Passi City College

Passi City, Iloilo

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

JOEVENELLE P. MALLORCA Page 1

Reading Visual Arts MODULE 2
 GE 12

Reading V I S U A L A R T S Passi City College

Passi City, Iloilo

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

JOEVENELLE P. MALLORCA
Instructor

Module

GE 12- READING VISUAL ARTS

MODULE 2

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Reading Visual Arts MODULE 2
 Types of Visual Arts

Module Outcomes
At the end of the module the learner should have:
 Identified types of visual arts and analysed or critique
artwork.

INTRODUCTION

The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing,

printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design,
crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing
arts, conceptual art, textile arts also involve aspects of visual arts as well
as arts of other types. Also included within the visual arts are the applied

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Reading Visual Arts MODULE 2
 arts such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior
design and decorative art.

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Reading Visual Arts MODULE 2
 There are three basic types of Visual Art. Subcategories exist in
each of these types. Often, these types are misrepresented or more
often, misunderstood. Whether the work is three dimensional sculptures
or two dimensional, it will still fall under one of these three main types.
These types are representational, abstract, or non-objective. The
intent of the artist often times informs us on the type of art at which we
are viewing. Beyond this, the application of the medium can also have an
effect on the type of artwork.

Engage

 3 Types of Visual Arts

Representational Art

Representational artwork aims to represent actual objects or

subjects from reality. Subcategories under representational art include
Realism, Impressionism, Idealism, and Stylization. All of these forms of
representationalism represent actual subjects from reality. Although
some of these forms are taking steps toward abstraction, they still fall

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 under the category of representation. Representational art is perhaps
the oldest of the three types of art. It can be traced back to the
Palaeolithic figurine, The Venus of Willendorf. It is also the easiest to
digest from a viewer's perspective.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Two

Sisters (on the Terrace), 1881

We can easily identify with recognizable subjects in

a painting, drawing, or sculpture. This makes representational art widely
accepted among the masses. Representational art also represents the
largest collection of artwork created. Considering that the other two
types abstract and non-objective are relatively new types of art, this
makes perfect sense. Representational art has gone through many phases
and movements, yet the principle of presenting the viewer with
recognizable subject matter has stayed the same. It is worth noting that
some representational art flirts with abstraction. It could be said that
some representational artwork happens to be more realistic while other
forms focus on the artist's perception of the subject.

Abstract Art

The often misunderstood type of art known as abstraction aims to

take subjects from reality but present them in way that is different
from the way they are viewed in our reality. This may take the form of
emphasizing lines, shapes, or colors that transform the subject. Abstract

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 art includes the subcategories of Minimalism, Cubism, and Precisionism.
Abstraction can also happen when the artist decides to view the subjects
in a non- traditional manner. Abstraction is relatively new to the art
world, having its earliest roots in the deviations from reality taken by the
Impressionists. It began to gain popularity in various forms around the
world at the end of the 19th century. Artists began to take a more
intellectual approach to painting.

Georges Braque. Woman with Guitar,

1913

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 Renee Magritte. The Treachery of Images, 1928-1929

This new way of approaching art is evidenced in the Magritte

painting entitled, "The Treachery of Images", 1928-1929. Written in
French under a representational painting of a pipe, is the phrase, "This is
not a pipe." The point is that the painting is indeed not a pipe, but rather
a painting of a pipe. Artists of this time where now approaching paintings
as paintings, allowing for a new form of intellectual expression. Many
people have difficulty in understanding the differences between abstract
art and non-objective art. The clear difference lies in the subject
matter chosen. If the artist begins with a subject from reality, the
artwork is considered to be abstract. If the artist is creating with no
reference to reality, then the work is considered to be non-objective.

Non-Objective Art

The third type of art is often mistaken for Abstract art although
it is entirely different from it. Non-Objective art takes nothing from
reality. It is created purely for aesthetic reasons. The intent of Non-
objective art is to use the elements and principles of art in a way that
results in a visually stimulating work. It is purely that simple.

Jackson Pollock. Number

One 1948

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  How to Read and Understand Visual Arts?

