Art Appreciation PDF

# PART 3 ## The Artist and His Medium: PRODUCTION PROCESS, TECHNIQUE AND CURATION The previous discussions focused on the fundamentals of what art expression is and the artists' choice of art subjects. With this information, the learner can now proceed to the more technical aspect of art appreciat...

# PART 3 ## The Artist and His Medium: PRODUCTION PROCESS, TECHNIQUE AND CURATION The previous discussions focused on the fundamentals of what art expression is and the artists' choice of art subjects. With this information, the learner can now proceed to the more technical aspect of art appreciation, which is knowing a bit more about the process of creating the artwork, the array of materials that can be used, the techniques involved, and the manner in which the work can be preserved so that it can be enjoyed and shared with others for a long time. The kinds of artists involved in creating an artwork vary depending on the type of art form they use for expression. Although all art involves creation and imagination, artists are further classified into: - **Visual Artists:** Use the visual arts as their venue of expression. This includes the painters, the sculptors, and the architects. They are also composed of [Creative Artists](https://www.google.com/search?q=Creative+Artists&oq=Creative+Artists&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l2j0i131i433j0i22i30l2.1064j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8). - **Creative Artists:** Are more adept at writing words and arranging musical notes to entice the imagination and evoke emotions. These artists include writers, poets, playwrights, novelists, and composers. Their works range from novels, poetry, plays to beautiful musical pieces. - **Performing Artists:** Express their art through execution in front of an audience. These artists are the dancers, singers, stage performers, actors, musicians, and choreographers. They hone their skills through countless hours of training and rehearsals. Unless an artist translates his imagination and creativity into a form that can be perceived, it cannot be shared to other people. Imagination and creativity in the arts have to exist through some medium to be recognized as such. The medium in art refers to the materials that an artist uses to communicate his ideas, feelings, and imagination. Arts can further be classified into the following based on medium: ## Art Appreciation ### Materials that can be seen and occupy space: - **Graphic or two-dimensional arts** which include drawing, painting, mosaics, collage, and printmaking. - **Plastic or three-dimensional arts** which include sculpture, architecture, and installations. ### Auditory or time arts: The medium for this art classification are those that the viewers can hear and which are expressed in time. Belonging to these are music and literature ### Combined Arts: The medium for these art forms are those that the viewers can see and hear which considers both time and space. These include dance, drama, and cinema. Along with music, these are also known as the performing arts or ephemeral arts because the artwork is perceived as temporary since it is happening only in a particular time and at a particular space. These arts depend largely on repeated performances for their continued existence. Although repeated, each performance is always different (even slightly) from the previous one(). ## The Process of Art Production ### The Medium When an artist is ready to express himself in art and to give shape to his vision, his first thoughts would be on what medium to use. He can choose whatever material he thinks will best embody his work and the process in accomplishing it. As long as his work will not cause harm to the environment and to people, then it is fine. His choice of medium and the process that he uses should be guided by the standards of a responsible, conscientious artist. An artist's choice of medium is usually influenced by certain considerations such as the availability of the material, the nature and special characteristics of the material and the idea that he wants to communicate. The artist will usually select the material that he can handle well and that would best suit his purpose as well as adequately bring out the qualities which he wants to show. The nature of each medium determines the ways it can be worked and turned into a work of art. Its nature also determines what can be expressed through it. Each medium has its own range of characteristics which will determine the physical appearance of the product. It also has inherent limitations as well as potentials. It is a wise artist who accepts the limitations of his chosen medium and at the same time finds ways to exploit them. The artist should understand his medium because each medium has its own way of behaving. Although the medium responds to the artist's skill and technique it also imposes its will on the artist, challenging him to further explore its possibilities. It is not new for an artist to experiment and try out different materials for his artwork. In fact, an artist should explore the possibilities that may be offered by different materials for him to find the best ones that will embody his work and will suit his style and personality. ### **The Technique** A good artist makes a medium work to produce effects that other artists cannot attain by any other means. An artist's knowledge of the medium and his skill in making it achieve what he wants it to, is the artist's [Avatar](https://www.google.com/search?q=Avatar&oq=Avatar&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30l2j0i131i433j0i10i22i30l2.1418j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8). Artists differ from each other in the technique that they use for the same medium. Artists can also vary their techniques, depending on what they want to show through their medium. An artist, aside from exploring different mediums, may also vary and update his techniques. He should keep himself abreast of the array of new materials and the skills needed to use them. A wise artist knows that he should not stop learning. He should let himself and his art evolve with the changing society without sacrificing his style and individuality as an artist. ### **Curation** Curation is derived from the Latin word *curare*, which means to take care. It is a process that involves managing, overseeing, and assembling or putting together a presentation or exhibit for some type of historical or artistic collection. The person responsible for this task is called a curator. A curator is responsible for the acquisition of objects, i.e., he is the one decides documents these objects and conducts research on the collection's history, then shares this information with the public through exhibits and publications. For museums and galleries, specifically, the curation process undergoes the following steps: - **Curator decides on which artworks or historical objects should be included in the collection.** - **After the objects had been chosen and gathered, the collection must be culled to fit within the space in the gallery.** The purpose of this is to make sure that presentation, arrangement of the pieces influences how the exhibit is interpreted by the patrons/viewers. - **After arranging the pieces, the curator then, provides context for each piece.** This context may be in text or any visual and auditory form placed near the object that may provide background/clarity to the piece. The curation process is reflected in how the collection or exhibit is organized, from the moment the patrons view the first object to the time they leave the gallery. After the presentation of the exhibit, part of the curation process is to ensure that 'borrowed' objects are packaged properly for safe transport. The collections to keep it interesting to the viewing public (Sablan, n.d.) ## The Different Media of the Visual Arts ### **A. Graphic or Two-Dimensional Arts** ### **Drawing** This is the fundamental skill needed in the visual arts. The drawing may be a study which is made for the sake of learning how to execute some forms; a sketch which shows the general organization or a design of a product being planned; or a cartoon which is a full-size work meant to be used as a guide or basis for the real work. Whatever is the purpose for the drawing, all visual artists use it before the actual production of the work. #### **These are the different media for drawing** 1. **Pencils:** These are made of graphite, which comes in different hardness from soft to hard or thickness from thick to needle-like, making possible a wide range of values. Pencils, regardless of the brand, are usually labeled 2B, 4B, 6B, which indicates the softness of the lead. The higher the B number, the softer the lead and the darker is the tone and line it can create. 2. **Ink:** This is one of the oldest materials for drawing that is still in use. It allows for a great variety of qualities, depending on the tools and technique used in application. Pen and ink drawings are characterized by controlled and uniform lines. Ink is used in making the beautiful handwritings produced in calligraphy, which in itself is an art. 3. **Pastel:** These are composed of dry pigment held together by a gum binder and compressed into sticks. There are three kinds of pastel: soft pastel, hard pastel, and oil pastel. The difference between the soft and hard pastel is the amount of binder in the material. For oil pastel, the binder is oil. When the pastel work is finished, the drawings must be sprayed with a fixative to prevent the pigment from rubbing off and destroying the work. An artist who is comfortable in using pastel has a mastery of the skills needed to manipulate this medium. Some pastel techniques are: - **Stippling:** Using pastel of different colors to produce small marks, thus, creating a pattern. - **Feathering:** Is using the point of the pastel to make parallel strokes creating a feather-like effect. - **Scumbling:** Is like layering but using pastel. The side of the pastel is lightly drawn on top of an existing color but still making the color of the first layer visible. - **Impasto:** Is the technique of thickly applying the pastel by pressing it hard on the paper creating an opaque effect. - **Sgrafitto:** Is applying a thick deposit of pastel on the support then using a blunt pen, scrapes it off to reveal the underlying color and create the design. This technique works beautifully for oil pastel. 