Classifications of Art

1. Visual Arts- These are those which beauties are perceived through
our eyes.
a. Drawing- This is the basic of all visual arts. It is the art of
representing idea or object by means of lines,tones, shapes, forms and
sometimes color and the combination of these. Medium includes
pencil, brush,pen and ink, crayon, chalk, charcoal, permanent
marker, etc.
b. Painting- The process of applying paint or pigment on a surface to
secure effects involving forms and colors. The physical fundamental
types of painting are:
i. Mural- painting made on a vertical surface like wall, panel, or
board
ii. Easel- painting done on a canvas which is supported by an
easel, a painting device or stand which is used to hold a canvas
during a painting activity

c. Architecture- It is the science or art of building construction. It is

sometimes called as “frozen music”. As a science, architecture involves
process of selection and use of appropriate materials and tools,
program of works, environmental and climatic consideration. As an
art, it must have to conform to the basic requirements for beauty,
order and function.

d. Sculpture- This is a plastic art because it is expressed by carving,

modeling, mobile, stabile, and casting/prefabricating, etc.

e. Photography- It is a painting or drawing in light. It includes two

processes in the reproduction of image- the chemical and mechanical
process. This is also considered a science.

2. Performing Arts- perceived with the auditory and visual senses.

a. Music- it is the harmonious combinations of sounds and tones and

sometimes with lyrics. It is said to be the most dynamic, most
emotional, most universal and most abstract of all arts.

b. Dance- it is based upon music or any rhythmic sound. It is an

artistic expression through graceful body movements with rhythmic
pattern and synchronized or timed with music.

c. Drama- the art of representing human interactions or human

conflicts by means of dialog and action to be performed by actors.

3. Allied/Literary/Literature- The art of writing, which deals with

themes of permanent and universal interest, characterized by
creativeness and grace of expression as in poetry, fictions, novels,
essays, verses, quotations, riddles, fables, etc

4. Digital art
is an artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of
the creative or presentation process.

5. Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the United Kingdom

and the United States during the late 1940s to the mid- to late-1950s.
The movement presented a challenge to traditions of fine art by
including imagery from popular and mass culture, such as
advertising, comic books and mundane mass-produced cultural
objects. One of its aims is to use images of popular culture in art,
emphasizing the banal or kitschy elements of any culture, most often
through the use of irony.

6. Gustatory arts refers to a type of Arts(appreciating beauty) in terms

of food. It can also be called as food decorating or food plating

7. The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose object is the design and
manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It
includes interior design, but not usually architecture. The decorative
arts are often categorized in distinction to the "fine arts", namely
painting, drawing, photography, and large-scale sculpture, which
generally produce objects solely for their aesthetic quality and
capacity to stimulate the intellect.

The Subject of Art

 The subject of art serves as the foundation of the creation of the

work of art. The subject of art is usually anything that is
represented in the artwork. It may be a person, object, scene, or
event.

 Artworks that depict something easily recognized by most people

are called representational or objective arts. Painting, sculpture,
graphic arts, literature, and theatre arts are generally classified as
representational arts.

 Artworks that have no resemblance to any real subject are called

non-representational or non-objective arts. They do not represent
anything and they are what they are
Subject and Content of Arts

1. Three Basic Components of a Work of arts

In viewing art, there are clues that mediatebetween
the artwork and the viewer, allowing theviewer to more easily
comprehend what he is seeing.

These clues are the three basic components ofartwork of art:

 Subject – the visual focus or the image thatmay be
extracted from examining the artwork;the “what”. The subject
of art refers to anyperson, subject, scene or event described
orrepresented in an artwork.
 Content – the meaning that is communicatedby the artist or
the artwork; the “why”. In artrefers to the meaning or
significance and/orfeeling imparted by a work of art. 
 Form – the development and configuration ofthe artwork – how
the elements and the mediumor material are put together; the
“how”

2. Types of Subject of Art

2.1 Representational Art
This is also known as objective or figurative artthat represents
objects or events in the real world,usually looking easily recognizable.
It uses “form”and is concerned with “what” is to be depicted in theart
work.

Painting, sculpture, graphic arts, literature, andtheater arts are

generally classified asrepresentational arts, although some paintings
andsculptures are without subjects. Music and dancemay or may not
have subjects.

2.2 Non-representational Art

Also known as non-objective arts. Artworks that have no
resemblance to any real subject. They do not represent anything and
they are what they are.They rather appeal directly to the senses
primarily because of the satisfying organization of their elements. This
may take the form of emphasizing lines, shapes, or colors that
transform the subject. It is abstract in the sense that it doesn’t
represent real objects in our world. It uses “content” and is concerned
with “how” the artwork is depicted.

