The Subject and Elements of Art
The Subject and Elements of Art
The Subject and Elements of Art
A. Learning Outcomes
• Identify the subject and the elements of art.
• Understand the subject and elements of art.
• Differentiate among the major styles and movements in contemporary art.
• Make a self-portrait applying one art style.
B. Lesson Proper
In creating our own contemporary piece of art, we must fully understand what
makes an art true work of art. We must first explore the subject of art.
A song may contain lyrics of devotion directed to a certain person. A novel mat
talk about the result of a war. A painting may show a scene of nature. Every work of art
regardless of the period in which is belongs.
Everything under the sun is considered a subject in the arts, from simplest idea
(e.g., happiness) or an object (e.g., a wine bottle) to the most complicated ones, like
philosophical thoughts or dreamscapes. In visual design, artworks with subjects that are
recognizable are called realistic, representational or objective art. Those that are not
recognizable are non-representational or non-objective art.
In visual design, there are different ways or styles of depicting a subject. Get to
know these styles through the works of art of various Filipino contemporary artists.
https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Calado-Series/ACF5F05BF7220245
Bridal White
by AraceliDans. 2014. Watercoloron paper
Distortion
The second is distortion wherein the artist uses his or her imagination and alters
the subject according to his or her desire. A stylized work is a form of distortion like
Norma Belleza’s painting.
It involves stretching, lengthening, shortening, squeezing, melting and twisting an
object from its original appearance to a new, strange, surreal appearance.
DISPLACEMENT involves relocating or transposing an object from its usual environment
to one that it does not usually belong.
https://heritagegallery.ph/2017/08/belleza-norma/ Fiesta
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
thephilippines/vicente-manansala/
Non objectivism
The fourth style is non objectivism where there is totally no subject at all, just an
interplay of pure elements like line, shape, color and so on.
A good example of non objectivism is the painting by Roberto Chabet.
• Secondary colors are two primary colors mixed together (green, orange, violet).
Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions
12 STEM A
• Intermediate colors, sometimes called tertiary colors, are made by mixing a primary
and secondary color together. Some examples of intermediate colors are yellow green,
blue green, and blue violet.
• Complementary colors are located directly across from each other on the color wheel
(an arrangement of colors along a circular diagram to show how they are related to one
another). Complementary pairs contrast because they share no common colors. For
example, red and green are complements, because green is made of blue and yellow.
When complementary colors are mixed together, they neutralize each other to make
brown.
6. Value
In visual arts, value is the degree of lightness and darkness of a color.
In music, it is called pitch, which is the high or low of a tone. The tone color or
timbre refers to the quality of the sounds.
7. Texture
Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth,
soft or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for example, a drawing of a
porcupine may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth.
References
https://www.britannica.com/art/realism-art (Realism)
https://ycisqdvisualart.wordpress.com/distortion-
techniques/#:~:text=DISTORTION%20involves%20stretching%2C%20lengthening%2C
%20shortening,it%20does%20not%20usually%20belong. (Distortion)
https://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/elements_art.pdf (Elements of the art)