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Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World

Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World

Author(s): Kimberly Anderson , Jenny Carson

Edition: 3

Copyright: 2017

Edition: 3

Copyright: 2017

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Art. What is Art? Where is it? Who makes it? Why is it created? By analyzing art forms throughout history created from both traditional and nontraditional media from around the world, the authors attempt to explore these complicated questions.

Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World is designed for the novice who seeks an introduction to the visual arts and current art-related issues. It provides an opportunity for all to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for art.

Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World by Kimberly Anderson and Jenny Carson:

  • Includes basic vocabulary, simple explanations of fundamental concepts, as well as descriptions and diagrams of materials, processes and techniques.
  • Presents art history and theory in a straightforward and accessible manner.
  • Is organized thematically and includes maps, tips for writing about art, as well as directions for composing formal analyses and research papers.

Contributing Artists and Authors 

About the Authors 

Acknowledgments 

The Basics 
Chapter One: Defining Art 
Art 
Expanding the Definition 
Defining Art in the Twenty-First Century 
Aesthetics: Beauty and Ugliness 
I Don’t Know Much about Art, but I Know What I Like 
Kitsch: Trash or Treasure? 
Endnotes 

Chapter Two: Composition 
The Elements of Art 
Line 
Shape and Mass 
Light, Value, and Color 
Space 
Texture 
Motion, Time, and the Temporal Arts 
The Principles of Design 
Balance 
Contrast, Emphasis, and Focal Points 
Rhythm 
Unity and Variety 
Scale and Proportion 
Endnotes 

Chapter Three: Style 
Artistic Approaches to Representation 
Naturalism 
Idealism 
Stylization 
Abstraction 
Style in Context 
Cultural and Period Style 
Regional Style 
Group Style and Personal Style 
Style and Cultural Convergence 
Art Nouveau 
Endnotes 

Chapter Four: Two-Dimensional Artforms: Materials, Media, and Processes 
Drawing 
Drawing Media 
Drawing Today 
Painting 
Traditional Painting Techniques 
Encaustic 
Fresco 
Tempera 
Oil 
Watercolor 
Acrylic 
Printmaking 
Relief 
Intaglio 
Lithography 
Screenprinting 
Collage 
Fiber Arts 
Photography 
Uses for Photography 
Photography and “Reality” 
Photography as Art 
Film 
Sound and Color in Film 
Film as Art 
Animation 
Indian Cinema 
Endnotes 

Chapter Five: New Media (Technology-Based Artforms) 
Introduction 
The Pioneer Era 
1950s 
1960s 
1970s 
The Paintbox Era 
1980s 
The Multimedia Era 
1990s 
The Modern Era 
2000s 
2010s 
New Media Art and the Future 
Endnotes 

Chapter Six: Three-Dimensional Artforms 
Sculpture 
Subtractive Processes 
Additive Processes 
Kinetic Sculpture 
Mosaics 
Conceptual Art 
Earthworks and Eco Art 
Performance Art 
Installation Art 
Endnotes 

Chapter Seven: Architecture 
Architectural Styles 
Structural Systems 
Load Bearing 
Post and Lintel 
Arch, Vault, and Dome 
Cast and Wrought Iron 
Steel Frame Construction 
Reinforced Concrete 
Trestle, Suspension, and Cable-Stayed Systems 
The Geodesic Dome 
Green Architecture 
Endnotes 

Chapter Eight: Looking at and Interpreting Art 
Looking at Art: Formal Approaches 
Connoisseurship 
Formalism 
Formalism and Modernism 
The Formal Analysis 
Biographical Analysis 
Iconography 
Social and Cultural Analysis 
Psychoanalytic Interpretation 
Feminist Analysis 
Marxist Analysis 
Gay and Lesbian Criticism and Queer Theory 
Postcolonial Analysis 
Endnotes 

Chapter Nine: A Brief History of the Role of the Artist in Society 
The Artist as Spiritual Medium 
The Artist as Craftsperson 
The Artist as Divinely Inspired Genius 
Women in Renaissance Art 
The Artist as Scholar 
The Artist as Scientist and Engineer 
The Tragic Genius 
Outsider Art 
Folk Art 
Naïve Art 
Visionary Art 
More Outside than Outside 
The Modern Artist 
The Artist as Activist 
Endnotes 

