Perceiving and Receiving ART
How do we judge great art?
There are 3 approaches which can be used simultaneously.
Formalist Approach - how does the artist manipulate elements of the art form. Technical prowess is assessed.
(See terms below).
Expressivist Approach - the emphasis is on whether the art communicates feelings and ideas.
Originality, intensity, sincerity are assessed.
Instrumentalist - Does it fulfill some religious, political or social purpose. Why, when, and how questions.
Some Artistic Terms:
Two-dimensional - developed on a flat plane
Three-dimensional - spatial depth as well as height and width
Representational (represents what we see), Abstract, etc.
Realistic, idealistic, stylistic
Composition - artist's method of organizing a subject. What to put in and what to leave out.
Line - vertical, horizontal, curved, angled, smooth, jagged, thin, thick, implied etc.
Space - the spaces between the subjects, interaction between the foreground and the background.
How are the spaces arranged?
Balance - Are things balanced, light and dark, complementary colors, is there a sense of harmony
Color - Primary: red, blue, yellow, secondary (complimentary), green, orange, indigo and violet. Use of these.
Intensity - the power of the colors, how deep are they? The intensity of the subject?
Perspective - technique for indicating depth in a painting. Based on the relative diminution (making smaller)
in the apparent size of objects the farther into the distance they appear. There is a vanishing point on a
horizontal line (horizon) with diagonal lines all meeting at the vanishing point. The horizon is at the eye
level of the viewer.
Aerial Perspective - development by daVinci. The use of blue tones to indicate depth and enhance the sense
of distance. The background would have blue tones added, warm colors would come forward and be used
in the foreground and green would be added to the middle ground.
Chiaroscuro - the use of light and dark to indicate depth - form.
Sfumato - (fumo - smoke) the blurring of edges to indicate roundness to increase the feeling of life and
movement.
Texture - real or simulated. Brush strokes, indication of texture in the subject.
How does the work elicit an Emotional response:
1. Direct stimulation: art - color, lines things that directly stimulate you based on previous associations - in
music a march rhythm, a waltz
2. Types and symbols
3. Representation of emotional behavior
4. Evidence of the artists own feelings
Questions:
1. What is my first impression
2. How does it affect me?
3. What period is it from?
Who is the artist?
What do I know about the period and the artist?
How does it compare with other pieces of art from that period, artist?
4. Composition: Where are the dominant lines of organization?
5. Space: Where are you in relation to the picture? Is it much larger or smaller than you expected?
6. Form: Is there a three-dimensional feeling about the picture. If so, where is it? Is it in some parts of
the picture and not others?
7. Tone: What part does light and dark play in the picture?
8. Color: Is the color part of the structure of the picture or is it used more for expression?
9. Setting: Are you seeing the painting, drawing or print as it was intended to be seen or has its location and
lighting been altered?
10. Subject-matter: How does the subject-matter, or lack of it, affect the way you see the picture?