Understanding Art Handout One

all that is contained in a work of art, the visual elements, subject matter, and underlying meaning of themes

content/subject matter

what is art to you? how would you define it?

To me, art is using the imaginary to consciously express thoughts or ideas. It can be any singular way that a person expresses themselves or their ideas.

what are the four essential steps of a historical art investigation?

assessment of physical properties, analysis of formal structure, identification, and integration

imaginary, orientary line

axis

the part of the picture that appears most distant, the plane which all other parts of artwork appear superimposed

background

a technique in which subtle gradations of value create the illusion of rounded three dimensional shapes in space, from the italian meaning light and dark

chiaroscuro

the organization of the visual elements in a work of art

composition

the part of view that is nearest to the observer, especially in a picture or photograph.

foreground

the how of a work of art, the general structure and overall organization of a work; also sometimes synonymous with shape in describing three dimensional works

form

identifying and interpreting the meanings associated with the forms and figures that possess narrative or symbolic content, often specific to a time and space

iconographic subject matter

the study of themes and symbols- figures and images that when deciphered reveal the underlying meaning of a work of art

iconography

What is iconography? How does inconographic analysis differ from formal analysis? How might iconographic analysis pair with visual analysis to form a more complete understanding of the work?

iconography is the study of themes and symbols, figures and images that when deciphered reveal the underlying meaning of a work of art. iconographic analysis establishes the meaning of a particular work of art at a particular time while formal analysis analyzes the forms utilized in the work- color, shape, line, mass, and space.

the element of art created by the connection of points, either actual or implied

line

the material and tools that an artist uses in a work of art

medium

the middle distance of a painting or photography

middleground

in two dimensional works, the creation of the illusion of depth through the use of light and shade. in sculpture, the process of shaping a pliable material such as clay or wax into three dimensional forms

modeling

recognizing forms and situations we know from our experience

natural subject matter

analysis of forms utilized in the work- color, shape, line, mass and shape.

visual/formal analysis