Categories and Themes in Art 
Chapter Ten: The Body 
The Supernatural 
Oceania: Sepik and Maori Art 
Christianity and the Body 
The Nude 
The Nude in India 
The Classical Nude 
The Nude in the Modern Era 
The Body and the Ideal 
The Legacy of Ancient Greece 
Challenging the Ideal 
Portraiture 
Portraiture and Power 
Traditions of Portraiture 
Self-Portraiture 
The Body as Medium 
Endnotes 

Chapter Eleven: Nature and the Environment 
Flora and Fauna 
Landscapes 
Landscape Painting as an Emerging Genre in Europe 
Landscape Painting in Asia 
Rural Landscapes 
Riverscapes and Seascapes 
Cityscapes 
The Real and the Ethereal 
The Expressive Landscape 
Exotic Locales 
The Artist and the Environment 
The Artist’s Garden 
Earthworks and Land Art 
Eco Art 
The Earth as Medium 
Sometimes It Takes a Village: Burning Man 
Endnotes 

Chapter Twelve: Religion and Spirituality in Art 
Holy Places and the Order of the Cosmos 
Prehistory and the Ancient World 
Hinduism and Buddhism 
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 
Pre-Columbian Civilizations 
Transcendentalism and Mysticism 
Divine Images and the Life of the Gods 
Human or Divine? 
Cult Statues and Religious Narratives in the Ancient World 
Sacred Images in Hindu and Buddhist Art 
Sacred Images in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 
Spiritual Images in the Modern World 
The Art of Death and the Spiritual Life 
Grave Goods and Ancestor Cults 
Memory and Transcendence 
Art and Religious Practice 
Endnotes 

The Art World: Buying, Selling, Collecting, and Exhibiting 
Chapter Thirteen: Patronage 
The Traditions of Art Patronage 
The Ancient World: Patronage and Power 
Patronage and Religion 
Private Patronage 
The Ancient World 
The Renaissance 
Middle Class Patronage 
Exhibitions 
The Salon 
Art Galleries 
Institutional Patronage 
Government Agencies 
Corporate Patronage 
Nonprofit Foundations 
Endnotes 

Chapter Fourteen: The Institution 
Introduction 
The Museum 
World’s Fairs and the Museum 
The Continuing Development of the Museum 
Benefits of Museums: Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration 
Art Looting 
The Benin Kingdom 
Nazi Germany 
Looting in Iraq 
Parthenon Marbles 
Censorship 
Endnotes 

Appendix I: Maps 

Appendix II : Glossary 

Appendix III : Workbook 

Bibliography 

Index

Kimberly Anderson
Kimberly Anderson has taught art appreciation and art history courses at various community colleges in Baltimore, MD for the past fifteen years. In addition to college teaching, she also taught art and art history to grades K–8 for the Baltimore Catholic school system, and served as chairperson for the committee that created the visual arts curriculum for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Prior to this, she worked in the museum field in both Maryland and South Carolina. She received a BA from Columbia College, as well as an MA and a Graduate Certificate of Study in museum management from the University of South Carolina. Currently, she teaches a variety of art history courses at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Jenny Carson
Jenny Carson received a BFA from the University of Louisiana, and an MA in art history from the University of Massachusetts. She holds a PhD in art history from the City University of New York Graduate Center, where she wrote her dissertation on the art studio of Benjamin West. A specialist in American eighteenth century and nineteenth century art, she has most recently published on the eighteenth century artists’ use of optical aids. She is also a contributor to several museum collections’ catalogues. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of art history at the Maryland Institute College of Art where she has taught for the last fifteen years.

I sincerely love Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World! I think it is the best one I have ever used in my teaching career. My students are paying much more attention and seem interested in the scholarly method of presentation.  In addition, they like the comparisons. It is a wonderful discovery.  As you know, I love the textbook - but more than ever now that I have seen how well it works in the classroom!
Michael Redfield, Golden West College

Art. What is Art? Where is it? Who makes it? Why is it created? By analyzing art forms throughout history created from both traditional and nontraditional media from around the world, the authors attempt to explore these complicated questions.

Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World is designed for the novice who seeks an introduction to the visual arts and current art-related issues. It provides an opportunity for all to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for art.

Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World by Kimberly Anderson and Jenny Carson:

  • Includes basic vocabulary, simple explanations of fundamental concepts, as well as descriptions and diagrams of materials, processes and techniques.
  • Presents art history and theory in a straightforward and accessible manner.
  • Is organized thematically and includes maps, tips for writing about art, as well as directions for composing formal analyses and research papers.

Contributing Artists and Authors 

About the Authors 

Acknowledgments 

The Basics 
Chapter One: Defining Art 
Art 
Expanding the Definition 
Defining Art in the Twenty-First Century 
Aesthetics: Beauty and Ugliness 
I Don’t Know Much about Art, but I Know What I Like 
Kitsch: Trash or Treasure? 
Endnotes 

Chapter Two: Composition 
The Elements of Art 
Line 
Shape and Mass 
Light, Value, and Color 
Space 
Texture 
Motion, Time, and the Temporal Arts 
The Principles of Design 
Balance 
Contrast, Emphasis, and Focal Points 
Rhythm 
Unity and Variety 
Scale and Proportion 
Endnotes 

Chapter Three: Style 
Artistic Approaches to Representation 
Naturalism 
Idealism 
Stylization 
Abstraction 
Style in Context 
Cultural and Period Style 
Regional Style 
Group Style and Personal Style 
Style and Cultural Convergence 
Art Nouveau 
Endnotes 

Chapter Four: Two-Dimensional Artforms: Materials, Media, and Processes 
Drawing 
Drawing Media 
Drawing Today 
Painting 
Traditional Painting Techniques 
Encaustic 
Fresco 
Tempera 
Oil 
Watercolor 
Acrylic 
Printmaking 
Relief 
Intaglio 
Lithography 
Screenprinting 
Collage 
Fiber Arts 
Photography 
Uses for Photography 
Photography and “Reality” 
Photography as Art 
Film 
Sound and Color in Film 
Film as Art 
Animation 
Indian Cinema 
Endnotes 

Chapter Five: New Media (Technology-Based Artforms) 
Introduction 
The Pioneer Era 
1950s 
1960s 
1970s 
The Paintbox Era 
1980s 
The Multimedia Era 
1990s 
The Modern Era 
2000s 
2010s 
New Media Art and the Future 
Endnotes 

Chapter Six: Three-Dimensional Artforms 
Sculpture 
Subtractive Processes 
Additive Processes 
Kinetic Sculpture 
Mosaics 
Conceptual Art 
Earthworks and Eco Art 
Performance Art 
Installation Art 
Endnotes 

Chapter Seven: Architecture 
Architectural Styles 
Structural Systems 
Load Bearing 
Post and Lintel 
Arch, Vault, and Dome 
Cast and Wrought Iron 
Steel Frame Construction 
Reinforced Concrete 
Trestle, Suspension, and Cable-Stayed Systems 
The Geodesic Dome 
Green Architecture 
Endnotes 

Chapter Eight: Looking at and Interpreting Art 
Looking at Art: Formal Approaches 
Connoisseurship 
Formalism 
Formalism and Modernism 
The Formal Analysis 
Biographical Analysis 
Iconography 
Social and Cultural Analysis 
Psychoanalytic Interpretation 
Feminist Analysis 
Marxist Analysis 
Gay and Lesbian Criticism and Queer Theory 
Postcolonial Analysis 
Endnotes 

Chapter Nine: A Brief History of the Role of the Artist in Society 
The Artist as Spiritual Medium 
The Artist as Craftsperson 
The Artist as Divinely Inspired Genius 
Women in Renaissance Art 
The Artist as Scholar 
The Artist as Scientist and Engineer 
The Tragic Genius 
Outsider Art 
Folk Art 
Naïve Art 
Visionary Art 
More Outside than Outside 
The Modern Artist 
The Artist as Activist 
Endnotes 

