Ceramics 1
Ceramics 1
Unity-Principle of Design
Unity-Principle of Design
Unity-Principle of Design
Unity-Principle of Design
Unity-Principle of Design
Unity-Principle of Design
Line- Element of Art
Line- Element of Art
Classwork & assignments
Presentation slideshow
Presentation slideshow
Classwork & assignments
Classwork & assignments
Lines are everywhere. You can see lines in the grain of a piece of wood or in the cracks on a sidewalk.
In art, Line is an element of art that is the path of a moving point through space.
Lines are used to:
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Create boundaries between shapes
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Create boundaries between colors, textures or values
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Lead the eye from one space to another
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Create textures
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Suggest emotional qualities
Lines are everywhere. You can see lines in the grain of a piece of wood or in the cracks on a sidewalk.
In art, Line is an element of art that is the path of a moving point through space.
Lines are used to:
-
Create boundaries between shapes
-
Create boundaries between colors, textures or values
-
Lead the eye from one space to another
-
Create textures
-
Suggest emotional qualities
Classwork & assignments
Grid drawing is a very old technique of transferring images (from sketches to a full size canvas or fresco, etc...)
Always make sure that the number of squares on the original picture and your working area are exactly the same (even if the size of the squares are bigger on the paper). This is because no matter how many times bigger (or smaller) you make the drawing, the proportions and dimensions can only stay the same if the number of boxes (squares) matches exactly.
Make sure you follow all steps below.
2.3.2 The Van Eycks and Rogier van der Weyden
Art Critics
Art critics often take a lot of abuse. Basing one's career on what other people do does not always make a person popular, but in the case of a professional art critic, it can make that person very important.
Say, for instance, that an artist has just opened a new show in a gallery. If the opinion of one person can make or break the sale of that artwork, it's not surprising that art critics hold a special position of terrified esteem in the art world.
But, how did art critics gain this power? Who decides if a person is qualified to critique or judge art? And why do people care what they have to say, anyway? Read on to find out.
The Los Angeles Art Show shown here is the largest art sale on the West Coast. You can bet a fair amount of critiquing goes on here.
Complete the questions on your study guide as you work through this activity. Reviewing your notes before quizzes and tests will help you succeed. You'll be able to check your answers once you've completed the study activity.
History of Art Criticism
As long as art has been created, people have discussed it and formed opinions about it. This is critiquing.
Many places around the world have a strong history of critiquing art. Both the Middle Eastern and Chinese cultures have written works dating back centuries on the evaluation of art. Many African nations have strong traditions of evaluating art orally.
The same is true of Western cultures. However, art criticism didn't become a paying job in the Western Hemisphere until the 18th century.
The first famous art critic was a Frenchman named La Font de Saint-Yenne. He made a name for himself in 1747 when his witty reviews of an art salon (now known as an exhibition) became more famous than the art itself.
La Font de Saint-Yenne was followed closely by another Frenchman, Denis Diderot, who is considered the father of modern art criticism.
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, French, 1725 - 1805
Portrait of Denis Diderot, ca. 1760-1767
Oil on canvas
23 5/8 × 19 1/8 in.
What Is Modern Art Criticism?
Modern art criticism is just what it sounds like: the evaluation of the visual arts. It does not include performing arts like theater or music; they have critics of their own.
There is one main element that defines Western art criticism and differentiates it from the critiquing traditions of other cultures, past and present: its focus on theory.
Denis Diderot was the first critic to apply a philosophical approach to an art critique. Or at least, he was the first one to write about it.
But what does that even mean, a "philosophical approach"? We're glad you asked. The answer is waiting on the next page.
Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art
Depending on the critic, an art critique might be based partially or entirely on aesthetics. This is a big word with a lot of meanings attached to it, so let's take it step-by-step.
First, aesthetics includes the philosophy of art. This philosophy talks about what makes art, art. There are two big questions associated with aesthetics.
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What are the values of art?
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How should it be judged?
Then, there are three main branches of the philosophy of art that answer these two questions.