4. **Charcoal:** This is an organic medium that comes from burnt wood. There are two kinds of charcoal: the compressed charcoal or manufactured charcoal is made from loose charcoal mixed with a binder and pressed into sticks; the other is the vine charcoal which comes in thin sticks that is easy to blend and erase. The soft charcoal produces dark, velvety tones and the hard charcoal produces the light, gray ones. 5. **Paper:** This is the most common surface used in two-dimensional art. Paper is an organic material made from wood, grass, and linen rags. The cellulose pulp from these sources undergo a process that produces sheets or rolls of paper. There are generally three types of paper: hot-pressed paper is smooth, cold-pressed paper has moderate texture, and the rough paper has the most texture (tooth). For graphite, pastel, and charcoal drawing, textured paper (ones with tooth) is the best surface/support for their ability to hold the pigment. #### **PAINTING** Painting has been described as the art of creating beautiful effects on a flat surface. It is the process of applying paint onto a smooth surface (ground/support) like paper, cloth, canvas, wood, or plaster. **Pigment** is the part of the paint that gives the color. It is fine powder which was grounded from clay, stone, mineral, vegetable matter or produced by a chemical process. It is mixed with a binder (also called the vehicle), usually a liquid that allows the powder to be spread over the flat surface until it dries. The following are the different media used for painting: - **Watercolor:** For watercolor paints, the pigments are mixed with water and applied to paper. The colors are applied in layers and made brighter by additional applications after the first layer had dried. This technique is called *layering*. Paper is the most commonly used ground for watercolor. - **Gouache:** This is paint in which the pigment has been mixed with water and added with a chalk-like material to give it an opaque effect. - **Oil Paints:** The pigments are mixed with oil as its binder. This medium was suspended colored pigments in linseed oil. The ideal surface for oil paints are canvas and wood. The painter can apply oil paint in thin glazes of smooth work and the element of texture. Oil paint is a dense painting medium and gives rich, beautiful colors. It is a flexible medium that is slow to dry, which allows the painting to be changed and worked over before drying completely. Oil paintings take at least three days to dry, i.e., depending on the thickness of the paint. A coat of varnish is usually applied to protect the paint after it dries. Although oil paint is a beautiful medium, it has its disadvantages. The oil in the paint tends to rise to the surface and forms a film that makes the colors dull and yellow as the painting ages. Time also causes the oil paint to crack. - **Tempera:** This is pigment mixed with egg yolk (sometimes with the white) as binder. Sometimes gum or glue is used in place of egg. The ideal surface for tempera is wood. In contrast with oil paints, tempera dries quickly and the colors do not dull or yellow with age. Tempera, however, is difficult to spread on large areas. It cannot be easily moved around the surface and, therefore, needs a firm, rigid support. - **Fresco:** This is pigment mixed with water and applied on a portion of the wall with wet plaster. The wet plaster allows the color to stick to the surface and thus, becomes a permanent part of the wall. Fresco is used for mural painting. A mural refers to the massive paintings on commissioned for religious or didactic purposes. It is often used to decorate the inner walls of churches or public buildings. Michelangelo's ''Sistine Chapel'' paintings in Rome and Leonardo da Vinci's ''Last Supper'' in Milan are examples of famous frescoes. Fresco is an exacting medium; there is no possibility of it rubbing out or of changing the design once the work has started. The foremost disadvantage of frescoes is the wall on which it is painted. The painting cannot be moved and when the wall is destroyed so too will the painting. - **Acrylic:** Is a modern medium of synthetic paint using acrylic emulsion as binder. This medium is widely used by contemporary painters. Acrylic has the quick drying quality of watercolor and is as flexible as oil paints. The versatility of acrylic allows it to be applied to almost any type of surface. ### **B. Plastic or Three-Dimensional Art** ### **Sculpture** The word *sculpture* has originated from the Latin word *sculpere*, which means to carve. It is the art form that is described as having length, width, and volume. Sculptures are of three kinds: - **Freestanding (in the round):** These are sculptures which can be viewed from all sides. - **Relief:** These are sculptures in which the figures project from a background. There are two variations of relief sculptures: - **Low/Bas-Relief:** The figures are slightly raised/projected from its background, less shadows are created. - **High Relief:** Almost half of the figures project from its background, more shadows are created. - **Kinetic (mobiles):** A sculpture that is capable of movement by wind, water, or other forms of energy. #### **The Process of Creating Sculptures** 1. **Subtractive Process:** This process involves removing or cutting away pieces of the material to form the figure. The sculptor achieves this through the use of special tools, like sculptors removing pieces of the marble within the material. 2. **Additive Process:** This process involves the construction of a figure by putting together bits of the material or by welding together metal parts to create figures. Modeling and assembling are examples of this process. 