Summary

In this module, you have looked at several artistic principles that artists follow as they create their works or art: it is as if they have a language of their own. You saw how realistic artwork can be transformed into abstract compositions, and explored the effectiveness of various compositional considerations. As you progress with this course, you will continue to appreciate the impact that culture has in the world of art creation.

Activity

Objective Description and Subjective Analysis of Artistic Principles Using any of the Art resources links or any of your own choice, find a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional piece of art. For each one, write four sentences describing the artistic principles present in the work. Do not refer to any subject matter and be objective in your descriptions. Example: “The work makes an abundant use of pattern,” or “This work uses asymmetric balance in its composition.” For each work, also write one sentence that describes your subjective reaction to it. An example might be “The artwork has a dynamic feel to it” or “The scale in this work disorients me.” Using the Links to art resources or any other resources or links of your choice, objectively describe the two compositions and your subjective reaction to each of them. What kind of visual balance is used in each? How does the balance affect the composition? Explain how effective each work is in terms of unity and variety. Example: “There is variety in the colors used, but they are mostly analogous to each other, and that creates a unity in the overall effect.” Be specific and include any links or images that help support your answers. Your final work on this activity should be at least five or six paragraphs. Image 1: John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark Image 2: Judy Pfaff’s Untitled

Assignment

Assignment 1, Part B: Artistic Elements and Principles (5%) Using the Links to art resources or any other links or resources, choose two works of art from two different cultures. They can be two or three-dimensional, or one of each. Compare and contrast the two works, using the artistic elements artistic elements (line, shape, volume, space, value, color and texture) and principles (repetition, rhythm, scale, differences in visual balance, etc.) you’ve learned about in this module. For example: What are the artistic elements and principles that are used in each? You can refer to the subject matter in each work, but focus mainly on objective comparisons. How do the compositions compare to each other? How are they similar? How are they different?