3. Sources of Subject of Art

3.1 Primary Sources
These sources provide first-hand testimony ordirect evidence
concerning a topic underinvestigation.They are created by witnesses
orrecorders who experienced the events or conditionsbeing
documented. Often these sources are createdat the time when the
events or conditions areoccurring, but primary sources can also
includeautobiographies, memoirs, and oral historiesrecorded later.
They are characterized by theircontent, regardless of whether they are
available inoriginal format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digitalformat,
or in published format

Other sources of primary sources:

 artwork
 film of the artist
 interviews
 Diaries
 speeches
 Letters
 photographs
 historyomythology
 Christian tradition
 Sacred oriental text

Where to find the primary sources:

 archives
 Catalogues
 art galleries
 Sketch books
 exhibits
 art museums
 notebooks
 art and cultural

https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/nueva-vizcaya-state-
university/bachelor-of-science-in-public-administration/arts-
appreciation-subject-and-content-of-arts/37187143

Other sources of art subjects are:

1. Nature – animals, people, landscapes. Thesethree are the most

common inspiration andsubject matter of art.
2. History – events taking place in the world.The dress, the houses,
the manner of living,the thoughts of a period are necessarilyreflected
in the artwork.
3. Greek and Roman Mythology – gods andgoddesses. Centers on
deities and heroes.
4. The Christian tradition – religion and art,the Bible, the Apocrypha,
the rituals of thechurch
5. Oriental Sacred Texts – Countries of theOrient (China,
Japan, and Korea) and Indiahave produced sacred texts
that inspiredvarious kinds of art.

3.2 Secondary Sources

These sources interpret and analyze primarysources.
They are often written significantly afterevents by parties not
directly involved by who havespecial expertise, they may provide
historical contextor critical perspectives. Secondary sources
includepictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources.Newspaper and
journal may fall in both primary andsecondary sources depending on
the subject.

4. Kinds of Subject of Art

Artist usually draw their art through the differentkinds of
subject. These include:
1. Still Life – These are group of inanimate objects arranged in
an indoor setting.Examples are flowers and fruits
arrangements;dishes; food; pots and pans; musicalinstruments; and
music sheets. The arrangement is that like to show particular human
interests and activities. The still life of Chinese and Japanese painters
usually show flowers, fruits, and leaves still in natural setting,
unplucked from the branches. Today,focus is on the exciting
arrangement and combination of the object’s shapes and colors.

2. Landscapes, Seascapes, and Cityscapes –Artists have always

been fascinated with theirphysical environment.
a. Favorite subject of Chinese and Japanesepainters.
b. .Fernando Amorsolo is well-known forhaving romanticized
Philippine landscape.
c. In Europe, the paintings of pure landscape without
human figures werealmost unheard of until the Renaissance
period. They only served as backgroundin cities. Vicente
Manansala, Arturo Cruz,and Mauro Malang Santos are some
local painters who have done cityscapes.

3. Animals – They have been represented byartist from almost

every ages and places. Infact, the earliest known paintings
arerepresentation of animals on the walls ofcaves. The carabao, type
of domestic Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) have been thefavorite
subject of Filipino artists. TheMaranaos have an animal from of
sarimanokas their proudest prestige symbol. Sometimes,animals have
been used as symbols inconventional religious art, example:
a. Dove – symbol of Holy Spirit inrepresentation of the Holy
Trinity
b. Fish and lamb – symbol of Christ
c. Phoenix – symbol of resurrectiond.
d. Peacock – symbol of immortality throughChrist

4. Portraits – People have always beenintrigued by the human

facer as an index ofthe owner’s character. As an instrument
ofexpression, it is capable of showing variety ofmoods and feelings.
Portraits are realisticlikeness of person in sculpture, painting,drawing
or print but it need to bephotographic likeness. A great portrait is
aproduct of selective process, the artisthighlighting the certain
features and de-emphasizing others. It does not have to bebeautiful,
but it has to be truthful. Besides theface, other things are worth
noticing inportraits are the subject’s hands, which can bevery
impressive, his attire and accessories forit reveals much about the
subject’s time.
Statues and busts of leaders and heroeswere quite common
among the Romans but itwas until Renaissance that portrait
paintingbecame popular in Europe. Many artists did self-portrait.
Their own faces provided themunlimited opportunities for character
study.