3. **Casting/Foundry:** This process is also known as casting. This method involves using a mold to produce a 3D figure in another material. The material should be in liquid form for it to be poured to the mold. Three are three types of casting: sand casting, plastic casting, and lost wax casting. #### **Different Media of Sculpture** Through the centuries, sculptors have experimented on materials to be used, materials to achieve expression in a three-dimensional form. To be discussed are some of the popular mediums used by sculptors up to the present: - **Stone:** Is a natural medium. It is hard and relatively permanent. Sculptures made from stone will last for many years. Marble is deemed by sculptors as the most beautiful stone for sculpture. Marble is mined and comes in a variety of colors and grain. From Romblon, Philippines come some of the most beautiful shades of marble. The image at the right is the famous statue, *David*, by Michelangelo. It is made of white marble and is 17 feet tall. - **Wood:** Is also a natural medium. When compared to stone, wood is relatively easy to work on. Wood varies in hardness and durability depending on the kind of tree it came from. In the Philippines, the best woods for sculpture are Molave, Acacia, Langka wood, Ipil wood, Kamagong, Palm wood, and bamboo. Narra is a Philippine hard wood, but its use is restricted by the local government. The major weaknesses of wood are moisture that causes it to rot, fire and termites. Different techniques are being used to protect the wood (staining and waxing) to make it last for a long time. - **Metal:** This medium is used for sculpture because of its three unique qualities: tensile strength, ductility, and malleability. The two ways by which metal can be worked on are welding and casting. The differences between the two are such that assembling is the combination of two elements; welding is heating the metal to its melting point and joining the heated elements; and casting is pouring molten metal into a mold. Some examples of these are described below: - **Stainless Steel:** Is also known as Inox steel. It is made from a combination of steel and chromium. This medium does not rust or stain when exposed to moisture and water. - **Bronze:** Is an alloy of two elements: tin and copper. Its color is reddish-brown and will corrode if constantly exposed to water and moisture. - **Brass:** Is an alloy of copper and zinc that gives it a yellowish golden color. Brass is more malleable than bronze and has a lower melting point. - **Plaster:** Specifically, *Plaster of Paris* is finely ground gypsum mixed with water and poured into a mold. This material dries quickly depending on the size of the mold. After it has dried, it can be painted with different colors. - **Terra Cotta:** (Cooked earth) is baked clay or clay fired in a kiln at a relatively high temperature. Firing the clay causes the moisture to evaporate hardening the clay. Clay can be molded into any form before it is baked. The major weakness of clay is its fragility. It breaks easily. ### **Architecture** - **Arch:** This is a Roman invention that consists of separate pieces of wedge of the arch, and the keystone, which is the stone at the top center that locks the pieces together into a single curved structure. From the principle of the arch, the following structures can be built: - **Barrel Vault:** Is a succession of arches, one placed directly behind another to produce a structure similar to a tunnel. It has two openings, one on each end. - **Groin Vault:** Is a structure that is formed by intersecting arches resulting in four two barrel vaults. The area at the center of a vault's groin is called a bay. - **Dome:** Is a structure where the shape of an inverted cup. It is formed by a series of arches rising from consecutive points on a base called the drum. - **Truss:** This is a system of triangular forms assembled to form a rigid framework. Trusses are used in bridges, theaters, and roofs. - **Cantilever:** This is a structure that makes use of a beam or slab that extends horizontally into space beyond its supporting post. It is constructed to be strong enough to support floors and walls. - **Buttress:** This is a structure that is built as a support for the wall. In most European churches, buttresses built to support the dome are called flying buttresses. Since architecture is considered as the most functional of the arts, materials to strength refers to those materials that can support heavy weights without crumbling, being pulled or stretch without breaking. The following are materials that are used for creating buildings and infrastructures: - **Stones and Bricks:** Stones are favored over other materials for its durability, adaptability to sculptural treatment, and its use for building simple structures in its natural state. But stone is difficult to quarry, transport and cut. Stone's weakness in tension limits its use for beams, lintels and floor supports. Bricks compare favorably with stone (*in terms of durability, resistance*, easy to produce, transport, and use. The size of bricks is limited by the need for efficient drying, firing and handling. Special shapes can be produced by molding to meet particular structural or expressive requirements. - **Lumber (wood):** All parts of a building can be constructed using wood except the foundations; its major disadvantages are susceptibility to fire, mold, and termites. The strength of wood in both tension and compression arises from its organic nature which gives it an internal structure of longitudinal and radial fibers that is not impaired by cutting or bending. The development of construction methods using iron and steel was the most important innovation in architecture since ancient times. These methods provide far stronger and taller structures with less use of material when compared to stone or wood. - **These metals can produce greater unsupported spans over openings in the interior or exterior spaces.