civilizations.
3. Classical Period - The peak of Greek sculpture and architecture. In the early 5th century Greek artists began
consciously to attempt to render human and animal forms realistically.
This entailed careful observation of the model as well as understanding the mechanics of anatomy - how a body adjusts to
a pose which is not stiffly frontal but with the weight shifted to one side of the body, and how a body behaves in violent
motion.
4. Hellenistic Period. It was during this time when the Greeks found themselves rebuilding their temples and focusing on
creating artworks. The time of Alexander the Great was called the Hellenistic Period. During this time, art was primarily
focused on showcasing emotions and depicting reality. Hellenistic sculptures started to emphasize balance while
showcasing dynamic poses and a number of emotions evoked by the subjects. One of the famous Hellenistic sculptures is
the "Laocoon and His Sons." The sculpture depicts Laocoon, a Trojan priest, and his sons being strangled by serpents.
Their position was a result of Laocoon's instructions during the Trojan War. He instructed to keep the gates of Troy
locked up because he felt that the wooden horse offered by the Greeks as a gift to Athena was a trick. Poseidon, the Greek
god of the sea was enraged by such action which led him to send serpents to strangle Laocoon and his sons. (This is an
example of work wherein the Greeks emphasized the details of the body. Most subjects of their work included that of the
gods from Greek mythology)
The origins of theater and drama can be traced back during the Greek civilization. The followers of Dionysus-the god of
fertility-started the Greek theater. People who devoted to Dionysus would dance during ceremonies while giving their
offerings to their god. Eventually, the Dionysians devised a more structured form of drama involving dances and choral
songs, which depicted Greek mythologies. Eventually the Greeks organized theatrical contests where the performances
were held in front of large citizens.
Ancient Rome Art
The Roman Republic was established around 500 BCE. This civilization eventually transformed into one of Western
Europe's mightiest empires. Since they had expanded and covered many territories, they interacted with neighboring
civilizations, particularly with the Greeks. It can be said that Roman civilization came of age during the Hellenistic
Period. As mentioned earlier, it was a period when the Greek culture's influence has reached its peak in the Mediterranean
world. The Romans were fond of the Greeks and their achievements in the arts. The fusion of Greek and Roman cultures
can be seen in most Roman artworks. Some would argue that the Romans merely copied Greek art. This eventually made
the Romans produce artworks that are often looking stern, harsh, and strong. They also invoked the principles of realism
in most of their works, highlighting the features of human beings. Aside from this, the Romans were also known to be
master builders, which earned their reputation for grand monuments and architectural infrastructures. One of their
architectural achievements would have to be the Colosseum. This amphitheater was planned and constructed during the
reign of Emperor Vespasian. One of its main uses was for entertainment purposes like public events and gladiator games.
This structure was a concrete manifestation of Roman builders' craftsmanship which focused on logical organization of
the entire edifice.
“Poseidon and Medusa." Just like the Greeks, the Romans valued their gods and this was evident with their sculptures
and artworks. Ancient Greece had a huge impact in the formation of Roman culture. There are a lot of Greek influences
evident in Roman Theater and drama. Writers of comedy like Plautus and Terence have patterned their works to those of
Greek works. Since the Roman audience was not as enthusiastic about theatrical works unlike their Greek counterparts,
most plays had to be included in the Roman games.
WEEK 4: MIDDLE AGES
Renaissance Art
During the Renaissance Period, artists valued the "individual" as a subject of arts. The influence of humanism shifted the
focus of some artworks during the Renaissance Period to empower the "individual." Most artworks emphasized
naturalism, which was also an influence of humanism since there was a great emphasis on the proportionality of the
human body. Most artists also added perspective of depth wherein spaces were explored in different artworks. This
technique provided a three-dimensional perspective of most Renaissance paintings, Renaissance artists also gave
importance to non-religious themes or subjects. This was also brought by the privatizations of the art during the
Renaissance Period, however most artworks remained religious in its focus and theme.
Michelangelo, "David." This sculpture is an example of how humanism was a dominant belief system during the
Renaissance. There is emphasis on the details of the body of the human being. During the Renaissance Period, there was
also a revival of Roman theatrical plays These plays were performed during special Occasions at the courts of Italian
princes. The plays were done in such a way that showcased grand and lavish entertainment for the audience. Aside from
the song and dance numbers, they invested in elaborate stages and costumes for the actors. Eventually, this would lead to
Italy's opera, which have greatly influenced their tradition of popular theater.
Mannerism Art
Mannerism was a period in art history, which was a product of the Renaissance Period. During the Renaissance, artists
would observe nature and try their best to emulate it based on their observations.
As the Renaissance ended, artists started directly copying subjects from existing works of art.
Most artworks during this period displayed distorted figures, two-dimensional spaces, discordant hues and colors, and
lack of defined focal point.
Here is a sample art work: “Perseus and Andromeda” 1611 made by Joachim Wtewael
Baroque and the Rococo Art
The term "baroque" is derived from the Portuguese term barocco which is translated as "irregularly shaped pearl." This is
a suitable description that Rome was the birthplace of the Baroque Period, which according to some historians was a
response to Protestantism. This period roughly spanned from 1600 to 1750. Although it was a period following the
Renaissance, it can be said that a lot of artists have developed styles and techniques different from their Renaissance
predecessors. Most artists used colorful palettes and ornamentation in their works. This was a time when Italy in
particular, strengthened not only their religion but also other aspects like politics and art. Expansion was the central theme
of this period, which became very much evident in the artworks produced during this time. Motion and space were taken
into consideration by artists like the use of dramatic lighting and the concept of time.
Aside from art, music also flourished during the Baroque Period. This is because people believed that music could serve
as powerful tool to communicate messages that can evoke certain feelings among its listeners. Baroque music was able to
clearly distinguish loud from soft and solo from ensemble. Since the birthplace of this period was in Rome, it did not
come as a surprise that most composers come from Italy. This include Vivaldi, Corelli, and Monteverdi. Eventually, the
influence of Baroque music spread outside Italy and reached other parts of Europe. Other well-known Baroque composers
include Germany's Bach and Handel. Since Baroque composers, through their works, tried to evoke certain emotions from
their audience, they began to make more complex musical compositions and performances. However, it can be noted that
initially, this kind of music was limited only to powerful institutions like the Church and individuals like the patrons.
Eventually, such performances would be made accessible to the middle class and the masses.
"The Assumption of the Virgin." A painting by Titian located at Venice, Italy. The Biblical event in the painting shows
how the Baroque Period reverted to having religious subjects in their works.
Neoclassicism Art
There seems to be a debate among historians as to the beginnings of modern art. There are accounts that would attribute
for the emergence of this kind of art during the French Revolution in 1789. However, other historians claim that it was the
year 1863 when there was an emergence of modern painting exhibitions. Neoclassicism was a movement in Europe that
transpired during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It was the dominant art movement that time which
basically aimed to revive and rekindle the influences of Greek and Roman into art and architecture. The ancient Greeks
and Europeans had placed emphasis on human reason and keeping society in order. These very principles were also the
dominant principles during the Enlightenment Period. Some historians would also say that this movement was a reaction
to the artworks produced during the Baroque Period. There was a call to veer away from such extravagance in terms of
style and form of the Baroque Period.
Romanticism Art
Romanticism, as an art movement, used the central themes of Neoclassicist artworks as a springboard. Romanticists have
highlighted heroic elements into their work. During the Age of Revolutions, there has been a tremendous focus on
patriotic and nationalistic movements. One of the major revolutions in history would be the French Revolution. Such
revolutionary movements became the focal point of most Romantic works.