Artists create fascinating objects and images, such as those found in

museums, on posters, and in public places. By visual art, we mean works like
paintings, sculptures, and prints that you look at as opposed to performing arts,
like music or dance.

 Theme relates to the meaning of a painting, rather than the subject,

which is specific and basic. A theme is deeper and broader and conveys
something more universal.

 Mood is the atmosphere in a painting, or the feeling expressed. Is the art

tranquil, or is it dark and disturbing?

 Tone refers to the lightness or darkness of color used, which can help to
create a sense of depth or distance in art.

Artists use light and dark colors to convey a mood or an emotion.

Color can harmonize, or bring elements together and create a pleasing
sensation, or it may clash. Remember, the artist is making a choice about
color and brushstrokes. Finally, the composition, or the underlying
structure of the art, refers to where the artist placed the subject
matter.

The Nightmare

The Nightmare was

painted by Henri
Fuseli in 1781. It
caused a furor in
London when people
first saw it in an
exhibit and inspired
horror authors like
Mary Shelley, who
wrote Frankenstein,

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and Edgar Allan Poe, famous for The Raven and Murders in the Rue Morgue.
Fuseli was trying to tap into the disturbing unknown and he succeeded.

The woman is draped in white, lying on a bed. She's asleep and her limp
arms sprawl to the ground. A creepy-looking glowering creature sits on her
chest. Above her, a ghostly horse head peers from behind a curtain in the left
section of the canvas. Except for the woman, rendered in white and other
bright color, everything else is depicted in deep red, dark brown, and black. We
can't see the background, it's obscured in darkness, and we're not sure where
the creature or the horse came from. The painting's tone, created by the
contrast between dark and light, is mysterious and unsettling. We might not
know what's going on, but we know it's not good. The creature, shown in browns
and grays, appears to rest heavily on the woman's chest, a feeling we sometimes
have when we suffer through bad dreams. So the tone is overwhelmingly dark,
the mood is scary, and the theme reflects fears and nightmares.

 Analyzing Artwork (Art Criticism)

Art criticism, the analysis and evaluation of works of art. More

subtly, art criticism is often tied to theory; it is interpretive, involving
the effort to understand a particular work of art from a theoretical
perspective and to establish its significance in the history of art. Being
able to analyze an artwork is essential for developing as an artist and to
fully appreciate what the great artists create. You may find that once
you develop a better understanding of what is going on in a great painting,
you may gain a better appreciation of art. It is the same as listening to a
world-class violinist perform a concert by Beethoven. If your ears are not
trained, you will struggle to appreciate the significance of what they are
playing.

 What Do You See In Terms Of The Visual Elements?

The first thing you should do when analyzing an artwork is to break

it down in terms of the visual elements. What do you see in terms of lines,
shapes, colors and textures?

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  Clusters of circular
shapes for the plants and
flowers;
 Rigid shapes for the
chair;
 Suggestive lines on the
ground to move you
around the painting;
 Lines on the dress to give
a sense of form;
 Varied colors and lines to
create the illusion of
plants and vines; and
 Repetitive dashes of color
in the clouds and ocean.

Childe Hassam, The Sea, 1892

 What Are The Main Focal Points And Any Other Key Features?

Have a think about what areas the artist wants you to look at.
What areas are being emphasized and what areas are left vague? Where
are your eyes drawn towards in the painting? Then, go a step further and
analyze how the artist is emphasizing these areas. In the painting below
there are three main focal points; the busy jetty, the boats in the water
and the tower in the background. Claude Monet draws your attention
towards these areas using value contrast and an increased level of detail
compared to the rest of the painting.

Claude Monet, The

Thames Below
Westminster, 1871

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  What Path Do Your Eyes Take Around The Painting?