** The evolution of steel frame construction in the 20th century entirely changed the concept of the wall and the support. - **Concrete:** This is a mixture of cement and water, with aggregates of sand and gravel, which hardens rapidly resulting in a fire-resisting solid of great compressive strength. Concrete can be poured into forms while wet to produce a great variety of structural elements. Concrete also provides an economical substitute for traditional materials and it has the ability to fuse with other materials making the structure stronger (e..g. ferroconcrete). ## Literature and Combined Arts ### **Literature** Literature is the art of combining spoken or written words and their meanings into forms which have artistic and emotional appeal. Literature has its medium (the words used to build up compositions - the words are used in combination with other words and arranged in certain patterns to suggest feelings and images). Not all writings which use language, however, can be called literature. The term only refers to works that exploit the suggestive power of language. In literature, the words that are used have a definite meaning but the writer can give words alternate meanings based on the context of the writing. The beauty of a literary piece can only be appreciated by one who understands the language in which it was written, including where the writer is "coming from." Any type of writing in any subject may be considered a form of literature as long as it is artistically done; thus, making the work worth remembering. For instance, the literary theme can be of a country or a historical period expressed in the form of poetry, essay, novel, or works of the writer's imagination. Such writings are characterized by beauty of expression and form, and excellence of style that appeals to both the readers' intellect and emotions ("Literature", 2018). For example, novels in the romance section inform readers what the theme of the work is and, therefore, what it is that they expect to read. #### **Literature Genres:** In literature, there are four main genres. In each genre are specific types of literature: - **Poetry:** Is written in lines and not in paragraphs. Poems have a fixed meter and rhythm with a fixed length of lines and stanzas, but in recent years they have become more free-flowing. Poetry is characterized by an abundance of figurative devices like simile, metaphor, hyperbole, rhyme, and others. Poetry is shorter than prose, and the subject matter is usually based on imagination, emotions, and ideas. Poetry is shorter than prose, and the subject matter is usually based on imagination, emotions, and ideas. Poetry is shorter than prose, and the subject matter is usually based on imagination, emotions, and ideas. A type of poetry known as epic poetry is quite long. - **Fiction:** This is any written work that is not real and which uses elaborate figurative language and paragraphs with all the proper punctuation and grammar, which makes it prose. Fiction is divided into chapters. Since fiction is based on the writer's creativity and imagination, the subject matter can be anything. The work can be of the past, present or future. It can be based on fantasy or ideas of everyday living. Some examples of works of fiction are legends, folk tales, and novels. Examples are the Tuesdays with Morrie series by Mitch Albom, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. - **Nonfiction:** This is the opposite of fiction, because the subject matter comes from real life. Nonfiction works are all based on real people and real-world experiences. This genre is classified into two types: literary nonfiction which includes biographies, autobiographies, and essays, and informative nonfiction. The purpose of informative nonfiction is to explain or inform the readers about a concept or situation. - **Drama:** Is a genre of literature that is intended to be acted-out or performed on stage in front of an audience. Once the drama in performed, then it becomes a theatrical presentation. As an art form, drama underwent great evolution, which began in the amphitheaters of Athens of Ancient Greece. #### **Genres of Drama** - **Tragedy:** Is one of literature's greatest dramatic genres. It is drama that presents life as solemn and serious. In a tragedy, the central character, the hero (or heroine), who is admired at the first part, later becomes arrogant and not worthy at all. This character flaw is the reason why he comes to some sad or disastrous end. But, before the end comes for the hero, however, there is a moment of self-realization, a recognition of his flaws, and a tragic acceptance of his fate. Such an end is necessary because it is justified. The audience should see in the presentation this flow from cause to effect. If cause and effect relationship is clear, the audience leaves the theatre not feeling sad or confused but relieved and satisfied. - **Melodrama:** Is a type of drama that emphasizes the never-ending battle between good and evil, wherein good always wins. Melodramas make use of stereotyped characters and exaggerated situations, which makes this drama more interesting. The audience can usually predict the flow of the plot and is assured that it will end happily with the hero or heroine. - **Comedy:** Is drama that is the exact opposite of a tragedy. Tragedies and comedies have a distinct set of characters and situations. In tragedy, the hero is wealthy, handsome, and educated; in comedy, the hero could be anybody who is poor, ordinary, and average. Tragedies