Methods and Elements of Visual Art

Mediums of Visual Art

Painting

 Painting is the art of creating

meaningful effects on a flat
surface by the use of pigments.
Different mediums are used in
painting. Each medium exerts
a pronounced effect on the
finished product, is capable of
varied treatment, and
determines its own stroke. The
materials of the painter are
pigments applied to wet
plaster, canvas, wood or
paper.
Medium
 It is the stuff out of which the artist creates a work of art. In a

general sense, it is the material or the substance out of which a
work is made. It also refers to the materials used by the artist in
crafting a work of art. It answers the question, “what is it made off?”
Oil
Pigments are mixed in
(linseed) oil. The surface, to
be suitable, must receive
oil paint freely and yet not
absorb it, can withstand
temperature changes, and
not crack the pigment on
it. Painting done in oil is
glossy and lasts long.
Pigments can come from
many sources: minerals,
vegetable matters, coal
tars, and other chemical
combinations.
Fresco
This is painting on a moist
plaster surface with colors
ground in water or a
limewater mixture. The colors
dry into plaster, and the
picture becomes a part of the
wall. Fresco must be done
quickly because it is an
exacting medium – the
moment the paint is applied
to the surface, it becomes an
integral part of the wall. The
image becomes permanently
fixed and almost impossible to
remove.
Tempera
Tempera paints are
mineral pigments mixed
with egg yolk or egg white
and ore. They are often
used as a binder due to its
film forming properties and
rapid drying rate. Since this
medium dries quickly,
corrections are difficult to
make.
Encaustic
This is one of the early
mediums used by the
Egyptians for the
painted portrait on
mummy cases. This is
done by painting with
wax colors fixed with
heat. Painting with wax
produces luster and
radiance in the subject
making them appear at
their best in portraits.
Watercolor
Watercolor as a medium
is difficult to handle
because it is difficult to
produce warm and rich
tones while changes
may be made once the
paint has been applied,
such changes normally
tend to make the color
less luminous.
Subject and Content in Art
 Subject refers to the objects depicted by the artist.
 Content refers to what the artist expresses or communicates on the

whole in his work.
Sometimes it is spoken of as the meaning of the work.
In literature it is called the “theme”.
It reveals the attitude toward his subject.
Subject matter may acquire different levels of meaning:
1. Factual meaning is the literal statement or the narrative content in the work which can be directly
apprehended because the objects presented are easily recognized.
2. Conventional meaning refers to the special meaning that a certain object or color has for a particular
culture or group of people.
Example;
Flag is the agreed-upon symbol for a nation.
Cross is a Christian symbol of faith
Wheel is the Buddhist symbol for the teachings of Gautama Buddha
3. Subjective meaning is any personal meaning consciously or unconsciously conveyed by the artist
using a private symbolism which stems from his own association of certain objects, actions, or colors with
past experiences.
This can be fully understood only when the artist himself explains what he really means.
Subject of Art
 Subject is a term used for whatever is represented in a work of art. It

refers to any identifiable object, individual, thing, place or event
illustrated in a work of art. A subject answers the question “what is
it?” or “what is it about?” However, it should be noticed that not all
arts have subjects. Some arts do not have any. Those arts with
subjects are called objective or representational art, while those
that do not have are called non-objective or non-representational
art. They are what they are without reference to anything in the
natural world.
Landscapes, Seascapes,
Cityscapes
Artists have always been

fascinated with their physical
environments.
Fernando Amorsollo romanticized
Philippine landscapes, turning the
rural areas into idyllic places
where agrarian problems are
virtually unkown.
Modern painters seem to more
attracted to scenes in cities.
Animals
The earliest known

paintings are
representations of animals
on the walls of caves.
Carabao has been a
favorite subject of Filipino
artists.
Portraits, Human Figures,
Couples
A portrait is a realistic likeness of

a person in a sculpture, painting,
drawing, or print.
Besides the face, other things
worth noticing in portraits are the
subject’s hand, which can be
expressive, and his particular
attire and accessories. They
reveal so much of the person and
his time.
Portraits are also used to mark
milestones in people’s
lives.(baptisms, weddings)
Everyday Life
Artists have always

shown deep concern
about life around
them.
Still Life
Group of inanimate objects

arranged in an indoors setting
such flower and fruit
arrangements, musical
instruments, dishes of food on
dining tables.
Images of Divinity/Figures
The sculpture’s chief subject has

