Lesson 3: Visual Arts

Lesson 3: Visual Arts

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of this discussion, the students are expected to:

• Distinguish directly functional and indirectly functional art,
• Explain and discuss the basic philosophical perspectives on the art,
• Realize the function of some art forms in daily life, and;
• Apply concepts and theories on beauty and aesthetics in real life scenarios.
Discussion:
What is a subject of art?
The subject of art is the matter to be described or to be portrayed by the artist.

This may refer to any person, object, scene or event.
Two Kinds of Art as to Subject:
1.Representational Art or Objective Art – They are

those arts which depict (represent) objects that are
commonly recognized by most people. They attempt to
copy, even if in a subjective manner, something that's
real. It uses “form” and is concerned with “what” is to
be depicted in the artwork. Examples: A. Still life is a
work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter,
typically commonplace objects which may be either
natural (food, flowers, plants, rocks, or shells) or man-
made (drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins,
pipes, and so on) in an artificial setting.
B. Portraiture (portrait) is a painting, photograph,

sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its
expression is predominant.
C. Landscapes, Seascapes, Cityscapes
Despite not knowing who Mona Lisa is, it is clear that the painting is of a
woman that is realistically-proportioned; only the upper torso is shown;
a beguiling and mysterious smile is flashed;
the background is a landscape
2. Non-representational Art or Non-objective Art – They are those arts

without any reference to anything outside itself (without representation). It is
nonobjective because it has no recognizable objects. It is abstract in the sense
that it doesn’t represent real objects in our world. It uses “content” and is
concerned with “how” the artwork is depicted.
Number 1 (Lavender
Mist)
Jackson Pollock,
1950
SOURCES OF SUBJECT
For non-representational art, a higher, level of perceptiveness and insight

might be required to fully grasped the feeling, emotion, or concept behind the
work. For representational art, it is easier to infer the subject matter because
from the figures depicted in the artwork, there is already a suggestion as to its
implication.
Sources of Subject
 Nature
 History
 Greek and Roman mythology
 Judeo-Christian tradition
 Sacred oriental texts
 Other works of art
Different Levels of Meaning
• Factual meaning.
The most rudimentary level of meaning for it may be extracted from the
identifiable or recognizable forms in the artwork and understanding how these
elements relate to one another.
• Conventional meaning.
This pertains to the acknowledged interpretation of the artwork using

motifs, signs, and symbols and other cyphers as bases of its meaning. These
conventions are established through time, strengthened by recurrent use a
wide acceptance by its viewers or audience and scholars who study them.
• Subjective meaning.
When subjectivities are consulted, a variety of meanings may arise when

a particular work of art is read. These meanings stem from the viewer’s or
audience’s circumstances that come into play when engaging with art (what we
know, what we learned, what we experienced; what values we stand for)
Meaning may not be singular, rather, multiple and varied.
Creation of Adam (from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel) Michelangelo

(1814)
Analysis
 Subject: biblical art
 Factual meaning: Creation Story (creation of man)
 Conventional meaning: man was created in the image and likeness of God
 Subjective meaning: endowment of intellect to man from God

Mediums
An artistic medium refers to the type of material used to create a work of

art, be it paintings, sculptures and everything in between. When you visit art
museums, you will likely encounter paintings with a small display card stating
the title of the painting, the artist’s name and the medium used to make that
painting or sculpture. The term ‘medium’ was first used specifically in the
context of art 90 years after Lessing mentioned it in an essay in 1861. Earlier,
art was described in terms of the substance mixed with each pigment to make
paint. Now, the term “medium” is used to convey what material art is made of.
1. Oil paints
When you think of oil painting, a painting

known by almost everyone on the planet is the
Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. Oil painting is
one of the oldest mediums still regularly used in
art. It was also used by countless other famous
artists, from Picasso to Botticelli. As the name
suggests, these paints are oil-based and mixed
with turpentine or linseed oil. Oil paintings take
a lot of time to dry, since they’re not oil-based,
so only start with this medium if you’re a
patient person! The value of the paintings is
based on the age of the paintings and how old it
is. Oil paintings age like wine—the older, the
better!
2. Watercolors
Watercolors are difficult to work around, as

once the paint is on paper, there is very little you
can do to change it. However, once you master it,
there are several advantages. Watercolors are
comparatively inexpensive. One tube of color goes a
long way, since the paint is mixed with a lot of water
to create its signature effect. Watercolor paintings
are generally translucent, meaning that you can see
the texture of the paper that lies beneath. Watercolor allows light to bounce off
the paper and give the color its effect rather than bouncing off the paint. This
gives such paintings a mesmerizing clarity. Watercolors are generally used to
paint landscapes, abstract pieces or other subtle subjects that don’t require too
much precision. Some watercolor techniques include wet on wet, color lifting
and flat washes.
3. Acrylic Paint
This is the newest medium used in art