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The study of the concept of aesthetics
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The study of different states of mind and how we react mentally and emotionally to art
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The study of individual objects and what makes them artistically interesting or appealing
It isn't essential for you to know or even necessarily understand these three branches. There are people who dedicate their entire professional lives to the study of one or all three of them.
What is important is that you understand that there is a philosophical basis for evaluating art.
Is Auguste Rodin's The Thinker (1902) pondering the age-old question, "What is art?"
Defining Art
Many, many books have been written on the subject of aesthetics and the philosophy of art. These date back as far as the 4th century BC when the famous Greek philosopher Plato wrote his famous Symposium. They also include more modern works like Ways of Seeing by John Berger.
Why so many books? Why so many opinions? The debate over trying to answer the question, "What is art?" is a very old and complex one, and will never be finished. That's because art is subjective: There's no one definition.
For centuries, philosophers tried to agree on a definition of art. The author Ludwig Wittgenstein famously claimed that such a definition was not possible and, more importantly, not necessary.
It's up to each person to decide what art is for him- or herself. And for those of us who want help making up our own minds, art critics are ready and willing to help. It's their job, after all.
So, how do they get that job, anyway?
This page from Plato's Symposium gives the saying, "It's all Greek to me" a very literal meaning.
Who Is Qualified?
What do you think makes someone qualified to be a visual arts art critic?
There is no one path toward a career in art criticism. It is generally agreed that one must have a strong knowledge of art history. This is because an art critic makes judgments, and those judgments need to be backed by some sort of justification.
Being able to draw from art history goes a long way toward a critic's credentials. In general, an art critic will also be an art connoisseur.
If no one has ever heard of you, no one will care what you have to say about art. So, being aggressive in promoting oneself and trying to get published is very important if one wants a career as an art critic.
Jessica Lynne is a writer and art critic and received her BA in Africana Studies from NYU. She frequently contributes to publications such as Art in America and The Art Newspaper. "I think that art criticism should be an accessible dialogue - a tool through which we question, celebrate, and talk back to the global world of contemporary art." Jessica Lynne
Need Job, Will Critique
Art critics work in a variety of places. Many television and radio shows, newspapers, magazines, and Web sites employ art reviewers. Schools often hire art critics as teachers. Museums or galleries might hire art critics to work as assistants, producers, or even curators.
They can also work as private consultants, helping people cultivate their own tastes in art and making recommendations on what to purchase.
On the Web...
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Art criticism is a big and important enough field that it has an organization to govern it. The International Association of Art Critics was founded in 1950 and represents 4,200 art critics around the world.
Influence on Fame and History
Art critics can actually influence the course of art history. Many critics are credited with naming and even helping to define art movements.
For example, in 1910, art critic Roger Fry hosted an exhibition of three mostly unknown artists: Paul Cézanne, Paul Gaugin, and Vincent van Gogh. From this show, Fry coined the term Post-Impressionism and helped make these painters famous.
A more modern example is the art critic and collector Clement Greenberg. At a time when others were criticizing and even mocking painter Jackson Pollock, Greenberg endorsed his paintings and the ideals of Abstract Expressionism. Today, Pollock's paintings sell for millions of dollars.
The review of a critic can make or break a new artist. A good critique might make the difference between an artist going down in the history books, or not going anywhere at all.
Vase with 12 Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh (1888). Would Van Gogh ever have had the chance to be famous without an art critic giving him a chance?
Check Your Understanding
Are you an art critic and connoisseur? Not quite, but answer a few questions about what you've learned to help cement your knowledge.
In Review
Before moving on, review what you have learned in the study. Go over the notes you wrote on the study sheet. Ask your teacher any questions you might have.
If you have not filled out your study sheet, do it now before moving on to the next activity.
Study sheets are a very useful tool to help you study for quizzes and tests.
What Did You Learn?
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Denis Diderot studied, evaluated, and critiqued artwork, making him the first art critic.
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Over time, art criticism has become almost as important as the art itself.
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Art critics have the power to make or break an artist's career.
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Philosophy and aesthetic theory are important bases for evaluating and judging art.
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Art critics must aggressively promote themselves and their opinions.
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The opinions of art critics are valued based on their educational background, as well as how well they articulate their thoughts and justify their arguments.
Take this opportunity to check your work.