LANAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.

East Basak Malutlut, Awar Sr., Marawi City, BARMM, Phil., 9700

Instructor: Anisha M. Hadjinor

Subject: CS 107 (ART APRECIATION)
Year: 1st Year College Module 2

ASSUMPTIONS AND NATURE OF ARTS

Assumptions of Art;
1. Art Is Universal
-Timeless, spanning generations and continents through and through.
Misconception: people feel that what is considered artistic are only those which have been made long time ago. Age
is not a factor in determining art.
Literature has provided key words of art.
 lliad and the Odyssey are the two Greek Epics that one’s being taught in school.
 The Sanskrit pieces Mahabharata and Ramanaya are also staples in this fields.
“An art is not good because it is old, but old because it is good” (Dudley et al., 1960)
In the Philippines, the works of Jose Rizal and Francisco Balagtas are not being read because they are old.
Florante at Laura never fails to teach high school students the beauty of love, one that is universal and pure.
Ibong Adarna, another Filipino masterpiece, has always captured the imagination of the young with its timeless
lessons.
When we recite the Psalms, we feel in communion with King David as we feel one with him in his conversation with
God.
When we listen to a Kundiman or perform folk dances, we still enjoy the way our Filipino ancestors while away their
time in the past.
2. Art Is Not Nature
- Art, not directed by representation of reality, is a perception of reality. In the Philippines, it is not entirely novel to
hear some consumers of local movies remark that these movies produced locally are unrealistic. They contend that
local movies work around certain formula to the detriment of substance and faithfulness to reality of movies.
Paul Cezanne, a French painter, painted a scene from reality entitled Well and Grinding Wheel in the Forest of the
Chateau Noir.
3. Art Involves Experience
- It does not full detail but just an experience. Actual doing of something. Getting this far without a satisfactory
definition of art can be quite weird for some. For most people, art does not require a full definition. Art is just
experience.
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By experience, we mean the “actual doing of something” (Dudley et al., 1960) and it also affirmed that art depends
on experience, and if one is to know art, he must know it not as fact or information but as an experience. A work of
an art then cannot be abstracted from actual doing. In order to know what an artwork, we have to sense it, see and
hear it. An important aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal, individual, and subjective. In
philosophical terms, perception of art is always a value judgment. It depends on who the perceive is, his tastes, his
biases, and what he has inside.
Functions of Art and Philosophy
The value of the art lies in the practical benefits from it. One may look at the value based on;
Personal Functions of Art Personal functions of art is highly subjective and depends on the artist who created
the art. An art may be created for expressing self, for entertainment or for other purposes.
Social Functions of Art If an art is opposed to personal interest and for collective interest it is considered to have
a social function. Art may convey, message such as to support, to protest, contestation and other messages an
artist intends to carry at his work. Political Art is a very common example of an art with a social function. Art can
depict social conditions such as photography of industrialization and poverty. Performance art like plays serves
social functions as it rouses emotions for a common situation a society has.
Physical functions of Art This are artworks that are crafted in order to serve physical purpose such as jars,
plates, and jewelries. Architecture, jewelry-making, interior design all serves physical functions

Other functions of art may serve culture, history and religion. Music is an artwork used for different purposes
such events for culture, historical and religious gatherings. Sculpture, poems, spoken poetry, movies and other
form of arts are used for its specific functions.
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ART
- Art as an imitation in Plato’s The Republic, paints a picture of artists as imitators and art is mere imitations. In
his metaphysics or view of reality, the things in this world are only copies of the original, the eternal, and the
true entities can be found in the World of Forms. Art is just an imitation of imitation. A painting is just an
imitation of nature, which is also an imitation of realty in the World of Forms.
- Art as a representation Aristotle, agreed with Plato, however he considered art as an aid to philosophy in
revealing the truth. Art represents version of reality.
- In Aristotelian worldview, art serves two particular purposes:
o art allows for the experience of pleasure and art has an ability to be instructive and teach its audience
things about life.
o Art as a disinterested judgment Emmanuel Kant, in his Critique of Judgement, considered the judgement of
beauty, the cornerstone of art, as something universal despite its subjectivity.
- He recognized that judgement of beauty is subjective. Art as a communication of Emotion.

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 - According to Leo Tolstoy, art plays a huge role in communication to its audience’s emotions that the artist
previously experienced Art communicates emotions.