The major and central themes of Romanticism movement include the emphasis on the goodness of mankind. Most works
also promoted justice, equality, and social order. Artists also emphasized emotions and feelings of man, which was a
deviation from the humanist principles of rationalism.
Realism
Realism as a style of work focuses on the accuracy of details that depicts and somehow mirrors reality. There is little
room for imagination in this movement since emphasis is placed in observable traits that can concretize through artworks.
Realism was heavily influenced by Hellenistic Greek culture since most artworks during that period placed emphasis on
the human body.
Realism as a modern movement in art veered away from traditional forms of art. In a way, it revolutionized themes and
techniques in paintings. In addition, this movement also expanded and widened existing notions of what can be considered
as art.
Since artists worked within the context of revolutions and social change, artistic works began to depict real-life events.
Idealistic concepts and images were replaced by real manifestations of society. There is a move to combine both art and
life in artistic works since the modern world were suitable for subjects of art. This movement also reexamined existing
belief systems and traditions.
Impressionism Art
The Impressionism movement started in France, which led to a break from the tradition in European painting.
Impressionism is a style of painting that emerged in the mid- to late 1800s. Impressionist artists incorporated scientific
principles to achieve a more distinct representation of color. The distinctive characteristic of this style is that it allows the
artist to emphasize the immediate impression he has of a particular event or scene. The said impression is communicated
by the artist through his work and can be seen through the brushstrokes, distinction of colors, and the lights and shadows
used by the artist.
Berthe Morisot, by Manet (1869). Impressionist artists started moving art outdoors which aimed to include the shifting
light they wanted to capture in their works. This work by Morisot is one of the first few "open air' paintings under the
impressionism movement.
Post-Impressionism Art
It is an art movement that emerged in France, which is a result of both the influence and rejection of Impressionism. Most
artists that belong to this movement started off as impressionists but later on saw the inherent limitations and flaws of
impressionism. This eventually led to the development of individual style that gave emphasis to defining from with the
use of broken colors and short brush stroke. Some of the famous post-impressionism artists include Paul Cezanne,
Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent van Gogh, among others. Most of the works of the said painters became the
framework of the contemporary techniques and trends during the twentieth century.
Neo-Impressionism Art
As an art movement, neo-impressionism is considered as a response to empirical realism of impressionism. Most painters
who subscribe to such movement rely on systematic and scientific techniques that have a predetermined visual effect not
only on the art work itself but also how the audiences perceive the art. The leading figure in neo-impressionism was
Georges Seurat who recorded optical sensations on a more scientific manner. His color theories paved the way for the
technique called pointillism. This art technique basically utilizes discrete dots and dashes of pure color. These elements
are believed to blend with the viewer's perspective. Aside from Seurat, other neo-impressionist artists include HenriEdmond Cross, Maximilien Luce, and Camille Pissarro, among others.
Art Nouveau
Between 1890 and 1910, countries from Europe and the United States witnessed the emergence and flourishing of a new
art style. This ornamental style of art was a break from the conservative historicism, which was the prevailing and
dominant theme of most Western artworks. This ornamental style uses long and organic lines that are concretely
manifested in architecture, jewelry and glass design, among others. In most works, the defining characteristic of Art
Nouveau is the asymmetrical line that usually is in the form of insect wings or flower stalks. The line is done in such a
graceful and elegant manner that somehow evokes a certain power to it.
Emile Galle, Vases and lamps, “Celebration of Spring” on 1846–1904
His work was inspired by nature and literature. He would collect and study plants and bugs in his free time for inspiration,
pioneering experimental techniques in glass making that he later patented. Many of his work had floral motifs and poems
sealed within, written for the owner.
Fauvism
This is a style of painting that emerged in France around the turn of the twentieth century. What makes fauvists
revolutionary is that they used pure and vibrant colors by applying straight from the paint tubes directly to the canvas.
This is done to produce a sense of explosion of colors in the canvas. The fauves, just like the impressionists, painted
directly from nature. The difference lies with how the fauves have this strong and expressive reaction to how they portray
their subjects. Most fauvist works reject the conservative and traditional renderings of three-dimensional space. What
artists did was they introduced and promoted a picture space that is defined by the movement of color.
BOATS AT THE PORT OF COLLIOURE BY ANDRE DERAIN ON 1905
Details: In Boats in the Harbour, also known as Bateaux dans le port, Collioure, Andre Derain amplifies the charm and
vibrancy of the small fishing village, Collioure. His use of a bright color palette and bold brushstrokes are the perfect
example of the fauvist artists’ personal expression on the then new genre.
Technically, the painting is wild, with neat colors, as though used straight from the paint tube. The inconsistent
brushstrokes not only intensify the composition, but also cause distraction and minimize traditionalism. On an emotional
level, Boats in the Harbor evokes the soaring degree of elation Andre Derain must have felt while creating it. The
paintings atmosphere is joyful, yet serene, not an easy feat for any artist.
The broken brushstrokes on the water and in the sky bring these elements to life, and create a depth that extends way
beyond the shoreline, where a man is seen pensively overlooking the marina. Boats in the Harbor takes the viewer on a
journey to Collioure, where both Derain and Matisse spent time admiring the beautiful view.
Cubism
Between 1907 and 1914, French artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque introduced a new visual arts style called
cubism. This style would later on have a huge influence on artists during the twentieth century. Cubists highlighted the
two- dimensional surface of the picture plane. Focusing on a flat surface was a rejection of the dominant techniques like
the use of perspective, foreshortening, and modeling. In addition, one of the things that cubism rejected was the existing
and prevailing notion that art should imitate nature. Cubists emphasized that they are not in any way obliged to copy
texture, form, color, and space. They presented a new depiction of reality that may appear fragmented objects for viewers.
Futurism
It is an early twentieth century art movement that started in Italy, which highlighted the speed, energy, dynamism, and
power of machines. In addition, common themes for works in this movement are restlessness and the fast-pace of modern
life. Later on, the movement's influence branched out not only in Europe but also in Russia. The greatest impact of
futurism is evident in poetry and visual arts.
This image is part of Sant'Elia's design for a new city and this reflects the architect's ideas of modernity. He expressed
these in The Manifesto of Futurist Architecture in 1914, writing that "We must invent and rebuild our Futurist city like an
immense and tumultuous shipyard, active, mobile, and everywhere dynamic, and the Futurist house like a gigantic
machine". In this part of the design, elevators can be seen ascending the façade of the building, and modern modes of
transportation, highways and trains, run alongside and into the complex. The building itself is multi-leveled and as well as
more traditional vertical lines it is composed of elliptical and diagonal lines, which Sant'Elia wrote were "dynamic by
their very nature".
WEEK 5 AND 6: GAMABA [GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN/ THE NATIONAL LIVING
TREASURES]
GAMABA or Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan also known as the National Living Treasures, is the award given to a
person or a group of artists that is recognized by the Philippine government for their contributions to the nation’s cultural
heritage.
In April 1992, the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award was institutionalized
through Republic Act No. 7355. Tasked with the administration and implementation of the Award is the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts, the highest policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts of the
State. The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council, conducts the search for the finest
traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and undertakes
measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng
Bayan.
The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan has its roots in the 1988 National Folk Artists Award organized by the Rotary Club of
Makati-Ayala. As a group, these folk and traditional artists reflect the diverse heritage and cultural traditions that
transcend their beginnings to become part of our national character. As Filipinos, they bring age-old customs, crafts and
ways of living to the attention and appreciation of Filipino life. They provide us with a vision of ourselves and of our
nation, a vision we might be able to realize someday, once we are given the opportunity to be true to ourselves as these
artists have remained truthful to their art.