traditionally been the human
body, nude or clothed.
The grace and ideal proportions
of the human form were
captured in religious sculpture by
the ancient Greeks.
To them, physical beauty was the
symbol of moral and spiritual
perfection; thus, they portrayed
their gods and goddesses as
possessing human shapes.
HISTORY AND LEGEND
-Luna’s prize-winning Spolarium
depicts a scene during the days
of the early Roman Empire when
gladiatorial fights were a popular
form of entertainment for the
upper class.
-At Ford Santiago are paintings
showing incidents in the life of
Jose Rizal.
-Malakas and Maganda and
Mariang Makiling are among the
legendary subjects which have
been rendered in painting and
sculpture by not a few Filipino
artists.
Religion and myths
-Most of the world’s religions

have used arts to aid worship, to
instruct, to inspire feelings of
devotion, and to impress and
convert non-believers.
-Some Filipino artists attempted to
render in art not only traditional
religious themes but folk beliefs in
creatures of lower mythology as
well.
Dreams and fantasies
Dreams are usually vague

and illogical.
Artist, especially the surrealist,
have tried to depict dreams,
as well as the grotesque
terrors and apprehensions
that lurk in the depths of the
subconscious.
Methods of Presenting the Subject
 Every artist has his individual style of doing artwork. This style is
almost always governed by his choice of the method of presenting
his subject. He can choose from any of the following methods:
realism, abstractionism, surrealism, symbolism, fauvism, Dadaism,
impressionism, expressionism and futurism.
Realism
Realism is the method of

presenting subjects as they
appear in real life. If an
apple is the subject, it is
shown as is with either red
or green color. If a plant is
the subject, it is presented
with a brown trunk and
branches, green leaves,
yellow fruits and an
appropriate size.
Abstraction/Abstractionism
Abstractionism is “drawing
away from realism.” His
product is a departure from
what is present in real life. For
example, in painting a human
body, a person is shown with
no facial features, no fingers,
no toes, and no hair. An
abstractionist selects from any
of the following methods:
distortion, mangling,
elongation, cubism, and
abstract expressionism.
Distortion
It is presenting the subject

in a misshaped form. For
example, an apple is
shown as a square or circle
or a star apple as ovoid
(egg-shaped) or cylindrical
(funnel-like).
Mangling

with parts which are cut,
lacerated, mutilated, or
hacked with repeated
blows.
Elongation
As the word suggests,

elongation is presenting
the subject in an
elongated form. It is done
by stretching the object,
for example, the human
body, vertically.
Cubism

with the use of cubes and
other geometric figures
Abstract Expressionism
Abstract expressionism is
presenting the subject with
the use of strong color,
uneven brush strokes, and
rough texture and with the
deliberate lack or
refinement in the
application of the paint.
Surrealism
It is “beyond realism.” It is
presenting the subject as if
the subject as if the subject
does not form part of the
real world, but belongs to
the world of dreams and
fantasy.
Symbolism

symbolically, that is, the
artist shows his subject as it
appears in real life, but he
intends to let it represent
something.
Fauvism
It is optimistic realism. It is
presenting real-life subject
with the use of bright colors
suggesting comfort, joy, and
pleasure. The colors are bright
red, yellow, orange, purple,
and the like are used instead
or blue, black, gray, green,
and brown. For example, the
tree trunk is colored orange
instead of brown.
Dadaism
It is shocking realism. It is
presenting the real-life
subject with the intention
to shock the audience
through the exposition of
the evils in society.
Expressionism
It is emotional realism. It is
subject with the intention
to express emotions,
pathos (feeling of
sympathy and sorrow for
the misfortunes of others),
chaos, fear, violence,
defeat, morbidity, and
tragedy.
Impressionism
It is realism based on the

artist’s impression. It is
subject with emphasis on
the impression left in the
artist’s mind or perception,
particularly the effect of
light on the object used as
subject.
Activity 1
Method Descriptions Proponents/Examples

Activity 2
 Title:
 Artist:
 Year Created:
 Medium:
 Dimension:
 Location:
 Form:
 Art History:
 Art Description:
 Content:

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Mediums of Visual Art

 Painting is the art of creating

 It is the stuff out of which the artist creates a work of art. In a

 Subject refers to the objects depicted by the artist.

 Content refers to what the artist expresses or communicates on the

 Subject is a term used for whatever is represented in a work of art. It

Artists have always been

The earliest known

A portrait is a realistic likeness of

Artists have always

Group of inanimate objects

The sculpture’s chief subject has

-Most of the world’s religions

Dreams are usually vague

Realism is the method of

It is presenting the subject

It is presenting the subject

As the word suggests,

It is presenting the subject

It is presenting the subject

It is realism based on the

Method Descriptions Proponents/Examples

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