Art Appreciation

Ladies and gentlemen, by way of introduction, this is a book about art, about creativity, about beauty. It is a beginner’s guide to the many methods, movements, and mutations of the visual arts. It is composed of 19 chapters, each featuring a different artistic theme. Many of these chapters will focus on a particular art element, or principle of design, including many historical exemplars. A few chapters will focus on a particular historic epoch, including several prehistoric, ancient, and classical cultures. Along the way, there will be many step-by-step drawing or writing activities, so that the reader may learn from hands on experience.

The purpose of this book is not to persuade the reader to pursue an artistic career. Rather, it is designed to encourage a deeper understanding of art for people of all walks of life. After all, most people who admire, and collect, works of art, are not those who have mastered its techniques. They simply recognize a work of art’s formal beauty, and appreciate its importance to civilization.

And with that, I humbly present to you, my dear reader, Art Appreciation: First Edition. It represents the latest inclusion to the ever-expanding canon of literature dedicated to the enhancement of aesthetic eloquence. It is a genre that includes art historical surveys, artistic formal examinations, and how-to-be-an-artist-in-the-privacy-of-your-own-home books. In short, it is a book designed for the artistically curious so that they may be more creatively informed. So, if any of you feel the least bit artistically inclined, then read on, dear reader, read on.