(WAAC) Module Overview

What is Art? Aesthetics and Composition

EVERYONE wants to understand ART. WHY NOT TRY to understand the SONGS OF A BIRD? -Pablo Picasso "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas ART is EVERYWHERE you look for it; hail the TWINKLING stars FOR THEY ARE GOD'S CARELESS splatters. - El Greco

Introduction

What is Art? Do you make art because you are an artist, or are you an artist because you make art? Why should we have a course dedicated to the study of it? How best to define the term art is a subject of constant contention; many books and journal articles have been published arguing over even the basics of what we mean by the term art. Art helps define who we are, what we value, the meaning of beauty and the human condition. As an expressive medium, art gives voice to our ideas and feelings. It connects us to the past, reflects the present and anticipates the future. Along these lines, art history, combined with anthropology and literature, are three main sources in observing, recording and interpreting our human past. Art history and visual art are rich and complex subjects whose definition is in constant change as the culture around it changes. Because of this, how we define art is the objective of this module.

In this module, you will define the meaning of art and explore the reasons for its creation. You will learn about the Elements of Art, the building blocks of art, and the Principles of Design. Using these creative tools, you will learn how to analyze formal compositions as well as analyze works in terms of content, context, and style. The College Board requires that you be able to identify materials and/or techniques of a work of art and describe how artistic decisions affect form, function, and/or content of a work of art to be successful in this course. 

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

  • What is art?
  • Why do people create art?
  • What are the building blocks of art?
  • How do form, content and context express and influence meaning?
  • How do elements and principles facilitate visual communication?
  • How do we use critique to inform art?

Key Terms

In this module, we will study the following key terms:

  1. Analysis - In art criticism, the step in which you determine how the principles of art are used to organize the element of art. In art history, the step used to determine the style of the work.
  2. Art Criticism - Art criticism is an organized approach for objectively studying a work of art consisting of four stages. These stages are Describing, Analyzing, Interpreting, and Evaluation.
  3. Balance - Balance is a Principle of Design that is concerned with the sense of stability of the visual elements. The three kinds of balance are Symmetry, Asymmetry, and Radial.
  4. Color - Color is an Element of Art that refers to what the eyes see when light is reflected off an object. Color has three properties: hue, value, and intensity.
  5. Composition - Composition is an arrangement of the visual elements in an artwork often used to refer to a work of art itself.
  6. Content - Content is the message the work communicates. The content can relate to the subject matter or be an idea or emotion. Theme is another word for content.
  7. Contrast - Contrast is a Principle of Design that uses the differences between the visual elements to create variety, emphasis, or interest. Contrast in value is the difference between light and dark.
  8. Creativity - Creativity is the use of the imagination rather than imitating something else. It is the generation of original ideas, images and/or solutions.
  9. Elements of Art - The Elements of Art are the basic ingredients artists use to create works of art.
  10. Emphasis - Emphasis is the Principle of Design that stresses one element of art, defines a center of interest or draws attention to certain areas with a work of art.
  11. Form - Form is the Element of Art that is three-dimensional. Form has height, width and depth. Forms have volume. Cubes. cones, spheres, and cylinders are geometric examples.
  12. Harmony - Harmony is the related qualities of the visual elements of a composition. Harmony is achieved by repetition of characteristics that are the same or similar.
  13. Line - Line is an Element of Art that is the path of a moving point through space. It has the properties of direction, width, and length.
  14. Medium (media) - Medium is the materials used to create a work of art.
  15. Movement - Movement is a Principle of Design used to guide a viewer’s eye throughout the artwork or lead it to a focal point. Movement can be physically represented, implied, or created through effects of illusion.
  16. Negative Space - Negative spaces surround shapes or forms in two- and three-dimensional art.
  17. Pattern - Pattern is the repetition of elements or motif such as lines, shapes, forms or colors.
  18. Perspective - Perspective is a formula for projecting the illusion of three-dimensional space onto a two-dimensional surface.
  19. Positive Space - Positive space refers to the shapes or forms in two-dimensional and three-dimensional art.
  20. Principles of Design - The Principles of Design refer to the ways artists organize the design foundations which include balance, emphasis, contrast, unity, movement and rhythm.
  21. Repetition - Repetition is a Principle of Design repeated over and over that could produce visual rhythm.
  22. Rhythm - Rhythm is a Principle of Design in which the appearance of movement is created by the recurrence of elements.
  23. Shape - Shape is an Element of Art that has two-dimensions. Shape has height and width. Shapes are made of lines that connect and enclose space.
  24. Space - Space is an Element of Art that refers to the area between, around, above, below and within objects.
  25. Style - Style is the identifying characteristics of the artwork of an individual, a group of artists, a period of time or an entire society.
  26. Technique - Technique refers to specific methods or approaches when working with materials in creating works of art.
  27. Texture - Texture is an Element of Art that refers to the way something feels or looks like it feels and can be actual or implied.
  28. Unity - Unity is a Principle of Design that is concerned with the sense of wholeness or completeness.
  29. Variety - Variety is a Principle of Design through which different elements are used to add visual interest.

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION