WEEK 1

READING VISUAL ARTS

2nd Semester | Prelim | Lecture

INTRODUCTION TO READING VISUAL ARTS DIVISION OF VISUAL ARTS

According to Sanchez (2002):
1. READING
Graphic Arts
➔​ An active and creative process of looking at a
➔​ Visual arts that have length and width
series of written words and symbols and
getting meaning from them. (two-dimensional arts).
➔​ Where we draw on our general and specific ➔​ Described as “flat arts” because they are seen
knowledge, tastes and habits, and our personal on flat surfaces.
context to make what we see and make sense
of it Examples:
Painting, drawing, sketching, photography, computer
2. VISUAL graphics
➔​ Any presentation that is attained or maintained
by the sense of sight. Plastic Arts
➔​ Visual details encourage creation of mental ➔​ Visual arts that have length, width, and
images of a subject or work being perceived volume (three-dimensional arts).

3. ART Examples:
➔​ Latin word Sculptures, architecture, interior design, costume
◆​ Ars design, theater design, crafting
●​ Skill, craft or ability
➔​ Italian word
◆​ Artis According to Estolas (1995):
●​ Craftsmanship, skills, mastery of
form, inventiveness, and the Major Arts
association that exists between
form and ideas and between Examples:
materials and techniques Painting, architecture, sculpture, literature, music,
➔​ Art has different branches of learning
dance
concerned with human thought, feelings, and
relations.
Minor Arts
Plato:
“Art brings life in harmony with the beauty of the Examples:
world.” Decorative arts, “popular” arts, graphic arts, industrial
arts
John Dewey:
“Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind - one which
demands for its own satisfaction and fulfillment, a Additional classifications:
shaping of matter to new and more significant form.” ➔​ Visual arts - graphic arts and plastic arts
➔​ Performing arts - theatre, play dance, music
Leonardo Da Vinci:
“Art is never finished, only abandoned.” ➔​ Literary arts - short story, poetry, novel, drama
➔​ Popular arts - film, newspaper, magazine, radio,
4. VISUAL ARTS television
➔​ Gustatory arts (culinary arts) - food preparation,
➔​ This produces creative art whose products are
beverage preparation
to be appreciated by sight.
◆​ Its art forms create works that are ➔​ Decorative arts or applied arts - beautification
primarily visual in nature. of houses, offices, cars and other structures
➔​ Also called “spatial arts,” as artworks produced
under this genre occupy space

CLASSIFICATION AND SCOPE

Note: Various definitions and classification of arts
should not be taken too strictly as many artistic
disciplines (ex. performing arts, conceptual art, textile
arts) involve aspect of the visual arts and other types

According to media and form:

●​ Visual arts
●​ Audio-visual arts
●​ Literary arts

PAGE 1 nglc - kr
 READING VISUAL ARTS TYPES OF VISUAL ARTS
➔​ Deal with the study of art appreciation,
interpretation and criticism. 1. DRAWING
➔​ Surveys techniques, composition, materials, ➔​ Creating a picture with a variety of tools.
and the culture and social influences of art ◆​ Pencils, crayons, pens, and markers.
forms. ➔​ Artists draw on different types of surfaces like
paper or canvas.
➔​ Drawing is predominantly practiced with dry
Understanding visual art is context-dependent:
media on a paper surface.
●​ Actively engaging with our environment rather ◆​ Pencil, charcoal, chalk
than simply reproducing everything within our
line of sights. ➢​ Earliest drawings were discovered in caves, dated back
●​ Every act of looking and seeing is also an act of about more than 75,000 to 100,000 years ago.
➢​ Ancient Egyptians drew on papyrus.
not seeing things that must remain invisible if
➢​ Greeks and Romans made drawings on their objects like
we are to pay attention to other things in view. vases.
●​ There is an extent to which we see, focus on, ➢​ During the Middle Ages, sketches were made from
parchment.
and pay attention to the world around us. ➢​ During the Renaissance, paper became famous. Drawings
were art perfected by artists like Michelangelo and
Leonardo da Vinci.
Main Factors in “Reading” and “Understanding”
Visual Arts:
2. PAINTING
Cultural Legacy
➔​ The “most important form of visual art”
➔​ General familiarity with, and an ability to use,
➔​ Is about putting colours on canvas or a wall
the official and unofficial rules, values, genres, ➔​ Painters express their ideas through a mixture
knowledge and courses that characterize of colours and different brush strokes
cultural fields. ➔​ Painting implements wet media
➔​ It is not just familiarity with a body of ◆​ Acrylic or oil pastel on canvas, wood or
knowledge but also presupposing an copper surface
understanding of how to think and see in a Examples:
manner that is appropriate to the imperatives of ❖​ Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (1503 - 1506)
the moment. ❖​ The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo (1508 -
1512)
Cultural Trajectory
➔​ Seeing something from a cultural perspective. ➢​ During the Renaissance, painting became a very
important art. Italy became its center. It produced masters
like Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. Italian influence
Selection and Omission spread to the north of Europe, mostly Belgium and
➔​ Selection of details and omission of others help Netherlands.
➢​ Most famous artists of the 17th century during the Dutch
to constitute and take the visual. Age were Rembrandt and Vermeer.
➔​ By paying attention to and focusing on ➢​ Impressionism began in France during the end of the 19th
century.
something, the viewer effectively constructs a
➢​ Picasso created cubism at the beginning of the 20th
frame around the scene. century.
➔​ Any kind of selection and omission suggests
sets of relationships and stories about different
3. PRINTMAKING
aspects, and establishes a hierarchy with regard
to potentially visible. ➔​ Made by covering a plate with ink and pressing
it on the surface of another object.
➔​ Prints are mostly produced on paper.
“Reading” and “understanding” visual arts will be ➔​ Originally, they were pressed onto cloth or
processed through: other objects.
➔​ Plates are made out of wood or metal.
Text and Intertext
➔​ Text - the collection of signs which are ➢​ First printmaking was made in Ancient Mesopotamia.
organized in a particular way to make ➢​ Earliest printing was the stamping of inscriptions into the
soft clay of bricks before firing.
meaning. ➢​ Printmaking also became popular in Ancient Egypt and
➔​ Sign - anything that is treated as a China (woodblock printing).
➢​ Innovation of printing spread to Europe towards the end
meaningful part of the text. of the Middle Age (ex. Gutenberg printing press).
➔​ Intertextuality - the use of other texts to
create new texts.
4. PHOTOGRAPHY
Text and Genre ➔​ Making pictures by letting light through the
➔​ Genre - text types which structure meaning lenses of a camera onto a film.
in certain ways, through their association ➔​ Taking photos is to maintain memories and
with a particular social purpose and social share emotions.
context.
➢​ Analogue photography light was recorded onto a film,
➔​ They are frames and references of what we which had to be chemically developed and printed on
use to negotiate, edit, elevate and, in a sense, special paper.
➢​ Photography can now be digital. Cameras today have no
read the visual as a series of text. film, as the images are recorded onto silicon chips.

