UNIT 2: ART HISTORY, & THE LANGUAGE OF ART

Art has a great place in the culture and life of every civilization. The historic arts are the basis of the existence of modern art forms in the various parts of the world. Learning historic arts is important in a better understanding about a nation or a civilization. People usually use verbal words and hand and facial gestures to express themselves. People also use visual means of communication, such as paintings and drawings to express their feelings and points of view. People use music as another serious means of communication and self expressing.

ART HISTORY The history of art usually refers to the history of the visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, and architecture. The term also encompasses (covers) theory of the visual arts. It is not usually taken or intended to refer to the performing arts or literary arts. The history of art attempts an objective survey of art throughout human history, classifying cultures and periods, and noting their distinguishing features and influences.

ART HAS A ‘LANGUAGE’ A writer’s language depends on the use of verbal and written words. An artist’s language depends on the use of a visual language or visual symbols, as opposed to verbal symbols, or words such as lines, colors, and shapes.

The Elements of Art The Elements Of Art are the building blocks of art creation and the structure of the work, and they can carry a wide variety of messages. The Elements Of Art are the Visual Language of art, and they can be analyzed, organized, and manipulated by artists. When looking at a work of art, see if you can identify which Elements of Art the artist stressed, organized or used to express a message or to create a mood.

The Elements of Art II The elements of art are nine components: Color Form and Shape Movement Pattern Point and Line Space Texture

COLOR Many people would argue that the Element of ‘Color’ has the most effect on a work of art. Consider what our world would look like if everything was black, white, and shades of gray? Artists have known that ‘Color’ has a powerful effect on their works and on the impressions of the viewers. Light reflects off objects creating seven main colors {Blue, Purple, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, & Green}. Color has three main characteristics: hue (red, green, blue, etc.) value (how light or dark it is) intensity (how bright or dull it is) Colors can be described as warm (red, yellow) or cool (blue, gray), depending on which end of the color spectrum (rainbow) they fall.

COLOR (Hue) Hue is the term for the pure spectrum colors commonly referred to by the ‘color names’ – blue, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, & green – which appear in the hue circle or rainbow. Theoretically, the primary colors consist of three hues from which we can theoretically mix all other hues. When pigment primaries are all mixed together, the theoretical result is black, which is sometimes referred to as subtractive mixture.

COLOR (Value) Value is defined as the relative brightness (lightness or darkness) of a color. It is an important tool for the artist, in the way it defines form and creates spatial illusions. Artists use color value to create different moods. Dark colors in a composition suggest a lack of light, as in a night or interior scene. Dark colors can often convey a sense of mystery or foreboding (heavy feelings). Light colors often describe a light source or light reflected within the composition. Artists could use light colors to describe the light created by the candle flame, the moonlight.

COLOR (Illusion) Some of the effects of color occur only in the eye and brain of the viewer, and are not physical properties of light waves or pigment. These illusions, however, are very powerful, and have enormous impact on our responses to color.

COLOR (Intensity) Intensity refers to the purity, strength, or quantity of a given hue or value used in color compositions. In order to create emphasis, one should make a clear decision as to which hue, value, and intensity should be assigned. Bright colors are undiluted (unmixed), and they are often associated with positive energy and heightened emotions. Dull colors are diluted by mixing with other colors and create a sedate or serious mood.

COLOR (Intensity II) The color proportion choice will also affect the impact of the color composition. This can be seen in the set of panels, where the very same colors are used in each panel. Yet depending on the choice of dominant color, the feeling of the composition, and even the appearance of each color, is altered.

FORM & SHAPE Form and shape are areas or masses which define objects in space; indeed they cannot exist without space. There are various ways to categorize form and shape since they can be thought of as either two dimensional or three dimensional. Two dimensional form has width and height. Three dimensional shape has depth as well as width and height.

FORM & SHAPE Forms are often called the ‘three-dimensional shapes’ because, unlike flat, two-dimensional areas, forms are represented as ‘three- dimensional’. Shapes are everywhere, and the more common ones are given names such as circle or square. There are an infinite amount of shape possibilities and combinations.