ARTS AND ARTISANS

 ARTIST is an art practitioner such as painter, sculptor, choreographer dancer, musician, a poet who
produces or creates indirectly functional arts with aesthetic value using imagination.
 ARTISAN is a craftsman, such as carpenter, carver, plumber, blacksmith, weaver embroider and etc.
who produces directly functional and/or decorative arts.

Famous Personalities of Art and their Works

1. LEONARDO DA VINCI
• Born: 04-15-1452, Vinci, Italy
• Profile: Painter, Architect, Sculptor, Inventor, Military Engineer and Draftsman.
• Died: 05-21519 ,Amboise, France
• Quotes: “He who thinks little, errs much”
Famous Works
 The Last Supper
 Mona Lisa
 Vitruvian Man
2.  VINCENT VAN GOGH
• Born: 03-30-1853 Zundert, Italy
• Profile: Painter
• Died: 07-29-1890 Amboise, France
• Quotes: “I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.”
Famous Works
 The Starry Night
 Sunflowers
 Irises
3.  MICHAELANGELO
• Born: 4-6-1475, Michael Angelo, Italy
• Profile: Painter, Architect, Poet
• Died: 2-18-1564, Rome, Italy
• Quotes: “Genius is eternal patience.”
Famous Works
 David

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  Creation of Adam
 Moses
4. CLAUDE MONET
• Born: 11-14-1840, Paris, France
• Profile: Painter, Philosopher
• Died: 12-5-1926, Giverny, France
• Quotes: “The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration.”
Famous Works Water
 Bridge over a Pond of water Lilies
 Impression Sunrise
 Rouen Cathedral Series
5. FRIDA KAHLO
• Born: 07-06-1907, Mexico City, Mexico
• Profile: Painter
• Died: 07-13-1954, Mexico City. Mexico
• Quotes:” I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.”
Famous Works
 The Two Fridas
 SELF-PORTRAIT WITH THORN NECKLACE AND HUMMINGBIRD
 The Broken Column 
6. PABLO PICASSO
• Born: 10-26-1881, Malaga, Spain
• Profile: Painter, Sculptor,
• Ceramicist, Stage Designer, Poet and a Playwright.
• Died: 4-8-1973, Mougins, France
• Quotes: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
Famous Works
 Guernica
 The Young Ladies of Avignon
 The Weeping Woman  
7. HENRY MOORE
• Born: 7-30-1898, Castleford, Unite Kingdom
• Profile: Sculptor
• Died: 8-31-1986

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 • Quotes: “One never knows what each day is going to bring. The important thing is to be open and ready for it.”
 Famous Works
 Reclining Figures
 King and Queen
 Bird Basket
8. SALVADOR DALI
• Born: 5-11-1904, Figueras, Spain
• Profile: Painter, Draftsman
• Died: 1-23-1989,Figuerras, Spain
• Quotes: “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.”
Famous Works
 The Persistence of Memory
 Swans Reflecting Elephants
 Premonition of Civil

Elements and Principles of Art

Six integral components in the creation of a design:

 Lines
o Vertical- Represents dignity, formality, stability and strength.
o Horizontal- Represents calm, peace and relaxation.
o Diagonal- Represents action, activity, excitement and movement.
o Curved- Represents freedom, the natural, having the appearance of softness and creates a soothing feeling
or mood
 Color- has an immediate and profound effect on a design. Colors can affect how humans feel and act.
o Warm Colors
- Reds, oranges, yellows
o Cool Colors
- Blues, purples, greens
 Form/Shape- The shape, outline, or configuration of anything.
- Squares, Rectangles, Circles, Ovals, Triangles
 Space- It can enlarge or reduce the visual space.
- Open, uncluttered spaces, Cramped, busy

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  Texture- The surface look or feel of an object.
- Smooth surface
 Light and Shadow- Reflects more light and, therefore, is a more intense color.
- Rough surface, Absorbs more light, appears darker.
- Value The relative lightness or darkness of a color .
- Shade Degree of darkness of a color
Five principles that encompass an interesting design.
 Balance Parts of the design are equally distributed to create a sense of stability. There can be physical as well as
visual balance.
 Rhythm It is the repeated use of line, shape, color, texture or pattern.
 Emphasis is the most personal aspect of a design. The feature that attracts viewers. It can be achieved through size,
placement, color and use of lines.
 Proportion and Scale It is the comparative relationships between elements in a design with respect to size.
 Unity is applying consistent use of lines, color, and texture within a design.