As envisioned under R.A. 7355, “Manlilikha ng Bayan” shall mean a citizen engaged in any traditional art uniquely
Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high level of technical and artistic excellence and have been passed
on to and widely practiced by the present generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and artistic
competence.
HOW DOES ONE BECOME A MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN?
To become a Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group candidate must:
1. Possess a mastery of tools and materials needed for the traditional, folk art and be a maker of works of
extraordinary technical quality;
2. Have consistently produced works of superior quality over a significant period;
3. Have engaged in a traditional and folk art which has been in existence and documented for at least fifty (50)
years;
4. Command respect and inspire admiration of the country with his character and integrity;
5. Must have transferred and/or willing to transfer to other members of the community the skills in the traditional
and folk arts for which the community has become nationally known.
6. However, a candidate who, due to age or infirmity, has left him/her/them incapable of teaching further
his/her/their craft may still be recognized provided that he/she/they must possess the qualifications as enumerated
above.
CATEGORIES
The Award may cover traditional and folk arts in the areas of performing arts and craft. Consideration shall be made for
adequate representation in geographic distribution and different artistic categories.
The categories are, but not limited to, the following categories of traditional folk arts:
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Maritime transport
Weaving
Carving
Performing arts
Literature
Graphic and plastic arts
Ornament
Pottery
Other artistic expressions of traditional culture may be added.
AD HOC PANEL OF EXPERTS
To ensure a fair selection of potential awardees, the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council shall be assisted
by an Ad Hoc Panel of Expert consisting of experts in the traditional and folk arts categories. The names of those selected
to become members of the Ad Hoc Panel of Expert shall be submitted to the NCCA Board of Commissioners for proper
designation. The term of the members shall expire upon completion of the search and selection process.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES OF AN AWARDEE?
For the individual awardee:
1. The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines in
accordance with Executive Order No. 236 or Honors Code of the Philippines;
2. The GAMABA gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation;
3. A lifetime emolument and materials and physical benefits comparable in value to those received by the
highest officers of the land such as:
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A minimum cash award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00), net of taxes.
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A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00).
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Medical and hospitalization benefits not exceeding Php 750,000.00 per year.
4. A state funeral, the arrangements for and the expenses of which shall be borne by the Government, upon
the death of the Manlilikha ng Bayan; and
5. A place of honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions, national commemoration
ceremonies and all other cultural presentations.
For the group awardee:
1. The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines in accordance with
Executive Order No. 236 or Honors Code of the Philippines;
2. The GAMABA plaque for the group;
3. A one-time award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00), net of taxes;
4. The group shall designate its leader who will represent and attend events and functions on behalf of the group.
The said representative will also have a place of honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions,
national commemoration ceremonies and all other cultural presentations.
AWARDEES OF GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN
As defined by UNESCO, the bearers of intangible cultural heritage are to be known internationally as Living Human
Treasures. The Filipino counterparts of this title are the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) awardees. There are
currently sixteen declared GAMABA awardees, all of which have exemplified the highest standard in their respective
field of expertise. The award is only given to individuals or groups that have exhibited the highest possible standard in
intangible cultural heritage. A master of the heritage does not automatically qualify an individual or group for the award
as the craft of the master should exude a higher meaning to the highest standard set by the highly critical council of the
GAMABA board. Due to this lengthy and critical process, only sixteen of the thousands of traditional masters have been
conferred with the award.
GINAW BILOG
[January 3 1953 – June 3 2003]
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Poet, Hanunuo Mangyan
Panaytayan,Oriental Mindoro (1993)
Ambahan is a kind of poem consisting of seven-syllable lines which most of the time contains messages of love
and friendship.
MASINO INTARAY
[APRIL 10 1943 – NOVEMBER 30 2013]
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Musician and Storyteller
Pala’wan Brookes Point, Palawan (1993)
A musician and a poet whose Expertise were the Basal, Kulilal, and Bagit.
Basal is a kind of musical ensemble played during the “tambilaw”, a ritual of rice sharing among the Palawan
People as an offering to the Lord of rice and during the “tinapay”, a rice wine drinking.
SAMAON SULAIMAN
MARCH 3 1953 – MAY 21 2011
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Musician, Mamasapano, Maguindanao (1993)
Master in playing the Kutyapi, a 2-stringed plucked lute. The Kutyapi Is one of the most difficult to master
indigenous Filipino instrument.
LANG DULAY
AUGUST 3 1928 – APRIL 30 2015
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Textile weaver, T’boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Tnalak is a kind of fabric made up of fine abaca fibers weaved with different designs which reflect the traditions
of the T'boli.
SALINTA MONON
DECEMBER 12 1920 – JUNE 4 2009
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Textile Weaver, Tagabawa Bagobo, Bansalan, Davao del Sur
Started weaving at the of 12 through the Guidance of her mother
She used to wear the traditional hand-woven tube skirt of the Bagobo. (Sinukla and Bandura)
ALONZO SACLAG
AUGUST 14 1942
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Musician and Dancer, Lubuagan, Kalinga
A master of dance and performing arts. He has also mastered the dance patterns and movements associated with
his people’s rituals.
He is the founder of the Kalinga Budong Dance Troupe to ensure that the music and dance of his ancestor are
passed to the younger generations.
FEDERICO CABALLERO
DECEMBER 25 1938
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Epic Chanter, Sulod-Bukidnon, Calinog, Iloilo
Worked for the documentation of the oral literature, particularly the epics of his People: Labaw Dunggon and
Humadapnon
One epic could take as much as 162 hours to recite and Humadapnon is the longest epic to recite
Two months of daily performances are required for it to be completely chanted
UWANG AHADAS
FEBRUARY 15 1945
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Musician, Yakan Lamitan, Basailan
Is a Yakan, a people to whom instrumental music is closely connected to the spiritual realm
Kwintangan Kayu – consisting of five wooden logs Hung horizontally, from the shortest to the longest. Played to
serenade the palay, as lover woos his beloved.
DARHATA SAWANBI
MARCH 12 2005
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Textile Weaver, Tausug, Parang, Sulu
Weaving the Pis Syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a head covering by the Tausug of Jolo.
EDUARDO MUTUC
OCTOBER 12 1949
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Metal smith, Kapampangan, Apalit, Pampanga
Creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze, and wood.
HAJA AMINA APPI
JUNE 25 1925 – APRIL 2 2013
Weaver
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Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi
Weaving Mat, 2004
AMBALANG AUSALIN
MARCH 4 1943
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Master Weaver
Lamitan, Basilan
Weaving (Yakan Tennun), 2016
MAGDALENA GAMAYO
AUGUST 13 1924
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Master Weaver
Pinili, Ilocos Norte
Weaving (Inabel), 2012
ESTELITA BANTILAN
OCTOBER 17 1940
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Master Weaver
Malapatan, Sarangani
Weaving (B'laan Igem), 2016
YABING MASALON DULO
AUGUST 8 1914
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Master Weaver
Polomolok, South Cotabato
Weaving (Ikat), 2016
TEOFILO GARCIA
MARCH 27 1941
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Casque Maker
San Quintin, Abra
Casque Making (Tabungaw), 2012
ART APP – FINALS
WEEK 1
WHAT IS SOULMAKING?
Soul making is a means of connecting to our deepest nature. Soulmaking is communicating deeply with the inner realm or
our own interest, being fully awake and aware by flooding our consciousness with eternal images. It is also an exploration
and application of the imagination in an active way.
Soulmaking can be perceived in previous scenario, you can be inspired by other stories and create your own. You
can conceptualize your own object, depending to your need at a given time. You can express your artistic point of view
from within. You do not need to have the most expensive materials, but you can make use of what you have.
How do other people perceived soulmaking?
Carl Jung, a psychologist has this to say: “My life is a story of the self-realization of the unconscious. I can
understand myself only in the light of inner happenings. It is there that make up the singularity of my life.”
According to James Hillman, a writer, soulmaking is what happens when we evoke the emotions and experiences
of crisis and opportunity of love and dying that give life a deeper meaning.
John Keats also sad that only in this world, with all its opposites provide the necessary stuff of soul-making. In the
Christian way, man is formed in the image of God and men has the innate capacity to reflect that image in the life men
live.
In short, soul making is about drawing out a certain experience of the person and transfer this into an image either
in a form of painting or a musical composition or a production.
To become a soulmaker, one does not need to be conscious as to how far one's masterpiece go. Noy Narciso, a soulmaker
takes a deeper perspective in life by crafting stories and transforming brief moments into magic and symbols. He calls this
process "soulmaking" According to him, through this activity, he is able to connect people, understand cultures and
embody tolerance and peace. He said: "My art making is considered soulmaking because it is not too conscious about the
exhibit. It is not too conscious about the piece. It is not too conscious about the form". Mr. Noy Narciso, by the way, is a
professor at the Ateneo de Davao University. He teaches film, theatre and arts for the Humanities and Letters Department.
He was formerly a member of the Commission of the Committee on Visual Arts of the National Commission for Culture
and Arts from 2004 to 2010.
Samples of Noy’s work:
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Baoc2x-chimes; made of shells soaked in salt water; imitate sound of water flowing
Bote-pan pipe style instrument (pentatonic) wrapped with “uway”; in various sizes; pitch and tone are based on
the size and form of the bottle; create either eerie, meditative or experimental sound
Payag (2020) is a representation of home. It is a space within a space. It is built through “oido”, it is progressive,
adaptive and improvised. It is a manifestation of living, surviving and relating.
In a payag spaces overlap, and we negotiate to share the space. This space is not just a shelter or a physical space
or structure but a symbolism of power relations and social space. It is a symbol of maximalism.
We Filipinos love to fill in gaps between spaces, literally, by putting, inserting, leaning, hanging and covering. It
is somewhat temporary but final. Spaces in a payag suggests spaces of narratives and memories. Payag is a
narrative, a story.
How to Perform Soulmaking
Soulmaking can be performed by crafting images, stories and interests for performance.
Crafting Images
This let us craft the images inside a Lightroom or what we know as photo or video application editor or simply our own
imagination and mind organization of what we perceived as an outcome of our artwork. Since soulmaking is a creative
technique in artmaking, you can get better results from it - it is not realism but it is something that is related to once
personal imagination or desire in creating his/ her own idea. This also refers to imaging or representing in any form which
may be through painting, sculpting, drawing, storytelling, poetry dancing, composing or taking notes.
Start out with an image that has "good bones" or simply a good and attainable foundation. It needs to be pleasingly
composed and it needs to have something that compels you to want to look at it and to spend some time working with it.
Good contenders for this process are images with interesting skills and these include heavy cloud captured at sunset and
sunrise.
Crafting Stories
According to Weiland (2017) of the Writer’s Digest, there are seven (7) steps to craft a story for a promising story ideas.
Here are the list:
1. Craft your premise
Your story should answer the following questions:
1.
Who is the protagonist?
2.
What is the situation?
3.
What is the protagonist's objective?
4.
Who is the opponent?
5.
What will be the disaster? Conflict?
Once you answered these questions, combine them into one or two sentences
2. Roughly sketch scene ideas
Armed with a good and solid premise, you may begin sketching roughly your ideas for the story. Write a list of everything
you already know about your story. You might probably have a handful of scene in mind. But take a moment to review
your list.
3. Interview your characters
To be able to craft a cast of characters that can help your plot reach its utmost potential you'll need to discover crucial
details about them, not necessarily at the beginning of their lives but at the beginning of the story. For your protagonist,
work backward from the moment in which he will become engaged in your plot (the "disaster" in your premise sentence).
What events in your protagonist’s life have led him to this moment? Did something in his past cause the disaster? What
events have shaped him to make him respond to the disaster in the way he does? What unresolved issues from his past can
further complicate the plot's spiral of events?
After you have a basic idea of how your character will be invested in the main story, you can start unearthing the basic
and most essential details of his life with a character interview. You may choose to follow a preset list of questions or you
may have better luck with a "freehand interview in which you ask your protagonist a series of questions and allow him to
answer in his own words.
4. Explore your settings
Whether your setting is your childhood neighborhood or the seventh moon of Barsoom, you’ll want to enter your first
draft with a firm idea of where your prominent scenes will be taking place.
Never choose a setting just because it sounds cool or because you're familiar with it. Look for settings that will be inherent
to your plot. Can you change your story's primary locale without any significant alterations to the plot? If so, dig a little
deeper to find a setting better suited to your plot, theme and characters.
On the basis of the scenes, list the settings you think you'll need. Can you reduce this list by combining or eliminating
settings? Nothing wrong with a sprawling story locale, but extraneous settings should be eliminated just as assiduously as
unnecessary characters.
5. Write your complete outline
You are now ready to complete your story in full. This is where you will begin plotting in earnest. In Step 2, you
solidified the big picture of your story by identifying the scenes you were already aware of and figuring out how they
might fit together. Now, you will work through your story linearly, scene by scene, numbering each one as you go. Unlike
the "sketches” in Step 2, in which your primary focus was on brainstorming and exploring possibilities, you will now be
concentrating on molding your existing ideas into a solid structure.
If you want to have a comprehensive outline. You may choose to write a single sentence for each scene ("Dana meets Joe
at the café to discuss their impending nuptials), or you may choose to flesh out more details ("Joe is sitting by himself in a
booth when Dana arrives; Dana orders coffee and a muffin; they fight about the invitation list"). Either way, focus on
identifying and strengthening the key components of each scene's structure. Who will be your narrating character? What is
his goal? What obstacle will arise to obstruct that goal and create conflict? What will be the outcome, and how will your
character react to the resulting dilemma. What decision will he reach that will fuel the next scene's goal.
Work to create a linear, well-structured plot with no gaps in the story you can get a foundation right in your outline, you’ll
later be free to apply all your focus and imagination to the first draft and bring your story to life.
When you mentally work through each scene, watch for possible lapses of logic or blank areas in how one event builds to
another. Take the time to think through these potential problems so they won't trip you up later. If you get stuck, try
jumping ahead to the next scene you know, and then working backward. For instance, if you know where you want your
characters to end up, but not how they’ll get there, start at the ending point and then see if you can figure out what has to
happen in the preceding events to make it plausible.
. Condense your outline
After finishing your extended outline, you may want to condense the most pertinent points into an abbreviated version.
Doing so allows you to weed out extraneous thoughts and summarize the entire outline into a scannable list for easier
reference. Because your full outline may contain a fair amount of rambling and thinking out loud on the page, you're
likely to end up with a lot of notes to review (l often have nearly three notebooks of material). Rather than having to wade
through the bulk of your notes every time you sit down to work on your first draft, you can save yourself time in the long
run by doing a little organizing now.
7. Put your outline into action
In this last step, you are feeling prepared and eager to get going on your first draft. Each time you sit down to work on
your manuscript, begin by reviewing your outline. Read the notes for your current scene and the scene to follow. Before
you start writing work through any remaining potential problems in your head or on paper. If the time comes (and it will
come) when you're struck with a better idea than what you had planned in your outline, don't hesitate to go off-road.
These ventures into unknown territory can result in some of the most surprising and intriguing parts of your story.