PAGE 2 nglc - kr
 ➢​ Some of the notable innovators of photography are Louis
Informal (asymmetrical or occult) balance
Daguerre (daguerréotype) and Nicéphore Niépce ➢​ Present when the left and right sides of the
(heliography). thing, though not identical in appearance, still
display an even distribution of weight.
5. FILMMAKING
3. RHYTHM
➔​ Moving images (“motion pictures”) and turning
➔​ The continuous use of a motif or repetitive
them into films.
pattern of a succession of similar or identical
➔​ A very expensive and complicated form of art
items.
◆​ Involves many tasks like scriptwriting,
casting and editing film sequences.
Types of Rhythm:
➢​ Alternation
6. COMPUTER ART ○​ Use of two patterns alternately
➔​ Working with computers to capture images ■​ Squares with Concentric Rings
and change them. by Wassily Kandinsky (1913)
➔​ Consists of a wide variety of different forms, ➢​ Radiation
from capturing and changing sound to creating ○​ Repetition of the motif from the center
video games. or toward it
■​ The Scream by Edvard Munch
7. SCULPTURE (1893)
➢​ Progression
➔​ Three-dimensional pieces of art that are ○​ Motifs of varying sizes from the smallest
created by shaping various kinds of material. to the largest, or vice versa
➔​ Popular materials are stone, steel, plastic, ➢​ Parallelism
ceramics and wood. ○​ Pattern with an equal distance from
➔​ Sculpting is also referred to as “plastic art.” each other

Examples: 4. PROPORTION
❖​ Venus of Willendorf (c. 28,000 - 25,000 BCE)
❖​ Venus de Milo (c. between 160 and 110 BCE) ➔​ The comparative relationship of the different
parts in relation to the whole.
PRINCIPLES IN ART COMPOSITION ➔​ The proper and pleasing relationship of one
object with the others in a design.
➔​ Composition in art is a combination of all the
physical attributes which make up a single ➢​ According to ancient Greek sculptor Polykleitos (flourished
c. 450 – 415 BCE), a well-proportioned human body has
artwork. eight head parts.
➔​ In visual arts, composition is often referred to as ○​ Implies the head is ⅛ of the entire human body.
a way to arrange the artwork. Example: Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1490)
➔​ Good artists understand how to use physical
properties of art to create a story through a
5. EMPHASIS
piece of work.
➔​ About giving proper importance on one or
1. HARMONY / UNITY more parts of the thing or the whole thing
itself.
➔​ Most essential factor in a composition. ➔​ Achieved by means of size or proportion, shape,
➔​ Achieved when all the elements of a thing are color, line, position, and variety.
put together to come up with a coherent ➔​ Can be created by contrast or by extreme
whole. change in an element, or making certain
➔​ Every part is necessary to the extent that all the elements more dominant than others.
parts exhibit a sense of belonging together and
a pleasing relationship with one another. Example:
❖​ Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer
Example: (1665)
❖​ The Mystical Nativity by Sandro Botticelli (c.
1500 – 1501)

2. BALANCE
➔​ Known as “physical equilibrium,”
➔​ The stability produced by even distribution of
weight on each side of the thing.

Formal (symmetrical) balance

➢​ Weights at equal distance from the center are
equal.
○​ Symmetry or the same measure is
displayed.
➢​ Radial symmetry exists when the same
measure occurs from the central point to the
end of every radius.
○​ Mostly applies to round objects or those
with radii.

PAGE 3 nglc - kr
WEEK 2-3
READING VISUAL ARTS
2nd Semester | Prelim | Lecture

➔​ Some references prefer to call it “volume” which

ELEMENTS OF ARTS pertains to solidity or thickness.
➔​ It is the amount of space occupied by an object
1. SHAPE in three dimensions.
➔​ Volume is perceived by contour lines (outlines)
➔​ Two-dimensional design encased by lines to and by surface of light and shadows.
signify its height and width.
➔​ Used to provide a symbolic and faux feeling, Examples:
and they can have different colours to make it ❖​ The Kiss by Gustav Klimt (1907-08)
seem three-dimensional.
6. TEXTURE
Classifications:
➢​ Static / regular (circles, polygons) ➔​ Associated with the sense of touch. I
➢​ Natural (things of nature) ➔​ The surface characteristics or quality of an area.
➢​ Non-objective (unrecognizable objects) ➔​ The tactile effect being produced is dependent
on the medium or material he uses, especially
Examples: in sculpting.
❖​ Colonial Cubism by Stuart Davis (1954) ➔​ Can be ‘real’ or ‘implied’.
❖​ Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondriam
(1942-43) Types:
➢​ Real surface quality
2. SPACE ○​ Mainly seen through three-dimensional
works.
➔​ An area or surface occupied by the artwork. ➢​ Implied surface quality
➔​ Primarily seen through “top-bottom” and ○​ Describes how the eye perceives the
“left-right” dimensions. texture based on visual cues.
➔​ Even an object is hollow, its inside is part of the
➔​ space it occupies. Examples:
❖​ A self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh (1889)
Types of Space: ❖​ The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh (1889)
➢​ Positive space
○​ Areas of the work with a subject.
7. LINES
➢​ Negative space
○​ Space without a subject. Artists use ➔​ Series of connected dots or a prolongation of a
spacing to create different effects. point to show the shape or form of any piece of
art.
Examples: ➔​ Each line has a different meaning, curve,
❖​ Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth (1948) length, thickness and flexibility.
❖​ Avenue de l’Opéra: Morning Sunshine by ➔​ Used as the springboard of a product to be
Camille Pissarro (1898) finished.
➔​ Almost all artworks start with lines.
3. PERSPECTIVE
Types of Lines:
➔​ Associated to space ➢​ Vertical lines
➔​ Synonymous with point of view, angle of vision, ○​ Straight up and down lines that are
or frame of reference. I moving in space without any slant and
➔​ The point where the artist stands to view his are perpendicular to horizontal lines.
subject. ○​ Suggest height and strength because
➔​ Refers to the location and distance upon the they extend towards the sky and seem
appearance of an object by which our eyes unshakeable.
judge spatial relationships (nearness and ➢​ Horizontal lines
farness). ○​ Straight lines parallel to the horizon
that move from left to right.
4. FORM ○​ Suggest width, distance, calmness, and
stability.
➔​ A three-dimensional object that can be held
➢​ Diagonal lines
and walked around.
○​ Straight lines that slant in any direction
➔​ Refers to the overall composition of the artwork.
except horizontal or vertical.
➔​ Describes the entire shape or organization of
○​ When in use, they suggest movement
the thing or object created.
or lack of stability
➢​ Zigzag lines
Examples:
○​ Series of diagonal lines joined at ends.
❖​ The Blue Fan by Francis Campbell Boileau
○​ They can convey action and
Cadell (1922)
excitement, as well as restlessness and
anxiety.
5. VALUE ➢​ Curved lines
➔​ Refers to the degree of perceivable lightness of ○​ Lines that bend and change direction
tones within an image. gradually.
➔​ The difference in values is called contrast. ○​ Such lines may convey the feelings of
◆​ References the lightest and darkest comfort and ease, as well as sensual
tones with grey variants in between a quality as they remind us of the human
work of art. body.
Examples: ○​ This scheme offers a harmonious yet
❖​ Vertical lines dynamic contrast, evoking a balanced
➢​ The Choir and North Ambulatory of the and visually engaging mood in design.
Church of Saint Bavo, Haarlem (Main
➢​ Triadic colors
View) by Pieter Jansz (1634)
❖​ Horizontal lines ○​ Scheme is any color palette made of
➢​ A Calm at a Mediterranean Port by three colors that are equally apart on
Claude-Joseph Vernet (1770) the color wheel.
❖​ Diagonal lines ○​ Create a vibrant color palette by
➢​ Blue Dancers by Edgar Degas (c. 1899) separating each color, regardless of the
❖​ Zigzag lines specific hues.
➢​ The Eight by Cyril E. Power (1930)
➢​ Tetradic colors
❖​ Curved lines
➢​ Under the Wave off Kanagawa by ○​ Scheme consists of four colors.
Katsushika Hokusai (c. 1830-32) ○​ They comprise two pairs of
complementary colors like, green and
8. COLOR red, or blue and yellow.
➔​ The spectrum of light broken down when ○​ These colors should form a rectangle in
hitting a surface and reflected into the eye. the color spectrum.
➔​ It is the most noticeable element that appeals ➢​ Cool colors
to the visual sense. ○​ Colors that are inconspicuous and not
➔​ This is the quality of an object with respect to strong to the eyes.
light and reflected by it. ➢​ Warm colors
○​ Colors that are conspicuous and strong
Properties of Colors:
➢​ Hue to the eyes.
○​ Name and range of the color. ➢​ Light colors
■​ Monochromatic: only one hue. ○​ Colors with values lower and its normal
■​ Polychromatic: two or more value.
hues. ➢​ Dark colors
➢​ Value ○​ Colors with values highest and its
○​ Lightness or darkness of a hue.
normal value.
➢​ Intensity
○​ Brightness or dullness of a hue ➢​ Neutral colors
(strength). ○​ Serves as “balance colors.”
➢​ Temperature
○​ Feeling of warmness or coolness of a STYLES OF PRESENTING A SUBJECT
hue.
1. REALISM
Types of Colors:
➢​ Primary colors ➔​ Attempt to portray the subject as is.
○​ Blue, red, and yellow. ➔​ The artist selects, changes, and arranges details
to express the idea he wants to make clear.
○​ They are the first to be produced and
➔​ The artist’s function is to describe accurately
the rest of the colors are produced as a what is observed through senses.
result of combination.
➢​ Secondary colors Examples:
○​ Green, orange, and violet. ❖​ Banquet Piece with Mince Pie by Willem
○​ Produced by combining two primary Claeszoon Heda (1635)
colors. ❖​ Nighthawks by Edward Hopper (1942)
❖​ American Gothic by Grant Wood (1930)
➢​ Tertiary colors
○​ Produced by combining one primary
2. ABSTRACT
color and secondary colors.
➢​ Analogous colors ➔​ It means to “move away” or “separate”. The
○​ Colors that are three or four artwork is not realistic.
neighboring colors.
Types:
➢​ Adjacent colors ➢​ Distortion
○​ Colors situated next to each other in the ○​ Subject is misshaped.
color wheel. ➢​ Elongation
➢​ Complementary colors ○​ Subject is lengthened for protraction or
○​ Pairs of colors located opposite each extension.
➢​ Mangling
other on the color wheel.
○​ Subjects are either cut, lacerated,
○​ When placed next to each other, they mutilated or hacked.
create the strongest contrast for those ➢​ Cubism
two colors. ○​ Subjects are shown in basic
➢​ Split-Complementary colors geometrical shapes.
○​ A scheme that consists of a base color
and two colors adjacent to its Examples:
❖​ Power of Love by Mary Capan (2006)
complementary one on the color wheel.
❖​ The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso (1937;
cubism)
❖​ Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso (1921; cubism)
 7. FUTURISM
➔​ An early 20th-century artistic movement
originated in Italy.
3. SYMBOLISM ➔​ Aims to capture the dynamism, speed, energy,
and power of the modern industrial society, and
➔​ The presentation of an invisible sign such as an the vitality, change and restlessness of modern
idea or quality into something visible. life.
➔​ Through metaphorical images, it is mainly as a
reaction against naturalism and realism. Examples:
➔​ Mostly characterized with introspection of the ❖​ Cyclist by Natalia Goncharova (1913)
artist. ❖​ Skyscrapers and Tunnel by Fortunato Depero
(1930)
Examples: ❖​ Armored Train in Action by Gino Severini (1915)
❖​ Still Life with a Skull and a Writing Quill by
Pieter Claesz (1628)
8. SURREALISM
❖​ The Apparition (Salome) by Gustave Moreau
(1874-76) ➔​ Founded in Paris in 1924 by French poet Andre
❖​ Yellow Christ by Paul Gauguin (1889) Breton.
➔​ Tries to reveal a new and higher reality than
4. IMPRESSIONISM that of a daily life.
➔​ Claim to create a magical world more beautiful
➔​ A style of painting that helped redirect art than the real one through art.
toward personal expression and human ➔​ Came from the slang of “super realism.”
perception.
➔​ The movement originated in and around Examples:
France in the late 19th century. ❖​ The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
➔​ Characterized by (1931)
◆​ Relatively small, thin, yet visible brush ❖​ The Son of Man by René Magritte (1964)
strokes ❖​ Jessica's Hope by Mark Ryden (2001)
◆​ Open composition
◆​ Emphasis on accurate depiction of light
in its changing qualities
◆​ Ordinary subject matter
◆​ Unusual visual angles,
◆​ Inclusion of movement

Examples:
❖​ Young Woman with a Straw Hat by Berthe
Morisot (1884)
❖​ Summer’s Day by Berthe Morisot (c. 1879)
❖​ In the Dining Room by Berthe Morisot (1886)

5. FAUVISM
➔​ Characterized by bright colours, simplicity,
expressiveness and abstract genre.
➔​ Belongs to a wider artistic family known as
“Expressionism,” an art movement developed in
the early 1900s, which had emerged after
“Impressionism” (late 1880s).
➔​ Themes under Fauvism are ethical,
philosophical or psychological to deal with
various human emotions.

Examples:
❖​ Decorative Figure on an Ornamental
Background by Henri Matisse (1925-26)
❖​ Orestis by Stella Kapezanou (2019)
❖​ Bâteaux dans le Port de Collioure by André
Derain (1905)

6. DADAISM
➔​ A protest movement formed in 1916 by a group
of artists in Zürich, Switzerland.
➔​ Dadaist artists try to provoke the public with
outrageous forms of arts.
➔​ Came from the colloquial French word “dada”
meaning “hobby horse.”

Examples:
❖​ Mona Lisa by Fernando Botero (1978)
❖​ LHOOQ by Marcel Duchamp (1919)
❖​ La Joconde fumant la pipe by Eugène Bataille
(1887)
WEEK 4
READING VISUAL ARTS
2nd Semester | Prelim | Lecture

FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERPRETATION OF VISUAL MODIFIED PANOFSKY’S ICONOLOGICAL METHOD

ARTS BY MESSHAM-MUIR
➔​ Adapted from an old technique by Panofsky
FORMAL AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS ◆​ Look and see
●​ Using your eyes and
FORMAL ANALYSIS observational skills.
➔​ Visual characteristics and qualities (what you ◆​ Think
can see) ●​ Requires a bit of thought
➔​ A description of what the artist has done and ●​ Drawing on what is already
how he/she has done it. known and creatively
interpreting what is observed
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS within an artist’s broader
➔​ “Outside the visual” context.
◆​ What you cannot see
➔​ A description of how the artwork fits into and
impacts on the world around it. TIPS FROM THE EXPERT:
A GUIDE TO INTERPRETING ART
●​ Understand the artist
PANOFSKY’S ICONOLOGICAL METHOD
●​ Consider the concept
Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968) ●​ Ask questions about the artwork
➔​ A German-Jewish art historian who marked the ●​ Consider the steps the artist took
history of art in the 20th century through his ●​ Think about how it makes you feel
studies of iconology. ●​ Understanding that all interpretations are valid
➔​ His work significantly shaped the academic ●​ Speak to others
study of art and cultural interpretation.
➔​ His work crossed disciplinary boundaries, 1. UNDERSTAND THE ARTIST
integrating philosophy, literature and
intellectual history into art history. ➔​ Delve into their background and other pieces of
➔​ In 1939, in his essay Studies in Iconology, work they’ve created, by considering:
Panofsky spoke of reading the elements of a
work of art beyond the simple formal ➢​ Schools
description of said piece. ○​ Many schools are famous for specific
➔​ Suggested that, before a work of art, we should movements.
not simply ask “what?”, but also “why?” ○​ By looking into this, one can learn a lot
about the environment the artist
In 1955, Panofsky defines: practiced in and their foundations.
❖​ Iconography ■​ Goldsmith is known for its
➢​ The study of subject matter such as alumni of young British artists
concept, symbol or object via a and was the place of study for
graphical image. Damian Hirst
■​ The Royal Academy is often
❖​ Iconology referred to as one of the elite
➢​ An attempt to analyze the significance schools with very strong formal
of that subject matter within the training.
culture that produced it, ➢​ Residencies
■​ May include the artist’s ○​ Once artists have finished school, they
background. often head off to a residency.
○​ Find out the name of the residency if
you can, including which artists went
THE THREE LEVELS OF ICONOLOGICAL METHOD there before them.
OF ART ANALYSIS ➢​ Exhibitions
○​ Centered around a specific theme
1.​ The primary or natural
○​ Can provide a hint to what movements
a.​ Should correspond to the most basic
the artist is interested in, associated
level of understanding, particularly the
with, or inspired by.
natural perception of the work.
➢​ Museums
2.​ The secondary or conventional ○​ To understand where their practice is
a.​ Requires a certain iconographic situated in the art historical context.
knowledge, to the extent that this is the
interpretation of the message and its CONSIDER THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE
meaning. 2.
ARTWORK
3.​ The tertiary or intrinsic ➔​ Reading into the different types of movements
a.​ Means that the observer not only will enable one to see what type a particular
receives and interprets the message piece is from.
contained within the representation, ◆​ Movements are becoming less
but also seeks to interpret it under an important in contemporary art.
historical point of view, looking for ➔​ Situate the artwork into a series and rework the
social and cultural interrelations that idea over and over to test the limits of what it
might broaden the meaning. can do.
Example: understanding and interpretation of their work,
❖​ Graffitis of Banksy, a pseudonymous as everyone can view it as they choose.
England-based street artist, political activist
and film director 7. SPEAK TO OTHERS
➔​ Talking to different people about how they feel
3. ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ARTWORK
and view the piece of work can help you start to
➔​ Break it down section by section build up a bigger picture, and it may even
◆​ Question the medium and the method change your feelings towards it.
●​ By palette knife or airbrush ➔​ When interpreting a piece, speak to others who
◆​ Consider the size and color have seen it to get their views on it.
●​ Have they created a piece of
artwork that’s as big as possible ADDITIONAL TIPS
so it can be absorbed by the
color? ●​ Identify
○​ How are elements of art (line, form,
color, etc.) used?
4. CONSIDER THE STEPS THE ARTIST TOOK
●​ Describe
➔​ Think about what may have inspired the artist ○​ How does the composition work as a
to create their masterpiece – particularly if there whole?
was a cultural movement occurring around the ●​ Connect
time of creation. ○​ How does what you see relate to what
➔​ Not all artists respond to current or historic is known about the artwork’s subject,
events, but the ones that do tend to be more creator, historical context, etc.?
well-known. ●​ Interpret
○​ What might the work be expressing or
Sample Cultural Movements: communicating? How do you react to
➢​ Futurism it?
○​ Italian art movement that responded to
the spirit of revolution and the
progression of technology.
■​ Sintesi Fascista by Alessandro
Bruschetti (1935)
➢​ Pop Art
○​ Response to consumerism, the
production of work, and the rise of
capitalism in the mid-20th century.
○​ American visual artist Andy Warhol is
particularly well-known in this
movement.
■​ Marilyn Diptych 1962
■​ Skull 1976
➢​ “Black Lives Matter” (BLM)
○​ This movement saw a huge increase in
artists of color
○​ The African art market is continuing to
grow, with more grants and
investments on offer.
■​ Stop Racism by Tvboy
■​ A mural made by students of
PiM Arts High School,
Minnesota (2020)

5. THINK ABOUT HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL

➔​ Art can be influential.
➔​ Take the time to think about how looking at a
piece makes you feel could help you to
understand what it means.
◆​ Whether you love it, hate it, or find it
disgusting, good art makes you feel
something.
◆​ By feeling these emotions, you will
think more deeply about the piece of
art.

UNDERSTAND THAT ALL

6.
INTERPRETATIONS ARE VALID
➔​ Remember that art is subjective, and there’s no
right or wrong answer.
➔​ If you want to interpret it at a surface or deeper
level, remember that all reasonings are relevant
and valid.
➔​ When an artist releases a piece of art into the
world, they are giving up control over the
WEEK 5
READING VISUAL ARTS
2nd Semester | Prelim | Lecture
he could paint an accurate likeness.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PAINTING IN ➔​ In 1821
THE PHILIPPINES ◆​ Domingo opened the first formal fine
arts school in the country in his house,
OVERVIEW the Academia de Dibujo.
➔​ Damian Domingo is known for having made
➔​ Philippine art reflects the country’s diverse the first self-portrait in the country.
influences and heritage.
➔​ Most notable aspect is its blend of indigenous, Examples:
colonial, and modern influences. ❖​ A sample set of watercolor paintings of José
➔​ Traditional art forms are shaped by its Honorato Lozano
neighboring cultures, such as China, India, and
Spain.
◆​ Seen in the vibrant colors, intricate
patterns, and diverse subject matter.

PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD
➔​ Intricate pottery
◆​ One of the earliest known forms of
Philippine art
◆​ Artifacts that have been found in
archeological sites in the country. ➔​ In 1850
➔​ History of Filipino paintings can be traced back ◆​ A new art school, the Academia de
to the prehistoric times when paintings were Dibujo y Pintura, was opened with 70
made on the walls of the caves. enrollees.
◆​ These showed different types of human ➔​ Paintings by Spanish masters were brought in
figures, frogs, and other animals. to serve as models for the students,
propagating the European academic style of
painting and historical scenes
SPANISH COLONIZATION
◆​ Particularly with Greek and Roman
➔​ Spanish friars introduced Western painting in influences.
the Philippines to artisans who learned to copy ➔​ In 1889
on two-dimensional form from the religious ◆​ The academy was renamed Escuela de
icons. Dibujo, Pintura y Grabado.
◆​ For the first centuries of Spanish ➔​ In 1891
colonization, painting was limited to ◆​ It was later incorporated with the
religious icons. Escuela de Artes y Oficios.
➔​ Spanish missionaries came to Christianize the ➔​ In 1893
Philippines ◆​ The school of arts and trades was
◆​ They brought with them religious separated from the academy.
pictures and images of saints which ➔​ The academy was later elevated to the Escuela
became potent instruments of Superior de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado.
evangelization.
◆​ These artful images were used to ➔​ The academic style of painting was still favored
demonstrate the power of new religion by the church and government and was used
over paganism and Islam. for religious icons.
◆​ Soon, the colonial culture marked the ◆​ The miniaturist style was favored by
fusion of folk art and Western style. ilustrado patrons and continued to
➔​ Early part of the Spanish colonization prosper.
◆​ Painting was exclusively for the ➔​ Several painters started exploring new and
churches and for religious purposes. different methods of painting as they had the
◆​ It was also used for propaganda. chance to study and work abroad.
◆​ Among them were Juan Novicio Luna
Examples: and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo who
❖​ Langit, Lupa at Impierno by Josef Luciano Dans became the first international Filipino
➢​ c. 1850 artists when they won the gold and
➢​ One of the earliest recorded painting silver medals in the 1884 Madrid
made by a Filipino Exposition.
❖​ The two versions of San Cristobal by Josef
Luciano Dans Examples:
➢​ Oriental / Indio ❖​ Spolarium by Juan Luna (1884)
➢​ European ❖​ Las Vírgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho
❖​ Two of the paintings of Esteban Villanueva (Christian Virgins Exposed to the Public) by
about defeat of Ilokanos in Basi Revolt (1821) Félix Resurrección Hidalgo (1884)

DAMIAN DOMINGO Y GABOR (C. 1790 - 1832) AMERICAN PERIOD

➔​ Father of Philippine Painting ➔​ The colonial structure of the Americans
➔​ One of the most popular artists, and among the provided institutions and schools as Filipinos
first to specialized secular art with a particular struggled for independence.
emphasis on portraits and miniatures. ➔​ Most themes at that time were the “American
➔​ He popularized “Letras Y Figuras,” first Way of Life”
developed by Jose Honorato Lazano, which ◆​ Like the introduction of commercial
gave him an advantage over other painters that and advertisement arts to the
 corporations and as part of the prominence.
curriculum. Modern Philippine Art:
➔​ During the American Annexation, a period of ➔​ Reached its prosperous years in the 1960s.
enlightenment began with the creation of the ➔​ Artists saw nationalism, surrealism and the
national identity. sensitivity to the working class.
➔​ American influence is still obvious in most
Classicism: major works, but with the sophisticated mood
➔​ Dominated the paintings of Fabian de la Rosa that connects a developing country to the
and Fernando Amorsolo whose forte is larger world.
backlighting.
➔​ The standards of rural ideas and countryside AAP and PAG:
reflected the works of Amorsolo. ➔​ The formation of the Art Association of the
◆​ Amorsolo is dubbed as "Grand Old Man Philippines (AAP) in 1948 and the Philippine Art
of Philippine Art," and he was the first Gallery (PAG) ensured the continued rise of
to be recognized as a National Artist of modernism.
the Philippines. ◆​ These two institutions gave modern art
its much needed boost during the
Modernism: post-war years.
➔​ Had emerged when Victorio Edades returned
from the United States, and this style ➔​ Today, Philippine art continues to thrive, with a
contradicts the realism of Amorsolo. new generation of artists creating innovative
◆​ Edades formed “the Triumvirate of and thought-provoking works.
Modern Art,” consisting of Carlos ➔​ Contemporary Filipino artists such as Elmer
“Botong” Francisco, Galo B. Ocampo Borlongan, Ronald Ventura and Marina Cruz are
and himself, which became the nucleus gaining recognition both locally and
of the modernist movement in the internationally for their unique perspectives
Philippines. and artistic vision.

Examples: Examples:
❖​ Fernando Amorsolo ❖​ Madonna of the Slums by Vicente Manansala
➢​ Harvest (1930) ➢​ 1950
➢​ Dalagang Bukid (1937) ➢​ With usage of “transparent cubism” or
❖​ Fabian de la Rosa superimposing of shapes and colors
➢​ Woman Reading a Book (1933) ❖​ Forest by the Sea by Jose Joya (1986)
➢​ El Kundiman (1936) ❖​ Three Young Ladies in Cavite by Marina Cruz
❖​ Victorio Edades (2011)
➢​ The Builders (1928; using structural and ❖​ Pag-ahon by Elmer Borlongan (2011)
linear composition) ❖​ Uproar by Ronald Ventura (2014)
➢​ The Wrestlers (1927)

JAPANESE OCCUPATION AND WORLD WAR II

➔​ It was the Japanese colonizers’ goal to place the
Philippines under the autonomous Greater East
Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere under their
leadership.
➔​ The Japanese colonizers used visual arts as a
means of propaganda.
➔​ They produced posters, leaflets, flyers, comics,
watercolor paintings, photographs and other
illustrations that were dropped from passing
airplanes.
◆​ Came with accompanying verses or
propaganda slogans that conveyed
messages that suggested the
cooperation between the Philippines
and Japan and the rejection of
Anglo-American influences.
➔​ Filipino painters focused on making art which
highlighted the dark and grim nature of war
and how war affected the Filipino people.

Examples:
❖​ The Fighting Filipinos by Manuel Rey Isip (1943)
❖​ Defence of a Filipina Woman’s Honour by
Fernando Amorsolo (1945)

CONTEMPORARY PERIOD
➔​ The emergence of post-modernist styles
shaped the Filipinos’ taste for the arts.
◆​ Among them are Vicente Manansala
and Cesar Legaspi.
➔​ Manansala is considered as the major
proponent of cubism in the Philippines.
➔​ Neo-realists Malang Santos and H.R. Ocampo,
and Jose Joya, the pioneer of abstract
expressionism in the country, also made their
 VARIOUS PAINTING MEDIUMS AND TECHNIQUES 7. ENCAUSTIC PAINT
➔​ It is made from beeswax and colour pigments.
1. OIL PAINT ◆​ The wax is melted and combined with
the pigment, then cooled and
➔​ Oldest and most popular types of painting re-melted to create a solid block of
medium. paint.
➔​ Paint manufacturers make oil paint by mixing ➔​ The encaustic paint can be applied to a surface
pigment with a drying oil. with heat, using a brush, palette knife or other
➔​ Drying oil acts as a binding agent for the tool.
colored pigments. ◆​ The wax must be kept molten while
being worked on.
The most commonly used drying oils: ➔​ Encaustic painting requires the use of a heat
➢​ Linseed oil gun or other heating element.
➢​ Walnut oil ◆​ Once the wax is applied to the surface,
➢​ Poppy seed oil it can be sculpted and molded.
➔​ Encaustic paint dries to a hard, glossy finish.
2. WATERCOLOR PAINT
➔​ Another popular medium, gum arabic and 8. INK PAINT
pigment make up the paint mixture. ➔​ Ink painting is a popular medium in Japan.
➔​ The pigments in watercolor paint are usually ➔​ Characterised by their simplicity and
very fine and transparent in color. minimalism.
➔​ Watercolor paint is water soluble, but it is also ➔​ The focus is on the flow of the ink and the
soluble once dry. beauty of the line.
➔​ This means that artists can lift some colors from ➔​ The colors must be premixed on a palette
the painting to create white space. before applying to the paper, and the colors
must be diluted with water to achieve
3. ACRYLIC PAINT transparency in paintings.
➔​ Relatively new compared to oil paint, but it is
fast becoming a favorite amongst painters. Sumi-e:
➔​ The paint is made from pigment suspended in ➔​ The ink wash painting is also called sumi-e.
acrylic resin, a synthetic polymer. ➔​ Sumi-e is a type of whimsical style ink painting
that uses mostly black ink.
4. GOUACHE PAINT
9. FRESCO PAINT
➔​ Pronounced as “goo-ash”
➔​ Similar to watercolor, it is a water-based ➔​ The word “fresco” comes from the Italian word
medium. for “fresh.”
➔​ The paint consists of pigment suspended in ➔​ The plaster must be wet when the pigment is
gum arabic, but the ratio of pigment to gum applied, otherwise the color will not adhere
arabic is much higher than it is in watercolor. properly.
◆​ This gives gouache paint a much ➔​ Fresco painting was popular in the Renaissance
opaque quality. period and was used to decorate the walls and
➔​ Artists can reactivate gouache, much like ceilings of churches and other public buildings.
watercolor.
Secco Fresco:
➔​ In which artists paint pigment on dry plaster.
5. PASTEL
➔​ This is both a drawing and a painting medium. 10. DIGITAL PAINT
➔​ Pastels are made from dry, powdered pigment
that is held together with a binder. ➔​ It is a great option if you already have software
◆​ The type and quality of the pigment like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter and
determines the color of the pastel. Procreate, or if you have limited space for
traditional painting mediums.
Oil Pastels: ➔​ The advantage of digital painting is that:
➔​ Made from an oil binder and soft pastels are ◆​ You can download or customize
made from chalk and gum arabic. brushes and color settings to emulate
◆​ Some brands of soft pastel include the texture and appearance of
other binding agents. traditional painting mediums.

Note: The two types of pastels are different and don’t

work well together

6. TEMPERA PAINT
➔​ It is a fast-drying, water-soluble medium.
➔​ It was the primary painting medium used
before the advent of oil paint and is still in use
today, particularly in educational settings.
➔​ The pigments are suspended in an egg
emulsion, giving the paint its fast-drying
quality.
➔​ Tempera paint dries to a matte finish and is not
as durable as oil paint.

Note: It can crack if it is applied too thickly or if it

undergoes significant temperature changes.
 VARIOUS PAINTING APPLICATIONS AND
TECHNIQUES

1. PAINT POURING (FLUID PAINTING)

➔​ Use acrylic paints with a fluid medium to create
pour paintings.
◆​ Add a pouring medium to the paint to
make the colours less viscous and
easier to pour.
◆​ Fill a cup with the paint, then when
ready, pour the paint onto the surface
from a height, or use a squeeze bottle
to apply the paint in a controlled
manner.
◆​ Tilt the surface to help the paint spread
out evenly.

2. AIR BRUSH METHOD

➔​ Artists use acrylic paints for the airbrushing
technique.
➔​ Airbrushing is perfect for painting smooth
gradients and soft edges.
◆​ Use an airbrush to create very fine
details.
◆​ Airbrush gun and compressor are
needed.
◆​ Thin the paint down with a flow
improver before using it in the airbrush.
◆​ Get fluid acrylic paint and a medium to
thin the paint down.

3. PALETTE KNIFE
➔​ This gives the painting an interesting textured
effect.
◆​ Thicken paint with a medium like cold
wax to retain texture on the canvas.
➔​ Also used in painting with heavy body acrylic
paint to create bright, expressive effects on
canvas.
➔​ In using palette knife painting with acrylics, the
paint dries so fast.
➔​ One should wait weeks or even months before
a thick layer of oil paint becomes dry and solid
enough for varnishing.

4. CANVAS PAINTING
➔​ Painting on a canvas surface instead of paper or
another type of surface.
➔​ Applicable to oil or acrylic paints.
➔​ A popular choice because it’s durable and easy
to frame.
➔​ Canvas is also a good choice for the use of
heavy body paints or layering of multiple colors.