Look at the artwork and let your eyes naturally follow through the
painting. This can be difficult to do when you are trying to analyze a
painting. Try to relax and don’t overthink it. The path your eyes take
reveals a lot of information about how the artwork is put together. In the
painting below I indicate the path my eyes take through the painting.
First, I am drawn into the painting with the dark reflections in the water.
Then this leads into the lighter orange and white reflections of the
buildings. Then I notice the main buildings and what appears to be a farm
on the left. Then into the clouds and around to the top center of the
painting. Then I follow the clouds back down into the water and along the
reflections. Then I arrive at the bottom left of the painting.

Isaac Levitan, Lake, Russia, 1900

 How Is Everything Connected?

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 Most paintings seem to be comprised of:
 Elements which are connected and flow nicely together; and
 Powerful statements which abruptly stop this flow.

For example, picture you are painting a rough seascape. Your strokes
follow the turbulent movement of the water. But then there is an abrupt stop as
the water crashes against the rocks. This abrupt stop goes against the flow of
the water and creates a powerful statement in the painting.
In Claude Monet’s painting below, blues of the sky connect with blues of
the water. The soft edges also connect the distant land with the sky and the
water. Where the water meets the shore in the foreground, notice how there
are dashes of light blue in the dark purple shore, and dashes of dark purple in
the light blue water. Also, notice the horizontal brushwork used for both areas.
This all helps connect these two areas. The fluent connection comes to a stop at
the land on the left of the painting. Here the horizontal strokes are met by
vertical
strokes, and
the blues and
purples are
met by greens,
reds and
oranges.
Claude Monet,
The Cliff Near
Dieppe, 1882

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  What Is The Dominant Color Harmony?

You will be able to simplify most paintings down to a fairly basic color
scheme. Here are some color-specific questions to ask yourself:

 What are the main light sources and how have they influenced the colors
used?
 What is the dominant color temperature of the painting? Does it appear
to have been painted under a warm, cool or neutral light?
 What colors are pushed forward and what colors are held back? For
example, maybe the reds and oranges are strong and saturated, whilst
the blues and greens are dull and weak.
 How would you describe the use of color saturation, value and hue?

Here is my color analysis of the below painting by Edgar Payne:

 There is a strong complementary contrast between purples and yellows.

 The yellow sky indicates that this is painted under a warm light.
 There appears to be a theme of warm lights and cool shadows.
 Most of the colors in the painting have a weak saturation.
 The painting can be broken into two distinct value groups – the dark
foreground and the high key background.
 The painting can also be broken into three hue groups – the oranges in the
foreground, the purples and blues in the background and the yellows of
the sky.

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 Edgar Payne, Canyon Mission Viejo, Capistrano

 Is There A Strong Notan Structure?

Notan refers to the balance of light and dark elements in a painting.

If you are analyzing a painting in life, then you need to rely on your ability to
translate color into value to see the underlying notan structure. But if you
are looking at a photo of a painting, you can “cheat” by converting the photo
to grayscale to clearly see the notan structure.

Observing the underlying notan design of a painting can reveal some

interesting patterns and design features which may not be obvious on first
glance. For example, it might reveal that a painting which appears to be
extremely busy and active actually has a very simple notan structure, like in
the painting below by Giovanni Boldini:

Giovanni
Boldini, Girl
With Black Cat,
1885

Some paintings are built on a strong notan design, whilst other paintings
rely more on the other elements like color and brushwork. Many paintings by
the impressionists have weak notan designs but make up for it with a
complex harmony of colors.

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 Childe
Hassam,
Poppies,
Isles Of
Shoals, 1891

 Did The Artist Take Advantage Of Visible Brushwork?

If possible, look closely at the painting to see the artist’s brushwork.

Observe the thickness of the paint, the variety of the strokes and the
general direction of the strokes.

Here are some questions to help you analyze the brushwork:

 Is there a common theme with the brushwork? For example, did the
artist use thick and bold strokes for the lights and thin and weak strokes
for the darks?
 Did the artist use distinct strokes or blended strokes?
 How did the artist paint the finer details?

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  Did the artist use large or small brushes?

Joaquín Sorolla, On the Rocks at Javea, 1905

 What Is The Artist Trying To Say?

