Work of Arts: Its Subject,

Form and Content

Prof. Yvette S. Garrovillas
 Intended Learning Outcomes
• At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Differentiate the components of creating a work of art such as subject, form and
content
2. Classify artworks according to their categories of subject, form and content
3. Analyze how artists convey their artworks in relation to the real-world counterparts
4. Characterize sources and kinds of arts
5. Use the sources of arts for possible artistic and creative pursuits
Three Basic Components of Work of Arts

• Subject – The visual focus or the image that may be

extracted from examining the artwork; the “what”
• Content – the meaning that is communicated by the
artist or the artwork; the “why”
• Form – the development and configuration of the art
work; the “how”
 Sources and Kinds of Subjects
• Nature
• The nature and environment
have been one of the
sources of artistic
inspirations. You can derive
inspiration from the shapes
and forms that the
environment can offer such
as the trees, land desert,
animals etc. (Ragans, 2005)
 Sources and Kinds of Subjects

• People and World Events

• People and world events have
been subjects of art. This
can be found in individual
and family portraits, editorial
cartooning in newspapers.
 Sources and Kinds of Subjects
• Myths and Legends
• Myths and legends have
been one of the sources of
art among artists. Most
common arts related to
myths and legends are
popularized during the
Greek Civilization.
 Sources and Kinds of Subjects

• Spiritual and Religious

Beliefs
• Art has been an outlet
for religion and faith to
come to life
 Sources and Kinds of Subjects

• Ideas Commissioned by
Employers
• Those workers for
companies or individuals
who create artwork are
influenced by the employer.
 Form/ Composition
• Two-dimensional art
• This type of art begins the work on
a flat surface called a plane.
• Artists may manipulate design
principles to produce images that
convey not just height and width
but also depth or at least the illusion
of such.
 Characteristics of two-dimensional art
a. It has mathematical dimensions of width and height (but no
depth)
b. They can be decorative spaces or plastic spaces
c. Plane/ Picture Frame
 Two-dimensional Media
a. Drawings – a process of moving
an instrument over a smooth
surface to leave a mark, mostly
in the form of a line.
b. Paintings – an art process or
media where the artist applies
colors to surfaces using paint
brush, painting knives or rollers.
 Form/ Composition
• Three-dimensional art
• The distinguishing factor of three-
dimensional art is its actual and real
depth.
• It can be touched in its surfaces, in their
cavities and protuberances
• They have mass and volume
 Three-dimensional Media
a. Sculpture – most of the media used are clay, glass, plastic, wood, stone or
metals
b. Assembling – combination of wood, plastic, metal and others
c. Modeling – an additive process where the artist gradually adds more of the
material to build the form
d. Carving – a subtractive process where the sculpture removed, cuts, chips or
drills parts of the solid mass to create the form
 Three-dimensional Media
e. Casting – it comes in the manipulative process where materials
like soft pliable materials are made into shapes using
manual hand force or machine manufactured force.
f. Crafts – these are 3D crafts that have utilitarian intentions.
g. Architecture – shelters, buildings, monuments and religious
shrines are some of the few by-products of
architecture.
 Form/ Composition
• Technological Media
• any hardware, software or tool that is
used to compose, create, produce,
deliver and manage media including
audio, video, images, information,
interactive media, video games, virtual
reality and augmented reality
environments.
• Photography
• Films and Videos
• Computer Arts
 Content
• The Criticisms of Arts and Judgement of Aesthetics
• Systematic approach in evaluating, appreciating and criticizing
art
• The process of knowing the criteria will enhance the vicarious
aesthetic experience with art
• Aesthetics is a form of philosophy that intends to study the
value and nature of art
 Content
• Steps in Evaluating Art (Rosalind Ragans)
Descriptive Steps Questions you need to answer
Step 1. Description – you need to What do you see in the artwork?
make a list of that are What are these images?
visible in the elements of When was the work created?
work. For whom is this work made? A
specific person or group of persons/
audience?
 Content
• Steps in Evaluating Art (Rosalind Ragans)
Descriptive Steps Questions you need to answer

Step 2. Analysis – you may How is the work organized?

need to observe and What principles of design were applied in the artwork?
What are the artist’s individual style and techniques?
identify the different What are the distinct features of the artwork that are
applications of characteristic of the artist?
principles of design. What is the rigor of implementation that the artist
chooses to portray?
How did the artist express certain emotions and ideas in
the artwork?
 Content
• Steps in Evaluating Art (Rosalind Ragans)
Descriptive Steps Questions you need to answer
Step 3. Interpretation – digging into What is the message of the art?
the content is the hallmark Why is this message relevant or important?
of this process. What is the mood being conveyed in the art?
How did the artist’s background influence the
creation of the art i.e. subject, elements and
principles and content?
What are the artist’s influences that paved the way
to the development of his art?
 Content
• Steps in Evaluating Art (Rosalind Ragans)
Descriptive Steps Questions you need to answer
Step 4. Judgment – examine the What makes the artwork successful?
artistic merit of the work How is the work significant to the
message it seeks to convey?
Does it serve an aesthetic and
utilitarian purpose?
Is the artwork effective in
communicating its meaning?
 Content
• Critical Analysis using Other Theories (Artwork)
Theories for Questions you need to answer
Critical Analysis
Imitationalism Focused on critiquing the artwork based on the extent
(Literal) of realistic representation.

Formalism Focused on evaluating the artwork’s rigor on design

(Conventional) and the application of principles.
 Content
• Critical Analysis using Other Theories (Artwork)
Theories for Questions you need to answer
Critical Analysis
Emotionalism The expressive qualities of the artwork
(Subjective)

Utilitarianism Sometimes products of art may not only be aesthetic.

(Utility and Function)
 Content
• Barrett’s Principles of Interpretation
1. Artworks have “aboutness” and demand interpretation.
2. Interpretations are persuasive arguments.
3. Some interpretations are better than others.
4. Good interpretations of art tell more about the artwork than they tell about the
critic.
5. Feelings are guides to interpretations.
6. There can be different, competing, and contradictory interpretations of the
same artwork.
 Content
• Barrett’s Principles of Interpretation
7. Interpretations are often based on a world view and a theory of art.
8. Interpretations are not so much absolutely right, but more or less
reasonable, convincing, enlightening, and informative.
9. Interpretations can be judged by coherence, correspondence, and
inclusiveness.
10. An artwork is not necessarily about what the artist wanted it to be about.
11. A critic ought not to be the spokesperson for the artist.
12. Interpretations ought to present the work in its best rather than its weakest
light.
 Content
• Barrett’s Principles of Interpretation
13. The objects of interpretation are artworks, not artists.
14. All art is in part about the world in which it emerged.
15. All art is in part about other art.
16. No single interpretation is exhaustive of the meaning of an artwork.
17. The meanings of an artwork may be different from its significance to the viewer.
18. Interpretation is ultimately a communal endeavor, and the community is ultimately
self- corrective.
19. Good interpretations invite us to see for ourselves and to continue on our own.
Assessment
THANK YOU!