The Subject Matter of a Work of Art Includes

Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice
Ocvirk, Stinson, Wigg, Os, Cayton
Twelfth Edition

Chapter one
Introduction
pp. ten-thirteen

The Three Components of Fine art

Subject field, form, and content accept always been the 3 basic components of a work of art, and they are wed in a way that is inseparable. In general, subject may exist thought of as the "what" (the topic, focus, or epitome); course, as the "how" (the development of the work, composition, or the substantiation); and content, as the "why" (the artist'due south intention, communication, or significant backside the work). Subject The discipline of visual art can be a person, an object, a theme, or an idea. Though there are many and varied ways of presenting the subject area matter, information technology is only of import to the degree that the artist is motivated by information technology.

Objective images, which represent people or objects, await as close equally possible to their existent-world counterparts and tin be clearly identified. These types of images are besides called representational.

Dennis Wojtkiewicz, Kiwi Serial #ane, 2005.
Oil on canvass, 36 x 66 in. Marilyn Levine, Anne'due south Jacket, 1999.
Ceramic, 36 x 20 i/2 ten 7 1/4 in.

Gus Heinze, Expresso Buffet, 2003. Acrylic on gessoed console, 32 x 35 1/ii in.

Artists who explore the process of abstraction (simplification and rearrangement) create images that wait less like the object on which they are based, although they may still be recognizable. Barbara Hunt-Riboud, Bathers, 1973. Flooring relief, cast aluminum and silk in sixteen pieces, 400 x 400 ten 12 cm.

Piet Mondrian, The Grey Tree, 1911.
Oil on canvas, xxx 1/two x 42 7/viii in. Ismael Rodriguez Rueda, El Sueno de Erasmo (The Dream of Erasmus), 1995.
Oil on canvas, 39 i/2 x 47 ane/ii in.

DeLoss McGraw's "The Story of Eutychus," mixed-media Marcel Duchamp, Nude Decending a Staircase, No. 2, 1912
Oil on canvas, 58 x 35 in. Harold E. Edgerton, Baseball hit-fly brawl, 1950s-1970s. Gelatin silver print In the most extreme blazon of abstraction, the subject area does not refer to any physical object, and this nonrepresentational image is thus considered non-objective. Here, the bailiwick may be difficult for the observer to identify, since information technology is based solely on the elements of art rather than real-life people or objects. This type of subject often refers to the artist's idea about energy and movement, which guides the use of raw materials, and it communicates with those who can read the language of form. Piet Mondrian, Limerick, 1916. Oil on canvas and woods strip, 47 ane/four x 29 i/two in. Music, like visual art, deals with subjects and provides an interesting comparing. Unless there are lyrics, it is often hard to identify a specific subject in a slice of music. Sometimes, the subject field is recognizable - the thunderstorms and birdsongs in Beethoven'southward Pastoral Symphony or the taxi horns in Gershwin'southward An American in Paris. Other times, however, the subject field is more abstruse, and information technology is an emotion or thought that comes across strongly in the music. Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man is a good instance of this: he does non try to describe the subject literally but creates a nobel, accessible, and uplifting musical theme that honors the plight of the common human. In a similar way, nonobjective art seeks to present a more general theme or idea as the subject.
Mark Rothko, Number 10, 1950.
Oil on canvas, seven ft. 6 three/viii in. ten 4 ft. ix 1/viii in. Regardless of the blazon of fine art, the well-nigh important consideration is what is done with the subject. After you recognize the subject in a work (whether it is obvious or not), inquire yourself whether the artist has given it expression. Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm (Number xxx), 1950.
Oil on canvas, 8 ft. nine in. x 17 ft. three in. Charles Sheeler, Gilt Gate, 1955.
Oil on sheet, 25 1/8 in. 10 34 vii/8 in.

Class

As a component of art, the word form refers to the full overall arrangement or organization of an artwork. Information technology results from using the elements of art, giving them order and meaning through the principles of organisation. When studying a work's form, nosotros are analyzing how the piece was created. More specifically, nosotros are examing why the artist fabricated sure choices and how those choices interact to form the artwork'southward final appearance. In this sense, the word form may actually exist thought of every bit a verb rather than a noun.