5. Figures – The sculptures’ chief subject hastraditionally been

the human body, nude orclothed. The body’s form, structure
andflexibility offers the artist a big challenge todepict it in a variety of
ways, ranging from theidealistic as in the classical Greek sculpturesto
the most abstract. The grace and ideal proportions of thehuman form
were captured in religioussculpture by the ancient Greeks. To
them,physical beauty was the symbol of moral andspiritual perfection;
thus they portrayed theirgods and goddesses as possessing
perfecthuman shapes.
Early Christians and medieval artists seldomrepresented the
nude figures. The figures usedto decorate the walls and entrances
of theirchurches were distorted so as not to callundue
attention and distract people from theirspiritual thoughts. But
Renaissance artistsreawakened an interest in the nude
humanfigure. A favorite subject among painters is thefemale figure in
the nude.

6. Everyday Life – Artist have always shown adeep concern

about life around them. Many ofthem have recorded in paintings
theirobservation of people going their usual ways and performing their
usual tasks. Genrepaintings usually are representation of
ricethreshers, cockfighters, candle vendors, streetmusicians, and
children at play.

7. History and Legends – History consists ofverifiable facts,

legends, of unverifiable ones.Although many of them are often
accepted astrue because tradition has held them so far.Insofar as
ancient past is concerned, it isdifficult to tell how much of what we
know nowis history and how much is legend. History andlegend are
popular subjects of art.While many books may not be consciouslydone
historical records, certain informationabout history can be pieced
from them suchas the costumes and accessories, the statussymbols,
kinds of dwellings or the means oftransportations. Malakas and
Maganda and MariangMakiling are among the legendary
subjectswhich have been rendered in painting andsculpture by not a
few Filipino artists.

8. Religion and Mythology – Art has been a hand maiden of

religion. Most of the world’s religions have used the arts to aid in
worship,to instruct, to inspire feelings of devotion and to impress and
convert non-believers. The Christian church commissioned craftsmen
totell the stories about Christ and the saints inpictures, usually in
mosaic, murals, andstained glass windows in churches. It also eferred
to the presentation of tableaux andplays to preach and to teach.

The term myth comes from the Greekword “Mythos,” meaning

story or legend. Mythtries to explain the relationships between
godsand humans. Although the events in a mythare usually
impossible, they try to send amessage that has an important social
orreligious meaning

9. Dreams and Fantasies – Dreams are usuallyvague and

illogical. Artists, especially the surrealists tried to depict dreams as
well as the grotesque terrors and apprehensions that lurk in the
depths of subconscious. A dreammaybe lifelike situation. Therefore,
we wouldnot know if an art is based on a dream unlessthe artist
explicitly mentions it. But if the picture suggests, the strange, the
irrationaland the absurd, we can classify it right awayas a fantasy or
dream although the artist mayhave not gotten from the idea of a
dream atall but the workings of his imagination. No limits can be
imposed on imagination.

5. Content in Art
Content in art refers to the meaning orsignificance, and/or feeling
imparted by a work of art.This is not the same thing as the subject
matter the work depicts. Content of art is inextricably linked with
form.

Form refers to the pictorial aspects of artsuch as word, design, and

choice, about shapes,sizes, colors, contrast, medium, soft, or hard
edges,and many other decisions. Content of art may be
classified as factual,conventional, and subjective.

1. Factual meaning 
 The literal or the narrative content in thework which
can be directly apprehendedbecause the objects presented
are easilyrecognized.
 Examples: StoneRiverhouse, etc. 
 Is the most rudimentary level of meaning.Extracted from the
identifiable orrecognizable forms in the artwork

2. Conventional meaning 
 The special meaning that a certain objecthas in particular
culture or group of people.
Examples: 
 flag symbol of a nation
 cross for Christianity
 crescent moon for Islam
 Pertains to the acknowledged interpretationof the artwork
using motifs, signs, andsymbols. Established through
time,strengthened by recurrent use and wideacceptance by
its audience who study them.
3.Subjective meaning 
 Any personal meaning consciously orunconsciously conveyed by
the artist using aprivate symbolism which stems from his own
association of certain objects, actions orcolors with past
experience. 
 A particular work of art that is consulted andread. Meanings that
came from the viewersor audience’s circumstances
andexperiences. Meanings may not be singular,rather, there are
multiple and varied

Parts for Reporting

Lovely- Slides 1-11(Introduction-Music)

Jilly- Slides 12-22(Dance- Introduction of other classifications of art)
Ciara- Slides 23- 33(Pop art- Still Life)
Rudylyn- Slides 34-45 (Portrait- Subjective- Subjective or Critical
Meaning)