These steps in outlining a story offers you invaluable structure and guidance as you write your first draft, but never be
afraid to explore new ideas as they occur. Remember, your outline is a map showing you the route to your destination, but
that doesn't mean it is the only route.
WEEK 2
ART COMPOSITION RULES
This topic will give you an idea on how you can make your artworks more attractive to your viewers. Whether you draw
as a grade 1 pupil or you sketch like a profession artist, the rules that you will learn today will make you more acquainted
on how you are to present the subject of your artworks. If you can recall the discussion on the principles of design, then
this topic can be an additional way for you to properly present your subject according to your own preference and on how
you want your artwork be perceive by your viewers.
1. Rules of Thirds- divide a canvas or a photo in thirds both horizontally and vertically, and place the focus of the
painting or photo either one third across or one third up or down the picture, or where the lines intersect.
Otherwise known as the rule of thumb, this guideline which applies to the process of composing visual images such as
designs, films, paintings, and photographs. Accordingly, aligning the subject with four intersection points creates more
tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject. The Rule of Thirds also works well for
creating balance in a design.
2. Rules of Odds- one of the simplest ways to make a composition more dynamic is to have an odd number in the
composition, say three, five, or seven, rather than an even number, say two, four, or six.
The rule of odds states that images are more visually appealing when there is odd number of subjects. Having an odd
number of things in a composition means your eye and brain can’t pair them up or group them easily. There’s somehow
always one thing left over, which keeps your eyes moving across the composition.
3. The Rabatment- It is seen as the perfect square found inside any rectangle. Artists use the area outside the rabatment
to complete whatever story is being told.
4. The Golden Ratio- the ration of 1 to 1.618 has many names. Most often it is called the Golden Section, Golden Ration
or Golden Mean, but it’s also occasionally referred to as Golden Number, Divine Proportion, Golden Proportion,
Fibonacci number and Phi.
ART MAKING
Art Making is a fun and rewarding way for people to express themselves and to learn a broad range of skills and
concepts. Emphasizing the art-making process over the final product, will enable you to increase in your sense of mastery,
decision making, and feeling of inclusion and independence, and ultimately grow in self-awareness. When you make art,
you have the opportunity to express their feelings, fantasize, tell stories, and give your ideas concrete form. It is a way
also to relieve stress and it is an outlet to divert our emotions.
Importance of Art Making
It is fascinating and effective way to introduce you to a wide variety of textures and help them develop their tactile
exploration skills.
STAGES OF ART MAKING
As they say Art doesn’t just happen. It has stages like on how you come up with soulmaking.
1. INSPIRATION- it is regarded as the most exciting moment. Where does inspiration come from? Imagine while you
are waiting on the tricycle/jeep, in the middle of rush hour, while in the bath, while looking outside the window when it’s
raining, while listening into a music at a middle of the night, while taking your coffee when you woke up in the morning,
those are some of the moments when you can find inspiration in having an idea about art.
2. PERCOLATION- this vital stage in creating art. This is the time that elapses after you’ve had your idea, but before
you start making art, playing around with ideas visually or processing and refining your idea.
3. PREPARATION- this needs more active and focused time. It’s a matter of figuring out how to make it happen.
Organizing your supplies, creating a blueprint for what your piece will be, like creating a dummy outline for a book
project
4. CREATION- this is the time to make it happen, you are now creating your artwork. But remember, the process of
creation can vary depending on your personal temperament, your artistic style and your chosen medium.
5. REFLECTION- the time when you can now share your work with family and friends, delivering it to a client or
hanging it on the wall, completion that most often leads to a period of reflection.
For some, the process of creation is actually quite short and much of the work has been done in the previous process. The
thought and time developing that idea was the more time-consuming part of that project.
Art Making Process (from Art Time Studios)
Here is a guided instruction on how to start and finish a typical art project using efficiency and best practices.
PHASE ONE- begins with sketching, grid-lining, drawing, or filling in under-paintings. This phase includes learning
about introductory best practices on techniques and approaches, and understanding the art concepts.
PHASE TWO- includes adding multiple layers of tone, color, or paint within an artwork. Here, you are required to
problem solve and are encouraged in their art to explore, manipulate, and master technique based art applications.
PHASE THREE- ends with you adding final detail and craftsmanship showcasing their finished projects. This includes
demonstrating the understanding of the art elements, habits of mind and effort, communication skills, habits of work,
composition concepts, and execution into a well-crafted project.
HOW TO USE RECYCLED MATERIALS FOR ART WORKS (A SAMPLE)
This is very simple art work that you are willing to recycle by cutting up, along with two pieces of clear contact paper to
make the bookmark sturdy. This is the best example to recycle your less-than-perfect-artwork or preserve your child's
treasured drawings. Bookmarks can be great gilts too. This project is easy to prepare. It can be done at home, in the
classroom or in a group.
What you need are:
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old artwork
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clear contact paper
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scissors
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ruler
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pencil
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optional: glue, construction paper
How to do it:
Project Preparation
Gather the above needed materials. You can pre-cut the contact paper, if it need be.
Select Artwork
Find a very good colorful artwork that you are willing to cut into pieces. Finger-painted pictures sometimes look very nice
when cut into rectangles but don't use a very thick paint. Pictures in magazine is also useful but we will need plain-colored
construction paper glued to the back being encased in clear contact paper.
Cut Artwork
You measure and mark the backs of artwork pieces into rectangles of bookmark size -1 1/2" by 5" (4 by 12cm) is a good
size. Cut out the bookmark carefully.
Tip: Two rectangles can be glued back-to-back to make a reversible bookmark or cut and glue construction paper to the
back for another look.
Apply contact paper
Then cut two rectangles of clear contact paper for each bookmark. These should be " (lem) wider and longer than the cut
artwork -2" by 5 4 (5 by 13cm).
Remove the backing from one piece of contact paper and carefully enter the artwork rectangle on the sticky side. Press
down. Remove the backing from the other piece of contact paper and carefully place it on the other side of the artwork,
making a sandwich.
Finish
Smooth out any trapped air bubbles using the edge of the ruler. If the edges of the contact paper are not even, they can be
trimmed slightly. Using the pencil and ruler, draw a straight line as a cutting guide, then carefully cut along the line.
The purpose of recycled art
The purpose of recycled art is this to encourage the reuse of a variety of materials in new, different and creative forms,
and to promote recycling and resource conservation. If you can remember the 3R’s before, then recycling is part of that,
which could be a great help not only to ourselves but also to our environment. We can maximize resources and be
imaginative in thinking what could be done into a scrap material.
THE SEVEN (7) LEONARDO DA VINCI PRINCIPLES (PRINCIPLES OF CREATIVITY)
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Da Vinci was a prolific painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist,
geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer. He was considered the most diversely talented person ever had. Many of his
concepts would become inventions centuries later. This is the reason why he was called a "genius" just like Albert
Einstein and Jose Rizal perhaps.
However, anyone can become a genius by developing the following seven (7) principles.
Curiosità (Curiosity): An insatiable curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning. Great
minds have one characteristic in common: they continuously ask questions throughout their lives. Leonardo’s endless
quest for truth and beauty clearly demonstrates this. What makes great minds different is the quality of their questions.
You can increase your ability to solve problems by increasing your ability to ask good questions. Like da Vinci, you
should cultivate an open mind that allows you to broaden your universe and increase your ability to explore it.
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Journaling
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Theme observation
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Contemplation (to look with continued attention – to meditate on.
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Stream of Consciousness exercise
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Creative problem solving
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Finding the question
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Finding illustrative metaphors
Dimonstrazione (Knowledge): A commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to
learn from mistakes. We should learn from experience. Limiting ourselves to one point of view or position keeps us
stuck, Gelb says. “Learn to consider important issues from multiple perspectives. Truly examine these perspectives before
making your mind up on an idea… [and] discipline yourself to really look at different perspectives.”