portray power and abuse of power while comedies portray human weakness and limitations. The laughter evoked from the audience is evidence that they are able to relate to the drama. It also shows their understanding and acceptance of themselves as beings with limitations and inferiorities. There are two kinds of comedies: satire and romantic comedy. - **Satire:** Portrays human weakness and criticizes human behavior to pave the path to some form of salvation for human actions. - **Romantic Comedy:** Portrays human weakness in a more subtle way. It is more accepting of the adversities of human behavior. Romantic comedies are seen as more entertaining, enlightening, and favorable to the taste of the audience (DiYanni, 2000). - **Farce:** Is a light humorous play in which the emphasis is on jokes, humorous physical action, exaggerated situations, and improbable characters. The aim of this drama is to make people laugh for the sake of laughing. ### **Cinema** The cinema can be described as a series of images that are projected onto a screen to create the illusion of motion. This is also known as motion pictures, movies, or films, and is considered to be one of the most popular forms of entertainment today. Cinema enables people to immerse themselves in an imaginary world for a short period of time. Some films combine entertainment with instruction, thus making the learning process more enjoyable. In all its forms, cinema is an art as well as a business. Those who make motion pictures take great pride in their creations. The images that make up a motion picture are all individual photographs. But when played rapidly in succession, the human eye does not detect that it as separate images. Although the viewers do not see the images as individual photographs, they do notice the differences between them. The brain perceives these differences as continuous movement. Motion pictures are recorded using the images on rolls of film, after being usually documented through a projector, which shines light on the film that is displayed on a screen. Most are also accompanied by sound. #### **Genres of Motion Pictures** - **Feature Films:** Are the movies most commonly shown in large movie theaters. They typically last from 1 to 2 hours. These films portray fictional stories based on real events but are portrayed by actors. Today, movies are made more realistic because of skills in making costumes, makeup application, and high-tech special effects. - **Animated Films:** Follow the same format as feature films, but use images created by artists’/animators. These films create the illusion of movement from a series of two-dimensional drawings, three-dimensional objects, or computer-generated images. Animated films today are three-dimensional, which makes them look so real. - **Documentary Films:** Are non-fiction films. These are films that tell stories from real life. These films are meant to inform the public about a specific topic or event. The director interviews experts from the field and uses actual footage to support his/her claims. #### **Making Movies** 1. **Screenwriter:** Develops stories and ideas for the screen or adapts interesting written pieces of work as motion pictures. For example: the Star Wars series, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. 2. **Director:** Studies the script, plans, and visualizes how the film should be portrayed and guides the actors and the production crew as they carry out the project. ## Music Music is defined as the art of combining and regulating sounds of varying pitch to produce compositions that express various ideas and feelings. Music particularly appeals to the emotions. As an art form, it can convey emotions with great intensity, which can affect people directly. Beautiful sounds of nature — the chirping of birds, splashing of the waves, rustling brook — inspired by these sounds, early people started to imitate them through music. This music that early man created is more for his need to communicate with the spirits rather than for its aesthetic value. #### **Media in Music** - **Vocal Medium:** The oldest and most popular medium for music is the human voice. It is the most personal as it comes from within the person. The sounds projected by the human voice are the most natural form of music. As music developed as an art form, the medium, which is the human voice, has been classified: (Komien, 2008). - **Soprano:** Is the highest female singing voice. - **Mezzo Soprano:** Is a female singer with the voice pitched between soprano and contralto. - **Contralto:** Is a female singing voice that is low and rich in quality. - **Tenor:** Is the highest adult male singing voice. - **Bass:** Is a male singing voice that is low and rich in quality. - **Baritone:** Is a male singing voice that is between tenor and bass. - **Instrumental Medium:** Aside from or together with the human voice, are the materials that produce/create sound. These mediums may be natural or invented to produce a distinct type of sound. Musical instruments produce sound by blowing, beating, plucking, or through the use of a bow. The following are descriptions of the traditional instruments of music: - **String Instruments:** Provide the basic orchestral sounds. They produce tones by means of the vibration of the stretched string. There are two kinds of string instruments: - **Bowed Strings:** Produce tones by means of a bow of horse hair. Violin, viola, violoncello, and the double bass are examples. - **Plucked Strings:** Produce tones by plucking the strings with a