and was only developed in 1940. Compared to
watercolors and oil paints, acrylics have a lot of
advantages. It dries very fast, unlike oil paints.
It is also very versatile and durable.
Additionally, it creates less mess and can simply
be scraped off if you spill it on the floor; it can
be peeled off the hand like glue! Pop artists like
Andy Warhol used this medium, even in his
legendary creation of the ‘Campbell Soup Can’.
4. Graphite
Pencil If you’ve seen Titanic, then you

know what scene that quote comes from.
Jack used graphite pencils to sketch Rose in
that legendary blockbuster. These pencils are
similar to normal pencils, but they come in
different intensity levels. The ‘h’s are the
lightest, whereas the pencils marked ‘b’s like
4b or 6b are the darkest. Graphite pencils
are also used by children, as they are the
easiest type of pencil and less messy to use
than paints. Mastery of this medium requires sketching, shading and blending.
5. Charcoal
Similar to graphite pencils are

charcoals. Charcoal is darker in shade,
cannot be erased easily, and requires
more hand control. Charcoal comes in
two types—soft charcoal for blending and hard charcoal for sketching.
Charcoal is used for drawing figures and quick sketches.
6. Pastels
Pastels come in two forms—oil pastels, which are generally used by

children for coloring, and chalk pastels, which are similar to charcoal, but they
come in all colors. Pastels are ideal for blending
and layering. The tip, cut and side can all be
used to create various textures.
As we all know, beauty comes in all sizes,

and since art is a form of beauty, it is no
wonder that it comes in various mediums.
There is no perfect medium for a particular type
of painting, it depends on what an artist is
comfortable with, what you like, your budget
and availability. And most importantly, don’t
forget that the beauty of art lies in the eyes of
the beholder!
Summary of the Lesson:
 The subject of art is the matter to be described or to be portrayed by the

artist. This may refer to any person, object, scene or event.
• Representational Art or Objective Art are those arts which depict
(represent) objects that are commonly recognized by most people. They
attempt to copy, even if in a subjective manner, something that's real. It
uses “form” and is concerned with “what” is to be depicted in the
artwork.
• They are those arts without any reference to anything outside itself
(without representation). It is nonobjective because it has no recognizable
objects. It is abstract in the sense that it doesn’t represent real objects in
our world. It uses “content” and is concerned with “how” the artwork is
depicted.
• There are three different meaning to an art. Factual meaning is the most
rudimentary level of meaning for it may be extracted from the identifiable
or recognizable forms in the artwork and understanding how these
elements relate to one another. Conventional meaning pertains to the
acknowledged interpretation of the artwork using motifs, signs, and
symbols and other cyphers as bases of its meaning. Subjective meaning
When subjectivities are consulted, a variety of meanings may arise when
a particular work of art is read.
References/Attributions:
Hinacay, M.L. (2008, December) The Subjects of Art and the Methods of
Presenting Them. Retrieved from
http://www.geocities.ws/vitasophia_bookcenter/humanities2.pdf
Cruz, J. D. (2018b, August 22). Subject and Content of Arts. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/janril/subject-and-content-of-arts
Narsaria, A. (2020, May 3). What Are The Different Mediums Used In Art?
Retrieved from https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/different-mediums-
used-art.html

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What are the two main types of art in terms of subject matter?

What are the two main types of art in terms of subject matter?

What are the three levels of meaning that can be extracted from a work of art?

What are the three levels of meaning that can be extracted from a work of art?

Lesson 3: Visual Arts

At the end of this discussion, the students are expected to:

• Distinguish directly functional and indirectly functional art,

• Explain and discuss the basic philosophical perspectives on the art,

• Realize the function of some art forms in daily life, and;

What is a subject of art?

The subject of art is the matter to be described or to be portrayed by the artist.

Two Kinds of Art as to Subject:

1.Representational Art or Objective Art – They are

B. Portraiture (portrait) is a painting, photograph,

C. Landscapes, Seascapes, Cityscapes

2. Non-representational Art or Non-objective Art – They are those arts

For non-representational art, a higher, level of perceptiveness and insight

 Greek and Roman mythology

 Sacred oriental texts

 Other works of art

Different Levels of Meaning

This pertains to the acknowledged interpretation of the artwork using

When subjectivities are consulted, a variety of meanings may arise when

Creation of Adam (from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel) Michelangelo

 Subject: biblical art

 Factual meaning: Creation Story (creation of man)

 Subjective meaning: endowment of intellect to man from God

An artistic medium refers to the type of material used to create a work of

When you think of oil painting, a painting

Watercolors are difficult to work around, as

This is the newest medium used in art

Pencil If you’ve seen Titanic, then you

Similar to graphite pencils are

Pastels come in two forms—oil pastels, which are generally used by

As we all know, beauty comes in all sizes,

Summary of the Lesson:

 The subject of art is the matter to be described or to be portrayed by the

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