Art is a broad spectrum of human activities which involve an attempt to communicate an idea, beauty, emotion, technical skill, or aesthetic perception, and creative imagination. There are different types of art. Each has its own characteristics, but the most common ones are painting, sculpture, and writing. In order to classify art, there are certain characteristics that a work of art must have to be called ‘art’. These are
Paintings are one of the most common forms of art. The oldest artwork found was a portrait of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Paintings express the artist’s emotions and reveal the artist’s skill. Paintings can be abstract or representational, depending on the style of the artist. Most artists specialize in painting landscapes or portraying nature. In the modern era, the arts have become more sophisticated by including computer-generated images and other media.
Sculpture is a form of art that focuses on the visual appeal of a work of art. The concepts behind sculpture include visual memory, human aesthetic sense, and rationality. While there is some controversy surrounding the definition of art, most agree that a sculptured object conveys an idea or some sort of meaning. Most contemporary artists are either motivated by political or social ideologies or they follow a personal aesthetic.
The field of art is constantly evolving. It has been called the “era of modernism” due to the evolution of new mediums which enable new forms of expression such as photography and the internet. Aesthetic appeal is the key factor when choosing to participate in any given artwork activity. However, aesthetics is not merely subjective; it requires an evaluation of the whole corpus of art – not just a single work of art. This evaluation requires a critical and aesthetic evaluation of the totality of the work through the five basic aspects of artistic composition: composition, form, environment, pace, and message.
The majority of Western art came from the works of the Renaissance era (from which the term “art” was derived). Renaissance art included the Italian baroque movement, and artists from this time period were famous for their creativity and innovation. Baroque art includes works such as frescoes, statuettes, and other painted works. In contrast to the Classical period, Baroque art did not concentrate on form, but instead presented visuals which relied more on emotions, meaning, or the representation of a physical object.
Other key takeaways for an appreciation of art include the idea that the purpose of art is to bring about a change in the viewer. In general, Western artists focused on the effect their works had rather than on creating beauty. Through paintings, sculptures, and other forms of art, artists attempted to influence the culture and thought patterns of people through their visual presentations. This is just one of the important points on which to build your appreciation for art.