art appreciation for dummies - or how to look at art if you’re not (yet) a connoisseur

do not just look

I have no doubt you've heard of people telling you to experience art or learn how to appreciate it. I know it may sound cryptic or too daunting a task for those who are uninitiated but yes, appreciating a work of art does not have to be that difficult and can be a very satisfying experience, if you know where or how to begin that is. A good starting point is knowing the main elements of art. These are: color, line, space and texture. (there are actually seven in all but in my opinion, the remaining three are too academic and technical at best). All these comprise the “ingredients” of art which the artist uses to express his feelings and/or ideas. Hence, to appreciate a work of art is no different from appreciating “food” the artist prepared --- we try to identify and savor each flavor that makes up the dish and then later decide if we are satisfied, we want more, or move on to dessert.

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the elements

     color

As it is the most easily observed element, color is the easiest to explore, unless one is color-blind of course. With color, one should pay attention to hue (i.e. blue, red, etc), its value (whether it is darker or lighter), and its intensity, that is, how vivid or pure the color is. All these qualities of color have a particular effect on the viewer and is seldom used randomly by the artist. Although certain colors have been associated with some ideas, like red with love, and blue with peace, each color has to be read as it relates to the rest of the colors and to the painting itself.

The images above, spliced from “Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” (1889) which completely appears at the beginning of this hub/blog, shows how color can be employed to express an idea or a feeling. The blue, in different values and intensities, of the sky and the land below dominates the whole work of art and is contrasted with the pale and bright yellow of the moon and stars. The blues, whites and yellows of the palette (i.e. range of colors used in any given work of art) give us a feeling of melancholy of a cold and starry night which I’m sure we have all experienced at some point in our lives. One cannot help but imagine how gloomy van Gogh must have been when he saw what he painted (or painted what he saw) based on the colors he used. And it’s interesting to note that, ironically, the presence of the glowing starts makes the whole landscape even darker.

     line

Lines in art are not just straight lines or curved lines per se. The straight and curved, thick and thin, clear and crisp or blurry lines make up a form and shows movement or its direction. Moreover, while vertical lines suggest strength and purpose, horizontal lines have a calming effect. Wavy lines, meanwhile, denote movement or vitality.

Van Gogh primarily used lines to define color and shape. In another detail above, he outlined the houses and the softly rolling hills lending them a more solid finish - sedated, tranquil and almost passive to the swirling clouds. A counterpoint, if you may. And perhaps, like the artist, the viewer can relate to the theme of being safe and secure in places we are familiar with while imagining things such as heavenly objects as almost abstract and even bordering on exaggeration. The movement of the clouds and the nonmovement of the houses below steal the viewer's eyes as he comes to grips with the emotions that have stolen his heart.

     space

Space in art is both the space taken by an object in an area (called the positive space) and the space around that object (called the negative space). Space creates a visual perspective and defines height, breadth and depth. A shape "takes shape" by using the space around it to define its edges while distance and three-dimentionality are achieved by manpulating the space occupied by an object through shading, blurring and degree of intensity.

The landscape in "The Starry Night" is generally seen from a linear perspective where the sizes of the objects are proportional to their distance from the viewer - the farther they are, the smaller they are. But that said, it's interesting to note space was used by the artist to highlight more than anything else. The enormity of the heavenly objects is magnified by the amount of space they occupy in the whole painting. Therefore, despite the obvious contrasting themes, it could be said that the peace below only comes in second to the, well, the starry night.

     texture

Texture is the visual feel of the surface of a painting (or sculpture). It is sensed (optically touched) through the brushstrokes or detailing.

Since the sky takes up more than half of the canvas, the texture of Van Gogh's painting could be described as primarily rough because he used lines of color that may seem unfinished and even harsh-looking. And again, as opposed to that, he used smoother texture for depicting the calm below.

more elements...

form is the element of art that is three-dimensional and encloses volume. Form may take on the appearance of spheres, cubes and cylinders.

shape is an enclosed space defined by other elements of ar like space or lines. Shapes may be one dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional objects.

value describes the level of lightness or darkness of a color. It is required to define volume.

...and the principles of art

emphasis is the point/s of interest that lead/s the observer's eyes that the artist wishes to highlight.

balance refers to the sense of equilibrium in a painting and is achieved by repeating similar shapes to create an appearance of equal weight.

harmony is created in a painting by using similar elements throughout the canvas to provide an a sense of uncomplicatedness.

variety is the observable differences in a painting. The artist achieves this by employing different elements - colors, textures, etc. in his work.

movement refers to the sense of activity going on in a paiting. It directs the observer's eyes to various points and thereby adds energy and excitement.

rhythm refers to a type of movement that is created by the presence of repeated colors and/or shapes. It is also achieved by putting lights and darks in an alternating fashion.

proportion or scale is the relationship between the objects in a painting and their size. It used to determine the largeness of smallness of the objects.

unity refers to the total appearane of a painting. It follows the tenet that all the parts should equal the whole. In other words, it is used to determine whether a painting appears disjointed and incoherent.

do’s and dont's

Do not touch a painting or any work of art for that matter, unless you are specifically told to do so (which seldom happens). Texture in art can be experienced merely by sight. Just think about how texture was achieved by the artist and why it looks the way it does.

Do not take pictures, unless allowed. Prints, postcards and books are usually available from museums and galleries. You can even have a t-shirt with your favorite work printed on it.

Ask questions. Gallery staff, except the security guards, are not there to guard against art thieves. They should be able to answer your questions. But remember, appreciating art can be and is usually done even without somebody else’s help.

Try to digest all available information placed somewhere near the painting and do some research about the artist, or his work, on your own if you are really interested.

Compare notes. If you are with somebody, ask what s/he thinks about the work of art you are looking at. It might surprise you how two people can feel differently about the same thing, say, a red box set against a white background, or how one work of art that is entirely pleasing to you is disliked by another.

If you have the time, and are up to it, make a habit of visiting galleries or museums. Visiting temporary exhibitions are especially, uh, special.

bewitched, bothered and bewildered

Don't become a worry wart when you think you don't or can't "follow" a painting. Remember that an "art experience" is not absolutely universal and may not create the same experience for everyone. What's more important is that there is at least an attempt to find a way to comprehend it by looking deeper into it. And when you think you "dig" it but don't actually fancy it, it's okay. Espousing a different view with regards to a work of art is generally a good response as it may enlighten you about yourself (and how you view the world around you) and the next person.

try appreciating titian's bacchus and ariadne (1520s)