MOVEMENT Movement is the process of relocation of objects in space over time, and it can be literal or compositional. The physical movement of designed objects is known as literal movement. Another way to think about movement is to consider how the viewer’s eye moves through the composition.

MOVEMENT This is what we refer to as compositional movement. In this case, we are not concerned with the presence (or lack of) implied motion in the image. We are concerned instead with how the viewer perceives the composition, and how the components relate and lead the viewer’s attention.

PATTERN Pattern is a structure that organizes surfaces or structures in a consistent, regular manner. Pattern can be described as a repeating unit of shape or form, but it can also be thought of as the ‘skeleton’ that organizes the parts of a composition. Pattern exists in nature as well as in designed objects; it is useful to look at the parallels.

PATTERN A grid is the foundation for any structure or image, and it presents a set of ways in which the points of a composition can be connected. Similar types of patterning can be seen in many designed objects. Even complex works of art exhibit a structure or pattern grid, although the mode of patterning may vary over the surface.

POINT A point is a simple dot on a blank object. Even if there is only one point or mark on a blank page, the brain seeks some kind of relationship or order to create an outline. If there are two points, immediately the eye will make a connection and ‘see’ a line. If there are three points, the mind supplies the connections, and the eye interprets them as a triangle. This compulsion to connect parts is described as gestalt (grouping).

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LINE A line is a mark made by a moving point and having psychological impact according to its direction, weight, and the variations in its direction and weight. A line is a useful and versatile graphic device that is made to function in both visual and verbal ways. A line can act as as a symbolic language, or it can communicate emotion through its character and direction.

LINE Line is not necessarily an artificial creation of the artist or designer. It exists in nature as a structural feature such as branches, or as surface design, such as striping on a tiger or a seashell. Certain arrangements of line are commonly understood to carry certain kinds of information.

LINE Horizontal lines suggest a feeling of rest or repose because objects parallel to the earth are at rest. Horizontal lines also help give a sense of space. Vertical lines often communicate a sense of height because they are perpendicular to the earth, extending upwards toward the sky.

LINE Vertical lines also suggest spirituality, rising beyond human reach toward the heavens. Horizontal and vertical lines used in combination communicate stability and solidity. Rectilinear forms with 90-degree angles are structurally stable. This stability suggests permanence and reliability.

LINE Diagonal lines convey a feeling of movement since objects in a diagonal position are unstable. Because they are neither vertical nor horizontal, they either are about to fall or are already in motion. The curve of a line can convey energy. Soft and shallow curves recall the curves of the human body and often have a pleasing, sensual quality, and a softening effect on the composition. The edges of a flat object gently lead the human eye to the sculptures on the horizon.

SPACE Real space is three-dimensional. Space in a work of art refers to a feeling of depth or three dimensions. It can also refer to the artist’s use of the area within the picture plane. The area around the primary objects in a work of art is known as negative space, while the space occupied by the primary objects is known as positive space.

SPACE The relationship of positive to negative space can greatly affect the impact of a work of art. For example, a man and his shadow occupy the positive space, while the white space surrounding him is the negative space. The disproportionate amount of negative space highlights the figure’s weakness and isolation.

TEXTURE o The surface quality of an object that we sense through touch. o All objects have a physical texture. o Artists can also convey texture visually in two dimensions. o In a two-dimensional work of art, texture gives a visual sense of how an object depicted would feel in real life if touched: hard, soft, rough, smooth, hairy, leathery, sharp, etc.

TEXTURE o In three-dimensional works, artists use actual texture to add a tactile quality to the work. o Artists use color, line, and shading to imply textures. o The ability to convincingly portray fabric of different types was one of the marks of a great painter during the 17th century.

Perspective and PROPORTION The word ‘proportion’ means one part in relation to another. All people have a sense of proportion concerning themselves as compared to others. “My nose is too long for my face.” “She has long legs.” “His eyes are wide set.” All of these comments reinforce the idea that we see and have opinions about the relationships between one thing compared to another. Artists use their sense of proportion to make statements or express a particular feeling about a subject in a work of art.