Functionality in Art

Functional Art

• Functional art is art used in daily life.
• Examples include: tools, architectural structures, roads, bridges, buildings, furniture, kitchen utensils, coins, bills, dress, and weapons

Indirectly Functional Art

• Indirectly functional art is perceived through the senses.
• Examples include: fine arts, painting, music, sculpture, dance, literary pieces, and theatrical performances

Aesthetic Function

• An artwork serves an aesthetic function when it helps people recognize the beauty of nature
• It inspires feelings of joy, appreciation, and enjoyment when experiencing the artwork

Utilitarian Function

• Art serves a utilitarian function when it provides comfort, convenience, and happiness
• It fulfills basic human needs such as food, shelter, clothing, medicine, a comfortable environment, transportation, entertainment, communication, expression, and overall well-being

Social Function

• Art serves a social function by connecting people and promoting unity and cooperation
• It fosters understanding and sympathy, contributing to a better society

Cultural Function

• Art opens a window to the skills, knowledge, attitudes, customs, and traditions of various groups
• It preserves, shares, and transmits culture from one generation to the next

Subject

• The subject in art refers to the thing, object, person, landscape, or event depicted by the artist in their artwork
• It serves as the window into the artwork, informing the audience about its content

Natural vs Artificial Landscapes

• A natural landscape is a land formation that remains unmodified and undistorted
• It becomes artificial when humans alter the natural land formation through "landscape" modifications

Still Life

• Still life refers to inanimate objects represented in drawings, paintings, or photographs
• It allows one to appreciate the beauty of a certain object and engage with its presentation

Artist

• An artist is an art practitioner who creates indirectly functional arts with aesthetic value using imagination
• Examples include: painters, sculptors, choreographers, dancers, writers, poets, and musicians

Artisan

• An artisan is a craftsman who produces directly functional and/or decorative arts
• Examples include: carpenters, carvers, plumbers, blacksmiths, weavers, and embroiderers

Line

• A line is a point moving along an identifiable path
• It has length, direction, and width
• It can define the perimeters or become a substantial component of a composition

Types of Lines

• Vertical lines provide a basic framework expressing power, strength, stability, simplicity, and efficiency
• Horizontal lines create an impression of serenity and perfect stability, rest, calmness, peace, and repose
• Diagonal lines show movement and instability, portraying action
• Zigzag lines show violence, confusion, and conflict
• Curved lines show a gradual change of direction and fluidity, signifying subtle forms

Shape and Form

• Shape and form define the space occupied by an object of art
• Shape refers to two dimensions: height and width
• Form refers to three dimensions: height, width, and depth

Geometric vs Organic Shapes

• Geometric shapes originate from mathematical propositions and are often man-made
• Examples include: squares, triangles, cubes, circles, spheres, and cones
• Organic shapes readily occur in nature and are often irregular and asymmetrical

Space

• Space is related to form and shape and is inferred from a sense of depth, whether real or stimulated
• Real space is three-dimensional
• Sculptures exemplify artwork bearing this element

Positive and Negative Space

• Negative space is usually identified with white space
• Positive space is where shadow is heavily used
• Three-dimensional space can be stimulated using shading techniques and the illusion of three-dimensionality can be achieved in two-dimension work

Color

• Color enhances the appeal of an artwork and allows viewers to respond based on memory, emotion, and instinct
• This element is a property of light reflected off an object
• Color cannot be perceived without light

Hue

• Hue is the dimension of color that gives it its name
• Primary colors: red, yellow, and blue
• Secondary colors: green, orange, and violet
• Tertiary colors: six in total, achieved when primary and secondary colors are mixed

Value

• Value refers to the brightness or darkness of color
• Artists use this to create the illusion of depth and solidity, communicate mood, and establish a scene
• Light colors are taken as the source of light in the composition
• Dark colors are the lack or absence of light
• Tint is a lighter color than the normal value
• Shade is a darker color than the normal value

Harmony

• Complementary harmonies involve two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, creating intense reaction
• Monochromatic harmonies are the use of one color with its tints and shades
• Analogous harmonies use three or four colors beside each other on the color wheel

Texture

• Texture can be real or implied and is experienced through the senses of touch and sight, rendering the art object tactile
• Texture in the two-dimensional plane can be implied using one technique or a combination of art elements
• Surface texture refers to the texture of a three-dimensional art object

Rhythm

• Rhythm is associated with beat, meter, and tempo
• It is the element of music that situates it in time
• Beat is the basic unit of music
• Tempo refers to its speed, measured in beats per second
• Beats are organized into a recognizable current pattern called the meter
• Largo is slowly and broadly
• Andante is a walking pace
• Moderato is at moderate speed
• Allegro is fast
• Vivace is lively
• Accelerando is gradually speeding up
• Rallentado is gradually slowing down
• Allargando is getting slower, broadening
• Rubato is literally "robbed time", rhythm is played freely for expressive effect

Dynamics

• Dynamics refer to the loudness or quietness of music
• Pianissimo is very quiet
• Piano is quiet
• Mezzo-piano is moderately quiet
• Mezzo-forte is moderately loud
• Forte is loud
• Fortissimo is very loud

Melody

• Melody refers to the linear (horizontal) presentation of pitch
• In musical notation, it is read in succession from left to right
• Pitch is the highness or lowness of musical sound

Harmony

• Harmony is vertical
• It arises when pitches are combined to form chords
• Several notes played simultaneously create a chord
• Dissonance is the harsh-sounding combination
• Consonance is the smooth-sounding combination

Timbre

• Timbre is the "color" of music, distinguishing a voice or instrument from another
• The timbre may give a certain tone or characteristics to music

Texture

• Texture is the number of melodies, the type of layers, and their relatedness in a composition
• Monophonic texture uses a single melodic line
• Polyphonic texture uses two or more melodic lines
• Homophonic texture features a main melody accompanied by chords

Balance

• Balance refers to the distribution of visual elements in relation to each other
• Symmetrical balance reflects elements used on one side to the other, offering a stable visual sense
• Asymmetrical balance features elements that are not the same on each side, putting heaviness on one side
• Radial balance has a central point around which elements and objects are distributed

Scale and Proportion

• Scale pertains to the size in relation to what is normal for a figure or object
• Proportion is the size of components or objects in relation to one another taken as a composition or unit
• It can also refer to values such as amounts or number of elements or objects

Da Vinci's "Vitruvian Man"

• Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” explores the ideas of the Roman architect Vitruvius
• The human body exemplifies classical proportion in architecture and reveals symmetry in nature and the universe

Types of Proportion

• Natural proportion relates to the realistic size of visual elements in artwork and accuracy in relation to the real world
• Exaggerated proportion refers to unusual size relations of visual elements used deliberately
• Idealized proportion uses size-relations of elements or objects that achieve the most ideal size relations

Emphasis and Contrast

• Emphasis draws the viewer's attention to a focal point, accentuating elements or objects through manipulation or contrast
• Contrast is the disparity between elements in the composition, making one object stronger compared to others

Unity and Variety

• Compositions generally aim to impart a sense of accord or completeness, which is unity

Harmony

• Harmony relates to the principle of unity and variety, where elements or objects achieve a sense of flow and interconnectedness

Movement

• Movement refers to the direction of the viewing eye through the artwork, guided by emphasized areas or elements
• Focal points include lines, edges, shapes, and colors

Rhythm

• Rhythm is created through the repetition of an element, creating implied movement
• Variety of repetition invigorates rhythm

Repetition and Pattern

• Repetition is when lines, shapes, colors, and other elements appear in an artwork in a recurring manner
• Pattern is the image created through repetition, conveying predictability, security, and calmness