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Reflection
Feedback
Check belief and sources
Affirmations
Sensazione (Improvement): Continual refinement of the senses as the means to enliven experience.
Saper Vedere (knowing how to see) was one of Leonardo’s mottoes and it defined the whole of his artistic contribution
to humanity. He believed that experience was delivered through the senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.
In a sad remark he noted that the average person,
looks without seeing, listens without hearing, touches without feeling, eats without tasting, moves without
physical awareness, inhales without awareness of odor or fragrance, and talks without thinking.
One of Gelb’s suggestion is to practice silence
Experiment with a day of silence. For a whole day, don't talk, just listen. It is best to spend your silent day out in
nature, walking in the woods, hiking in the mountains, or strolling by the sea. Immerse yourself in nature's
sounds. This "verbal fasting" strengthens your ability to listen deeply and is wonderfully refreshing you spirit.
Sfumato (Willingness): The literal translation for this term is going up in smoke. It is about our willingness to embrace
ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty. The ability to adapt and accept new ideas is the “most distinguishing feature” of
genius, Gelb says. It’s an ability that can be cultivated but “first you have to recognise how important it is.” After that, it is
applying practical methods, like meditation, for managing the natural anxiety many feel when venturing into the
unknown.
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Thrive on change
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“Embracing” ambiguity and trusting your gut. Ambiguity can mean anxiety for many people
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Cultivate confusion endurance
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Embody Mona’s smile
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Incubation and intuition
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Poise in the face of paradox
Arte/Scienza (Balance): Developing a balance between logic and imagination. After all, imagination without logic is day
dreaming, and logic without imagination is boring. Other terms tor this are balancing between art and science as well as
whole brain thinking. A growing misconception in folk psychology is the idea of categorizing people accoring to the
hemispheres of the brain (left-brain and right-brain dominant profiles) and often discriminates against the righthemisphere driven individuals (the “artistic types”), by favoriting the left-hemisphere (the “practical, scientific
types”).But the truth is that we are whole. We have one full brain, not half a brain, and we won’t be able to experience the
full capacity and power of our super-computer mind unless we embrace and start using our entire head — and not just the
limited half we are more comfortable with or socially defined by.
Who would you be without your other half?
So, was Leonardo a scientist who studied art, or an artist who studied science? Clearly, he was both. His scientific
studies of rocks, plants, flight, flowing water, and human anatomy, for example, are expressed in beautiful, evocative,
expressive works of art, not dry technical drawings. At the same time, the plans for his paintings and sculptures are
exquisitely detailed, painstakingly analytical, and mathematically precise. (Gelb)
Corporalita (Grace): The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise: This is about maintaining a healthy
body as well as a healthy mind. Have you ever seen a really unhealthy person who was creative? While there are a few
exceptions here and there, they are very rare. One of the core concepts of da Vinci's approach is keeping our bodies fit
being a function of keeping our minds fit. Fit minds lead to more innovative and creative solutions.
Connessione (System): This is the simple recognition of the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Humans
seek connection, Gelb says. “Physically, we seek health (the word health comes from the Old English root hal, meaning
“whole”), affection, and the ecstasy of sexual union. Emotionally, we yearn for a sense of belonging, intimacy, and love.
Intellectually, we look for patterns and relationships, seeking to understand systems. And spiritually, we pray for Oneness
with the Divine”. To enhance our sense of connection, he suggests looking at the relationships, patterns and connections
in our lives. “Make a master mind map of your life… check that what you’re doing every day is in line with your values,
vision and goals.
All of these principles can help every individual to properly take into consideration all aspects of their lives, not
only for their personal growth, but, for one to properly think innovatively and certainly extend it to the community. We
are not only talking about arts here, but we integrate the holistic development or growth of a human person. Remember
that you yourself is an art, you may not be appreciated every time, but, remember you are here to enhance yourself, to
perform your being in a most unique way.
WEEK 3 AND 4
WHAT DOES THE ARTIST DO WITH THE IMAGE WHICH WAS APPROPRIATED?
Any appropriated image can be photographed or digitally reproduced, copied by mechanical means using an overhead
projector that is attached directly into the artwork or recreated in several ways. The result can be a real representation of
the appropriated object or a genuine transformation.
Sometimes artists recreate an object or repaint it. They may also alter its scale or style to create a new artwork. They may
also juxtapose (placing it side by side) different objects or images, break them into fragments, or recontextualize
(glossary) them - that is how they redefine images or objects by placing them in a new context so that it appears as an
original work of art.
IS THE USE OF APPROPRIATION SIGNIFICANT?
Yes, the use of appropriation in art has played a significant role in the history of the art such as those in the literary, visual,
musical, and performing arts. In the visual art, for instance, to appropriate means to properly adopt, borrow, recycle or
sample aspects of human - made, visual, cultural. In most cases the original thing' remains accessible as the original,
without changes.
Historical Background of Appropriation in Arts
Appropriation in art started in 1970s with Richard Prince re-photographed advertisements such as Marlboro cigarettes.
His main work is on billboard advertising.
In 1980s, this art was commonly used by artists. One of them was Sherrie Levine who addressed the art of appropriating
itself as a theme in arts. She often quotes the entire works in her own work, for example photographing photographs of
Walker Evan. Levine plays with the theme of “almost same”.
In 1990s, artists continued to produce appropriation art, raising it as a medium to address theories, political and social
issues, rather than to focus in the works themselves.
In this digital age, appropriation has today become an everyday phenomenon. The new generation “remix culture” have
already taken the stage not only of the visual arts but also of music, literature, dance and film.
According to some artists, by liberating one finally from traditional concepts as originality, they will lead to new terms of
understanding and defining art. Critical observers see this as the starting point of a huge problem. They say that if creation
is based on nothing more than carefree processes of finding, copying, recombining, and manipulating pre-existing media
concepts, forms, varies and alters of any source, art will be trivialized, low-demanding and a regressive activity.
Some say that only last people [to include the artists] who have nothing to do are inspired in this way of appropriating
arts. Copying, imitating, repeating quoting original works of art is plagiarism and is a violation of the copyright law.
APPROPRIATION OF ART INTO CONTEMPORARY NARRATIVES
Many artists today have been trained in specific artistic styles, movements, and techniques. These artists appropriate and
transform works of art to varying degree to fit the theme and designs of the stories they wish to illustrate and publish.
Their purpose of doing this is to increase the significance of their artworks.
In fine arts, for instance, there are three forms of narrative appropriateness: reproduction, transfiguration and stylization.
Reproduction is the mimetic reproduction of an original work of fine art, a faithful rendering of an original artwork, most
frequently achieved through a photographic or digital rendering process.
In transfiguration, a single work of fine art is identifiable but the artist has transformed the image to fit the context and
purpose of a particular picture board, narrative and design. In stylization, a specific work is not readily identifiable but a
particular art movement, for example surrealism may be adopted upon by the illustrator.
5 ACTS OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION
THESE ARE: OBJECT APPROPRIATION, CONTEXT APPROPRIATION, STYLE APPROPRIATION, MOTIF
APPROPRIATION, AND SUBJECT APPROPRIATION. OBJECT APPROPRIATION IS LATENCY OF OBJECTS
FOR APPROPRIATION AS WORKS OF ARTS. A MOTIF MAY BE REPEATED, COPIED, IN A PATTERN OR
DESIGN, OFTEN MANY TIMES FOR APPROPRIATION USE.
