1. Art in your world What is art? A work of art is the visual expression of an idea or experience. Visual arts include many types of media. It is used to communicate with others in a way that goes beyond words. To understand a work of art, one must develop the ability to perceive. To perceive is to become deeply aware, through the senses, of the particular nature of a visual object. People create art to serve many functions. (1) They create art to express personal feelings. (2) They use art to express the identity of a family, a community or a civilization. (3) Often artists create art to express their spiritual beliefs. (4) Some artists use new ideas and technologies to give functional objects, such as cars and buildings, new and interesting shapes. (5) Artists often create art to teach people. This book will help you understand and recognize all visual arts. Why do artists create? The desire to create art is universal. Artists are creative individuals who use their imagination and skills to communicate in visual form. They are driven by their sense of wonder and curiosity. However, the impulses that drive artists to create vary. Different artists can represent the same event or idea in very different ways. Artists get their ideas from many different sources. (1) Some artists, like the landscape painters of the Hudson River School, draw their ideas from nature. (2) Other artists draw inspiration from real-world people and events. (3) Many artists interpret myths and legends in their works. (4) In every culture, art is used to express spiritual and religious beliefs. (5) Many artists develop creative techniques to create their art. For example, Jackson Pollock expressed his personal feelings by creating a new technique: dripping paint onto a canvas (Figure 1.13, page 14)....... middle of paper ......) Description: Ask, when, where, and by whom was the work created. You can get the basic information from the credit line, but you will need to do more in-depth research to find out more about the artist. (2) Analysis: Ask: What is the style of the work? Can the work be associated with an artistic movement? To analyze an artist's individual style, look at how the artist uses the elements and principles of art to express personal feelings and ideas, and compare several works by the same artist. (3) Interpretation: Ask yourself how did time and place affect the artist's style in terms of subject matter, composition, and content? Learn about the artist's life and environment and which other artists influenced him. (4) Judgment: Now ask yourself whether this work is significant in art history. For clues, you can read what art historians say about the artist and make your own assessment..