The Art of Seeing: Understanding What is Art

Learning Objective

By the end of the lesson, you should be able to define what is art, discuss different views on what constitutes art, and learn basic terminology used to study art.

This slide sets the tone for the rest of the lesson.

What do you already know about art?

What is Art?

Art is an expressive product made by an artist that communicates its expressiveness in some way.

Use this slide to introduce the concept of art and its definition.

Views on Art

There are different views on what constitutes art, including formalism, emotionalism, and instrumentalism.

Explain each view and give examples of each.

Terminology

To study art, it's important to know basic terminology such as design, proportion, balance, imagery, and controversy.

Define each term and give examples of how they are used in art.

Drawing Yourself

When drawing a portrait, there are five proportions to keep in mind to make the drawing look realistic.

Show a visual representation of the proportions and have students practice drawing themselves.

Proportions

The five proportions to remember when drawing a portrait are: eyes should be halfway down the head, nostril edges should align with tear ducts, space between eyes is roughly one eye width, average head is five eyes wide, and corners of mouth should line up with pupils.

Provide a visual representation of the proportions and have students practice drawing them.

Balance and Imagery

In art, balance is important for creating an aesthetically pleasing equilibrium in the arrangement or combination of elements. Imagery is expressive reproductions of images, persons, or things.

Give examples of how balance and imagery are used in art and have students analyze artwork for these elements.

Controversy in Art

Art can be controversial and spark discussions marked by the expression of opposing views.

Explore examples of controversial art and have students discuss their opinions on them.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.