1. OBJECT APPROPRIATION
 Occurs when the possession of a tangible work of art [such as sculpture or a painting] is transferred from
members of one culture to members of another culture. The removal of the friezes from the Parthenon by
Lord Elgin is often regarded as a paradigm case of object appropriation.
2. CONTEXT APPROPRIATION
 Appropriation artists want the viewer to recognize the images they copy. They hope that the viewer will
bring all of his original associations with the image to the artist’s new context, be it a painting, a
sculpture, a collage, a combine, or an entire installation.
3. STYLE APPROPRIATION
 One cultural adopts the fashion, iconography, trends, or styles from another culture.
4. MOTIF APPROPRIATION
 This form is related to stylistic appropriation. Sometimes, artists are influenced by the art of a culture
other than their own without creating works in the same style. Picasso, for example, was influenced by
African carving but his works are not in an African style.
5. SUBJECT APPROPRIATION
 Occurs when someone from one culture represents members or aspect of another culture. Many of Joseph
Conrad’s novels involve subject appropriation, since Conrad frequently wrote about cultures other than
his own.
APPROPRIATION IN CONTEMPORARY ARTS
In separating images from the original context of their own media, we allow them to take on new and varied meanings.
The process and nature of appropriation has considered by anthropologists as part of the study of cultural change and
cross-cultural contact. Images and elements of culture that have been appropriated commonly involve famous and
recognizable works of art, well known literature, and easily accessible images from the media.
The first artist to successfully demonstrate forms of appropriation within his work is widely considered to be Marcel
Duchamp. He devised the concept of the readymade, which essentially involved an item being chosen by the artist, signed
by the artist and repositioned into a gallery context.
By asking the viewer to consider the object as art, Duchamp was appropriating it. For Duchamp, the work of the artist was
in selecting the object. Whilst the beginnings of appropriation can be located to the beginning of the 20th century through
the innovations of Duchamp, it is often said that if the art of the 1980’s could be epitomized by any one technique or
practice, it would be appropriation.
The concepts of originality and of authorship are central to the debate of appropriation in contemporary art. We shall
discuss these in depth in order to contextualize the works we will investigate later in this topic. To properly examine the
concept, it is also necessary to consider the work of the artists associated with regards to their motivations, reasoning, and
the effect of their work.
Finally, the writer concluded that the notion of authority is still very present within appropriation in contemporary art –
but diminished responsibility.
The case is in favor for all respondents [sued artists]. Appropriating a familiar object to make an art work can prevent the
artist claiming copyright ownership and artworks that “transformed the original images are permitted”
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Jeff Koon’s “String of Puppies” [Art Rogers vs. Jeff Koons]
Andy Warhol on his famous Campbell’s soup can
Patrick Cariou vs. Richard Prince
APPROPRIATION ART CASES FILED IN COURT
Appropriation act has resulted in several copyright issues regarding its validity under copyright law. A number of cases –
law example have emerged that investigate the division between transformative works and derivative works. Among those
who faced a series of lawsuits were the following:
TRADITIONAL ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Arts in the Philippines refer to the art works that have developed and accumulated in the Philippines from the beginning
of civilization in the country up to the present time.
Arts in the Philippines are classified into traditional arts, arts in Muslim Mindanao or the Islamic Arts and arts in the
Cordillera region. These arts reflect the societies wide range of cultural influence in the country’s culture and how they
honed the country’s arts.
TRADITIONAL MOTIFS
These are used by folklorist in analyzing; interpreting and describing the traditional elements found in the lore of a
particular folk group and compose the folklore of the various regions and cultures of the world based on the motif
patterns.
In other words, the folklorist identifies motifs in folklore to be able to interpret where, how, and why these motifs are used
so that they can understand the values, customs and ways of life of unique cultures.
The meaning in cultural anthropology encompasses the use of motifs in the areas of music, literary criticism, visual arts,
and textile arts that create recognizable patterns in folk-art traditions.
According to Dr. Margaret Read Macdonald, motif refers to the recognizable and consistently repeated story elements
[common characters, objects, actions, and events] that are used in the traditional plot structures or tale-type of many
stories and folktale.
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS should meet the following requirements
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Used mainly in everyday life
o Ceremonial occasions such as wedding and funeral and seasonal festivals that a person experience only
occasionally in one year or in one’s whole life are considered to be part of the ordinary life.
Manufactured by hand
o The original features and manual labor of a traditional craft are inseparable term from each other. If the
manual labor of a traditional craft is carried by machine processes even while preserving a traditional
technology, it has no meaning because the original features of the craft have been lost.
Manufactures by using a traditional technique or skill
o The term traditional is defined as a continuing feature is more than a hundred years. It is still considered
“traditional”; 1) if the features peculiar to the craft products are kept unchanged and 2) even if the initial
technique or skill from a hundred years ago or more has not been kept perfectly the same.
Made traditional materials
o Concerning technique and skill, materials are also very significant for the features of a craft product. The
main materials that should be used for craft products be natural substances. But since natural materials do
not exist anymore today and are difficult to obtain, other materials are allowed to be used as long as these
materials do not alter the unique characteristics of the product.
Manufactured in a certain area with a certain number of manufacturers
o There should be enough number of workers, about 30 workers or more, who should be engaging in the
industry in a designated area. A traditional craft needs a certain scale in manufacturing as well as an
established manufacturing area
Traditional crafts consist of the following:
Handicrafts
Weaving
Embroidery
Woodcarving
Musical instruments making
Earthenware tiles making
Glasswork
Stonework
HANDICRAFTS are the main sector of traditional crafts. These are types of work where useful and decorative devices
are made completely by hand or by using simple tools.
Handicrafts have been existing in pre-historic times. These traditional crafts have cultural and/or religious significance.
The first examples were man’s necessities such as for protection or coverings. Items made by mass production or
machines are not considered handicraft goods. But handicraft goods made with craft production process are considered
handicrafts.
Handicrafts were later improved and adapted according to environmental conditions and accepted as an art that reflects
artistic sense, feelings, and cultural characteristics of a society.
WEAVING is another art form of traditional crafts. Materials used in weaving consist of wool, mohair, cotton, bristles,
and silk. It can be done with all kinds of cloth. Its products include plait, carpets, rugs, and felt obtained by spinning
thread, connecting the fibers together or by other materials.
The Ilocos region, particularly the Ilocos provinces are very known in the traditional weaving industry. Weaving
as a handicraft has been practiced for many years in the Philippines and considered primarily as a means of earning a
livelihood.
EMBROIDERY is not only used for decoration but also as a means of communication tool with the symbolism in its
designs. Today, the tools in embroidery are crochet needle, needle, shuttle, and hairpin designed either as a border or
motif and goes by different names according to the implement used as well as the technique. Embroidery materials
include silk cocoon, wool, candle stick bead, or any left-over cloth. Embroidery as an industry is generally seen in the
Ilocos and Visayan Regions.
WOODCARVING has been existing long time ago, the most common products are tables, sala sets, cabinets, doors,
cupboard corners, and others. These crafts were greatly simplified and applied mostly to objects in daily use such as
tripods, wooden stands, writing sets, drawers, chests, spoons for decorations, rowing boats, reading desks, etc.
Architectural works in woodcarving include windows, wardrobe covers, beans, ceilings, pulpits, coffins, etc.
The materials used in woodworking were mostly walnut, ebony, rosewood, narra, acacia, bamboos, etc. Wooden objects
were created by such various techniques such as topping, painting, relief-engraving, caging, coating and burning. These
are still employed today. Woodworking is generally common in the Cordillera region and Southern Tagalog provinces,
especially Paete, Laguna and in Pangasinan. Making musical instruments is a traditional craft that existed for many long
years. The materials used for making musical instruments came from trees, plants, skin, bones, and animal horn. Musical
instruments are classified into string percussion and woodwind.