finger or with a plectrum held in one's hand. Guitar, ukulele, banjo, and the *kudyapi* (image below) of the Maranao and Manobo of the Philippines are examples. - **Wind Instruments:** Create sounds by blowing into them. The air blown causes vibrations inside the instrument. The piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, double bassoon, and saxophone fall under this category. - **Brass Instruments:** Have cup-shaped mouthpieces and expand into a bell-shaped end. Sound is produced by blowing into the mouthpiece. The sound can be altered depending on the tension of the lips. The trumpet, trombone, and tuba belong to this category. - **Percussion Instruments:** Make sound by hitting them with the hands, special sticks, or by striking or shaking their parts together. Kettledrums, chimes, xylophone, tambourine, castanets, cymbals, and maracas fall under this category. - **Keyboard Instruments:** Make sound by means of a keyboard which consists of a series of black and white keys. The depression of a key produces sound. The piano, harpsichord, celesta, and organ belong to this group. #### **Some Genres of Music** 1. **Classical Music:** Was written in the European tradition, covering the years 1750 to 1830. During this period, forms such as the symphony, concerto, and sonata were standardized. 2. **Folk Music:** Originated in the traditional popular culture or is written in such a way that it is transmitted orally from generation to generation. 3. **Pop Music:** Is a genre of popular music which began in the 1950s, and is inspired in the tradition of rock and roll. 4. **Jazz:** Originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans in the United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 5. **Blues:** Originated from the African Americans in the Deep South of the United States in the late 19th century. This musical genre incorporated spiritual songs, work songs, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads. 6. **Rock Music:** Is a form of popular music that evolved from rock and roll and pop music. It became popular during the middle to late 1960s. Rock music was characterized by musical experimentation and drug-related/anti-establishment lyrics. 7. **Alternative Music:** Is a style of rock music that emerged from the independent music of the 1980s and gained popularity in the 1990s. The word "alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream rock music. ## Dance Dance is said to be the oldest of all arts. Man's gestures express emotions through rhythmic movements. Body movements highlight the pleasure of being and at the same time mirror the life of the society. The medium of dance is the body of the dancer. It is through his body that ideas or feelings are communicated to the audience. A dancer may move only a part of his higher body or the whole body may be in dance. The movements may be instinctive, hence, people do not have to undergo rigid training to be able to dance. Dancing is a personal expression of something within the person that connects him to others. Dancing as a performing art may be telling an audience a story, setting the mood or expressing an idea. #### **Types of Dance** Dances may vary depending on the place of origin, The music, occasion, the dance and the types of dancers. The following are some general classification or dances: - **Ethnologic (ethnic) dances:** Includes folk dances associated with a national and/or cultural group. For Philippine folk dances, examples are *tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, and carinosa*. - **Social or ballroom dances:** Are the type of dancing that are generally performed in pairs. Examples are tango, waltz, and *anger*. - **Ballet:** Is a type of dance which originated in the royal courts of the Medieval era. It may be a solo or concerted performance on stage accompanied by music. A ballet is generally built around a theme or story. Examples are *Swan Lake* and *The Nutcracker*. - **Social or ballroom dances:** Are sometimes called contemporary or interpretive dances. They represent a rebellion against the classical formalism of ballet. These dances emphasize personal communication of moods and themes and is strongly influenced by societal trends in music. Examples are hip-hop, and the popular dance known as *line dancing*. - **Musical comedy (musical):** Refers to those dances performed by one dancer or a group of dancers in theaters, night clubs, motion pictures, and television. It combines various forms of ballet, modern tap, and acrobatics. ## Drama and Theater Drama is a genre of literature that is intended to be acted-out or performed on stage in front of an audience. Once the drama is performed, then it becomes a theatrical presentation. As an art form, drama underwent great evolution, which began in the amphitheaters of Athens of Ancient Greece. Drama is one of the most important forms of art because it brings together a combination of almost all of the art forms. This is a combined art that mostly includes music, dance, and is repeated, and oftentimes travels different places, thus ensuring its continued existence. #### **Genres of Drama** - **Tragedy:** Is one of literature's greatest dramatic genres. It is drama that presents life as solemn and serious. In a tragedy, the central character, the hero (or heroine), who is admired at the first part, later becomes arrogant and not worthy at all. This character flaw is the reason why he comes to some sad or disastrous end. But, before the end comes for the hero, however, there is a moment