This is a very high-level analysis of the painting. Take a step back

and think about what the artist is actually trying to say. What was the
artist thinking when they painted it? Sometimes it might just be to
communicate the beauty of the landscape the artist saw. Or it might be
something deeper.

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 Dan
Scott,
Mt

Barney, 2017

 Other Questions about Art

 What are the secondary colors?

 What are the major shapes?
 Are there any implied lines?

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  Are there any leading lines?
 How does it make you feel?
 What is the rhythm of the artwork?
 What is the strongest form of contrast in the artwork? For example,
green against red; thick against thin; organic against geometric; lines
against shapes; dark against light.
 Is there any directional brushwork? Think Vincent van Gogh.
 What is the big idea?
 What is the dominant value range?
 Are there any light/dark/colorful accents?
 What leads you into the artwork?
 What is the gesture of the artwork? Or in other words, if you could
indicate the gesture of the artwork with a single line, what would it look
like?
 Have any areas been simplified in terms of detail?
 Is there a sense of depth and atmosphere (atmospheric perspective)?
 What techniques were used?
 What materials were used?
 Are the scale and linear perspective accurate?
 Is the artwork loose and relaxed or tight and refined?
 Is there any broken color? Think Claude Monet.
 What colors were used on the artist’s palette?
 What is the style (impressionism, realism, etc.)?
 Was the artist inspired by anything?
 Did the artist create any preliminary sketches or studies?
 Who/where is the subject?
 Did the artist use the subject in other artworks?

Great! You are almost done. I am happy for you. It seems that you’ve
learned a lot in our journey. I appreciate your determination and diligence in
reading the module’s content and answering all our activities. Now, it’s time to
evaluate what you’ve learned from the start.

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 Let’s work on this!

Directions: Reflection writing paper.

1. Explain briefly the 3 types of visual arts and give examples of artwork or
visual art piece in every type? (10 points each)

2. Select one visual art piece and explain its details (theme, mood, tone,
etc.). (15 points)

Attach Photo Here

3. Select one visual art piece. Give your analysis or criticism to the art piece
that you have chosen. (30 points)

JOEVENELLE P. MALLORCA Attach Photo

Page 20 Here
Reading Visual Arts MODULE 2
WRITTEN RUBRIC

FEATURES 10 8 6 5

Answers Writer Writer clearly Writer Writer

clearly answered all answered attempted to
answered all parts of the some parts of answer part
parts of the question in the question, of the
question in complete but left other question, but
complete sentences, but parts answer is
sentences. answer may not incomplete. unclear and
Student be clear Answer may not in
referred not be in complete
back to the complete sentences
question in sentences.
their answer

Cite Writer cited Writer cited Writer may Writer did

evidence for evidence for have cited not cite
all parts of some parts of evidence for evidence
their answer their answer part of their from the
directly from directly from answer. Most text in any
the text; it is the text. Some part of the part of their
clear to the parts of the answer does answer
reader to the answer do not not have

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 reader to have evidence evidence from
which part of the text.
the text the
writer is
referring.

Explain/ Writer Writer Writer Writer did

Expand explained all explained most explained not explained
parts of their parts of their some parts of or expanded
answer in answer in clear their answer, upon their
clear terms terms to their but most of answers
to their readers. Some the answers
reader. parts of the does not have
Writer answer are left an explanation
expanded unexplained. as to why the
their idea Writer may writer
beyond simply not have believes that
answering the expanded their is the answer
question idea

Refences:
https://thevirtualinstructor.com/types-of-art.html
https://study.com/academy/lesson/understanding-visual-art-identifying-theme-mood-
tone.html
https://www.britannica.com/art/art-criticism
https://drawpaintacademy.com/analyze-art/#:~:text=The%20first%20thing%20you
%20should,analyze%20what%20you%20are%20seeing.
KirkukUniversity Journal-Scientific Studies, 15 (2), 1-16

Spooner, H. (2016). Embraxing a Full Spectrum Definition of Art Therapy. Art

Therapy 163-166.

Rhi, J. (2008) Identifying Several Types in Ganharan Buddha Images. Archives of

Asian Art, 58(1), 43-85

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