Categories and Themes in Art 
Chapter Ten: The Body 
The Supernatural 
Oceania: Sepik and Maori Art 
Christianity and the Body 
The Nude 
The Nude in India 
The Classical Nude 
The Nude in the Modern Era 
The Body and the Ideal 
The Legacy of Ancient Greece 
Challenging the Ideal 
Portraiture 
Portraiture and Power 
Traditions of Portraiture 
Self-Portraiture 
The Body as Medium 
Endnotes 

Chapter Eleven: Nature and the Environment 
Flora and Fauna 
Landscapes 
Landscape Painting as an Emerging Genre in Europe 
Landscape Painting in Asia 
Rural Landscapes 
Riverscapes and Seascapes 
Cityscapes 
The Real and the Ethereal 
The Expressive Landscape 
Exotic Locales 
The Artist and the Environment 
The Artist’s Garden 
Earthworks and Land Art 
Eco Art 
The Earth as Medium 
Sometimes It Takes a Village: Burning Man 
Endnotes 

Chapter Twelve: Religion and Spirituality in Art 
Holy Places and the Order of the Cosmos 
Prehistory and the Ancient World 
Hinduism and Buddhism 
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 
Pre-Columbian Civilizations 
Transcendentalism and Mysticism 
Divine Images and the Life of the Gods 
Human or Divine? 
Cult Statues and Religious Narratives in the Ancient World 
Sacred Images in Hindu and Buddhist Art 
Sacred Images in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 
Spiritual Images in the Modern World 
The Art of Death and the Spiritual Life 
Grave Goods and Ancestor Cults 
Memory and Transcendence 
Art and Religious Practice 
Endnotes 

The Art World: Buying, Selling, Collecting, and Exhibiting 
Chapter Thirteen: Patronage 
The Traditions of Art Patronage 
The Ancient World: Patronage and Power 
Patronage and Religion 
Private Patronage 
The Ancient World 
The Renaissance 
Middle Class Patronage 
Exhibitions 
The Salon 
Art Galleries 
Institutional Patronage 
Government Agencies 
Corporate Patronage 
Nonprofit Foundations 
Endnotes 

Chapter Fourteen: The Institution 
Introduction 
The Museum 
World’s Fairs and the Museum 
The Continuing Development of the Museum 
Benefits of Museums: Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration 
Art Looting 
The Benin Kingdom 
Nazi Germany 
Looting in Iraq 
Parthenon Marbles 
Censorship 
Endnotes 

Appendix I: Maps 

Appendix II : Glossary 

Appendix III : Workbook 

Bibliography 

Index

Kimberly Anderson
Kimberly Anderson
Kimberly Anderson has taught art appreciation and art history courses at various community colleges in Baltimore, MD for the past fifteen years. In addition to college teaching, she also taught art and art history to grades K–8 for the Baltimore Catholic school system, and served as chairperson for the committee that created the visual arts curriculum for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Prior to this, she worked in the museum field in both Maryland and South Carolina. She received a BA from Columbia College, as well as an MA and a Graduate Certificate of Study in museum management from the University of South Carolina. Currently, she teaches a variety of art history courses at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Jenny Carson
Jenny Carson
Jenny Carson received a BFA from the University of Louisiana, and an MA in art history from the University of Massachusetts. She holds a PhD in art history from the City University of New York Graduate Center, where she wrote her dissertation on the art studio of Benjamin West. A specialist in American eighteenth century and nineteenth century art, she has most recently published on the eighteenth century artists’ use of optical aids. She is also a contributor to several museum collections’ catalogues. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of art history at the Maryland Institute College of Art where she has taught for the last fifteen years.

I sincerely love Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World! I think it is the best one I have ever used in my teaching career. My students are paying much more attention and seem interested in the scholarly method of presentation.  In addition, they like the comparisons. It is a wonderful discovery.  As you know, I love the textbook - but more than ever now that I have seen how well it works in the classroom!
Michael Redfield, Golden West College