GLAZED EARTHENWARE tiles are used for ceramic and art purpose. Artists usually create animal designs in these
tiles. As a ceramic art, it became world famous for their extraordinary creative workmanship.
GLASSWORK is another traditional art form. Stained glass was developed many years ago. Church windows are made
of stained glass in different models and forms. Figurines, mugs, drinking glass, utensils made of decorative glass work are
very common nowadays. High quality of glass workmanship is kept alive in this 21st century.
STONEWORK as a traditional craft plays an important role in exterior and interior decoration in traditional architecture.
Traditionally, products of stonework consist of grinders, stone tables, and benches, gravestones, human and animal
figures, and decorative purposes. Stonework techniques include carving, relief and statue. Ornamental motifs used are
plants, geometric motifs, writing and figures.
BASKET WEAVING is also a traditional craft that started a thousand years ago. It is carried out by weaving reed,
willow, and nut branches, bamboo trunks, rattan and other materials. It is used for home decoration in addition to the
original purpose of helping to carry things. Nowadays, basket-making is a very good way of earning a living which is
prevalent in the Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Bicol Regions, as well as in some provinces in Visayas Islands.
There are other traditional crafts that are available and found in some areas of the Philippines which you can name of.
Nevertheless, as a result of changing conditions of the present times, resulting to industrialization and globalization in all
areas of work, the production of these traditional crafts has now ceased or about to cease.
However, in order to promote their cultural values and traditions in the Filipino way of life, these works of art are
photographed and recorded for the archives and art museums for heritage and posterity. Others are still exhibited during
fiestas, festivals, and trade fair for promotion and for income-generating purposes. There are still traditional crafts that are
found and available in some markets for sale purposes. It is recommended that the government [local and national] should
hold national and regional traditional craft exhibitions or competitions to promote the Filipinos cultural value and
heritage.
DECORATIVE MOTIFS
Sir John Summerson, an architectural historian called decoration and ornament as a "surface modulation". In prehistoric
times, decoration and ornament are indicated in single markings on a pottery, but such markings have been lost with the
passing of time. A wide variety of decorative styles and motifs have been developed for a long time in architecture and
applied arts that include pottery, furniture, metalwork, textiles, wallpaper, and other objects where decoration is the main
justification for their existence. The vast range of motifs used in ornament were drawn from geometrical shape and
patterns, plants, human and animal figures. Traditional ornament from either parts of the world typically relies more on
geometrical and animal motifs.
DECORATIVE ARTS
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A range of artistic disciplines concerned with design and ornamentation of items. These items are usually
functional and do not necessarily have any intrinsic aesthetic qualities.
Also classified as crafts – parts of the larger category of applied art
Include the creation of baskets, cabinets, ceramic tiles, furniture, and accessory furnishings, rugs, carpets,
tapestry, embroidery, book illustration, floral decorations, ceramic pottery [earthenware, stoneware, porcelain],
goldsmithing work, silverware and jewelry art. It also embraces theatrical sets, costumes, mosaic art, stained glass
work precious armor, and weaponry and masterpieces.
DECORATIVE SYMBOLS
Lines, colors, rectangles, and other decorative symbols have no meaning in themselves if they are not part of the elements
of visual arts.
CLASSIFICATION OF DECORATIVE MOTIFS
A motif as previously defined, is an element of a particular subject or type of subject that is found in any art work. It may
also form the main subject of an art work. The related motif of confronted animals is often seen alone, but may also be
repeated, for example in Byzantine silk and other ancient textiles. Where the main subject of an artistic work such as a
painting is a specific person, group, or moment in a narrative, that should be referred to as the "subject" of the work, not a
motif, though the same thing may be a 'motif' when part of another subject, or part of a work of decorative art such as a
painting on a vase.
Ornamental or decorative arts can usually be analyzed into a number of various elements, which can be called motifs.
These may often, as in textile art, be repeated many times in a pattern. Important examples in Western art include
acanthus, egg and dart, and various types of scrollwork.
Many designs in Islamic culture are motifs, including those of the sun, moon, animals such as horses and lions, flowers,
and landscapes. Motifs can have emotional effects and be used for propaganda. In kilim flatwoven carpets, motifs such as
the hands-on-hips elibelinde are woven in to the design to express the hopes and concerns of the weavers: the elibelinde
symbolizes the female principle and fertility, including the desire for children.The idea of a motif is widely used in
discussing literature and other narrative as an element in the story that represent a theme.
TEXTILE ART
These are both arts and crafts that use plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to create practical or decorative objects. Textiles
have been a fundamental necessity of human life since the start of civilization. Methods and materials used to make them
have expanded enormously.
Textile art started as a traditional craft. Textiles have been used to cover the human body and protect it from the elements
of the atmosphere; to send social cues to other people, to store, secure, and protect possessions and to soften insulate and
decorate living spaces and other surfaces.
Clothing made of woven cloth, richly embroidered silk, well-knitted stockings, oriental rug of wool, embroidered table
cloth and curtains, felted fur hat, linen shirt are some of the basic textile techniques in textile art in the Philippines.
MOTIFS AND SYMBOLS
Motif- A motif is an image, spoken, or written word, sound, act, or another visual or structural device that has symbolic
significance. The concept of a motif is related to a theme, but unlike a theme which is an idea or message, a motif is a
detail that is repeated in a pattern of meaning that can produce a theme.
CLASSIFICATION OF MOTIF:
1. GEOMETRIC MOTIF
These motifs include lines in various forms, such as vertical, horizontal, diagonal and curved. They form fabric
designs, such as stripes, plaids, checks and circles and their associated designs.
2. REALISTIC OR NATURAL MOTIF
Natural motifs portray as direct replica of things as they exist in nature, such as flowers on trees, animals in
jungle, human figure and other natural things. They are also called novelty patterns.
3. STYLIZED MOTIF
These are simplified variations of natural or man- made objects that are no longer recognizable. Stylized motifs
are obtained by rearranging the real objects either by simplifying or exaggerating to achieve the purpose of the
design.
4. ABSTRACT MOTIF
These are combinations of color, size, and shape without relationship to natural or man- made objects
SYMBOLS
‘Symbol’ comes from the Greek word ‘symbolon’ which means contract, token, insignia and means identification.
(Encyclopedia Britannica, 1197) In symbols ideas and meanings are represented. Symbols are universal, in the sense they
transcend history. Symbols depicted on objects allow us to decode some of the meanings behind them and understand
better the cultures that made and used them.
Types of Symbols
1. Iconograms – are illustrative representations. They are iconic signs which, as an illustrative representation,
emphasize the points in common between the signifier and the signified.
2. Pictograms – are pictorial representations, such as ISOTYPE. Pictograms are iconic signs which represent
complex facts, not through words or sounds but through visual carriers of meaning.
3. Cartograms – are topographical representations with complex functions [statistics, etc.] and iconic facts. For
example, an atlas or the ground plans of a house.
4. Diagrams – are functional representations. These are more on functional carriers that usually illustrate.
5. Ideograms – it represents a concept. Typically, ideograms correspond to the sign as a symbol which relates to the
object or concept referred to, independently of any format identification with it.
6. Logograms – are conceptual representations like writing. They are visual, referential linguistic signs that do not
take the phonetic dimension into consideration.
7. Typograms – are typographical representations. A typogram is a sign that is also composed of a sign, derived
from a written repertoire such as the alphabet.
8. Phonograms – are phonic representations. A phonogram is a sign that is used to signify linguistic or the other
sounds.