History of Art
History of Asian Art
Asian art is diverse and rich, spanning thousands of years and dozens of countries. It is known for its ritual bronzes,
beautiful ceramics, jades, textiles, poetic painted landscapes, garden design, elaborate gold work, extraordinary
temples, shrines, pagodas and stupas, woodblock prints, shadow puppets and the highest art form in East Asian art
calligraphy.
History of Western Art
Western Art historians describe the history of Western art in terms of successive periods and or movements, including;
 Medieval A.D. 500- A.D. 1400
 Renaissance 1400- 1600
 Baroque 1600- 1750
 Rococo 1699- 1780
 Neoclassicism 1750- 1850
 Romanticism 1780- 1850
 Impressionism 1865- 1885
 Postmodernism 1885- 1910

History of Philippine Arts

- The history of Philippine art is describing according to Philippine Art Period,

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  Post-colonial art period
 Contemporary Art period

 Pre-colonial art period

Pre-colonial art period - Age of Horticulture/Neolithic period (6185 to 4400 BC) , Metal Age (3190 to 190 BC), Iron
Age(200BC to 1000BC). Local communities are being established and art starts to go beyond mere craft such as stone
weapons and jewelry but starts to have decorative elements, meaning and context. Pre-colonial traditional art has
religious symbols, everyday activity such as fishing, farming, etc., or a specific decorative art pattern to the community, it
has either the influence of local region (animistic) or Islamic based. There is also an exchange of art aesthetics and art
processes with the Chinese and other Asian countries who frequents as traders with our indigenous groups.
Other pre-colonial art are pottery, weaving, tattoo, jewelry, carving and metal craft.
 Spanish colonial art period
Spanish Colonial Art Period (1521-1898) - Introduced formal painting, sculpture and architecture which was inspired by
the Byzantine, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo art styles. Most art works are religious(Catholic) based.
Spanish colonialism lives on with the Filipino “antique” furniture and carving designs. In the formation of elite Filipino
class, the illustrado, pave way for the rich locals to study abroad, a more “academic” and “western” has been learned.
The Filipino Classicism is formed that borrows the Neo-Clacissim, Romanticism, and even a hint of Impressionism.
 American colonial art period
American Colonial Art Period (1898-1946) - The American brought in Education and Value Formation, with both
following the “American way of life”(Allice Guillermo, Sining Biswal,1994,p.4), Art illustration, advertising and
commercial design gained popularly and incorporated in Fine arts. Painting themes still largely favored genre paintings,
landscapes and still life; portraits are reserved for high ranking officials with a more academic approach to make the
subject more formal.
 Post-colonial art period
Post-Colonial Art Period (1946-1986) - Art after the War: The growing and Expanding Philippine Art, Philippine Modern
Art (1946 to 1970), Philippine Post Modern Art (1970-1980s), Pop Art, Installation Art, and Performance Art were
dominating the postmodern period of the Philippine Art

Soul-Making
- is an alternative venue for knowing ourselves and looking into the depths and real meaning of what we are doing for
everyday life. It develops our inner artist and it helps us to communicate with people, understanding culture and
embodying tolerance and peace. It opens door for multiple intelligences and expressions.
Soul-Making: Making and Deriving Meaning from Art

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 In order for the human to make sense of language and derive meanings from words, semantic, and grammatical rules
are important elements to be considered.
 In order to people to make sense of the work, it require understanding the visual elements where art was the
grounded on, specially the principle of design,
 Important to note the audience of the said artwork must have certain level of awareness to the style, artwork, form,
and content of the said work.
 Form- is the totally of the artwork, which includes the textures, colors, and shapes utilized by the artist.
 The content of an artwork includes not only form but also its subject matter and its underlying meanings or themes.
Improvisation
 Doing something without prior preparation.
 There is a decision to act upon something that may not necessarily be planned.
 Some would say that it is a reaction against the stiffness in the arts during the twentieth century, because it blurs the
line of reality and that origin of that imagination.

 Infusing spontaneity and improvisation adds up to the totality of the work of art.
 It allows the artist to explore and think about how the audience can actually be a part of the work in itself.
Appropriation ;
 The practice of using pre-existing objects and images in an artwork without really altering the originals.
 This notion paved the way for the emergence of appropriation artist who seem to promote the idea that authorship
relies on the viewer.
 Traditionally, forgery can be classified into two forms: outright copies of existing works and pastiches, which are works
that bring together elements from a work and infusing them to a new work.
 The intentions of the appropriation artist are often questioned since issues of plagiarism or forgery sometimes arise,
because some would argue that the reason behind this is that they want the audience to recognize the images they
copied.