The elements of art, which include line, texture, colour, shape, and value, are the nearly bones, indispensable, and immediate edifice blocks for expression. Their characteristics, determined past the artist'south choice of media and techniques, tin communicate a wide range of complex feelings. All artists must deal with the elements singularly or in combination, and their organization contributes to the aesthetic success or failure of a piece of work.

Based on the intended expression, each artist tin can suit the elements in any manner that builds the desired character into the slice. However, the elements are given club and meaningful construction when arranged according to the principles of organization, which aid integrate and organize the elements. These principles include harmony, diverseness, balance, proportion, dominance, movement, and economic system. They help create spatial relationships and effectively convey the artist's intent. The principles of organization are flexible, not dogmatic, and tin can be combined and practical in numerous ways. Some artist arrange intuitively, and others are more than calculating, but with experience, all of them develop an instinctive feeling for organizing their piece of work. Then of import are these concepts of elements and principles that they are studied separately.

Content

The emotional or intellectual message of a work of art is its content - a statement, expression, or mood developed past the artist and interpreted by the observer. Of the three components of art, content may be the well-nigh difficult to identify, because the audience, without directly advice with the artist, must decipher the creative person's thoughts by observing the piece of work's subject and form. For instance, in Young Girl in the Lap of Death, the striking accent of the left-to-right diagonals, the abrupt contrasts of calorie-free and dark values, and the aggressive and powerful drawing strokes requite united states some insight into Kathe Kollwitz'south concern for life, though we may non understand the depth of her passion.

Kathe Kollwitz, Immature Girl in the Lap of Death, 1934.
Crayon lithograph, 42 x 38 cm.

Ideally, the viewer'south interpretation is synchronized with the artist's intentions. Yet, the viewer's diversity of experiences can touch the communication between artist and viewer. For many people, content is determined past their familiarity with the subject; they are confined to feelings aroused by objects or ideas they know. A much broader and ultimately more meaningful content is non utterly reliant on the image merely is reinforced by the form. This is particularly and then in more abstract works, in which the viewer may not recognize the epitome as a known object and must, thefore, interpret meaning from shapes and other elements. Images that are hardly recognizable, if representational at all, tin can still evangelize content if the observer knows how to interpert form.

Occasionally, artists may be unaware of what motivates them to make certain choices of image or form. For them, the content of the piece may be hidden instead of deliberate. For example, an artist who has had a violent confrontation with a neighbor might subconciously need to limited acrimony (content) and is thus compelled to work wit abrupt jagged shapes, bitter acrid reds, slashing agitated marks (grade), and exploding images (subject).

Sometimes the meaning of nonobjective shapes becomes articulate in the creative person'southward mind only after they evolve and mutate on the canvas.

Although it is not a requirement for enjoying artwork, a little enquiry about the artist'due south life, fourth dimension catamenia, or civilisation can assist expand viewpoints and lead to a fuller interpretation of content. For case, a deeeper comprehension of Vincent van Gogh'southward specific and personal utilize of color may be gained by reading Van Gogh'due south letters to his brother Theo. His messages expressed an evolving belief that color conveyed specific feelings and attitudes and was more than that a mere optical feel. He felt that his use of color could emit power like Wagner'south music. The letters also revealed a developing personal color iconography, in which red and light-green symbolized the terrible sinful passions of humanity; black contour lines provided a sense of ache; cobalt blue signified the vault of sky, and xanthous symbolized love. For Van Gogh, color was not strictly a tool for visual simulated but an instrument to transmit his personal emotions. Color symbolism may non have been used in all his paintings, but an agreement of his intent helps explain some of his choices and the power in his work.

Vincent van Gogh, The Night Buffet, 1888. Oil on sheet, 27 1/2 x 35 in.

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Source: https://personal.utdallas.edu/~melacy/pages/2D_Design/Components_of_Art/Components_of_Art.html

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