I enjoyed meeting many of you this semester. I received numerous questions about what is art. A lot of people in the Tri-Valley seem to be familiar with drawing or cartooning as "art." Drawing is only one aspect of art. It is like the undergarment of a painting or sculpture. Mastering how to paint and how to get ideas and concepts across to the audience are lifelong goals for painters. Masterpieces are created after many years of hard work. Museums and galleries exhibit mostly paintings, not drawings. The rise of modern art (1860’s-1970’s) made drawing secondary to painting. The focus became totally on painting, concept, experimentation and expression.
Cartooning and illustration is not part of fine arts. It falls under the category of commercial art. There is a clear separation in education of fine arts and commercial art. These two disciplines are offered at different art colleges or in different departments at universities. However, the commercial artists are required to take the foundation classes in the fine arts department before going onto graphic art, animation, industrial design, or illustration. I would also like to clarify the meaning of fine arts.
Fine arts describe any art form developed primarily for aesthetics rather than utility. This type of art is often expressed in the production of art objects using visual and performing art forms, including painting, printmaking, sculpture, dance, theatre, and photography. The word "fine" does not so much denote the quality of the artwork in question, but the purity of the discipline. Schools, institutes, and other organizations still use the term to indicate a traditional perspective on the art forms, often implying an association with classic or academic art.
Fine arts is the opposite of commercial art. The ´École des Beaux-Arts in France was the first prominent fine arts academy in Europe, established in the early 1600’s. Many art school in Europe emulated this model. The roots of fine arts date back to classical Greek/Roman period. Imagery from this particular period was appropriated throughout Western painting during the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo Classical periods. Rise of the Avant Garde led to a break from the use of Neo Classical images. The turning point is the history of Western Art occurred with Impressionism. This movement revolutionized the way of seeing and thinking about the role of painting. The Impressionist paved the way for art of the 20th century which is called Modern art. Contemporary art is from 1970s to today. Contemporary art is highly creative and advance. It requires a lot of training and art education. Contemporary art tends to be conceptual and often involves "installations." Modern and Contemporary art utilizes a wide variety of materials, such as the standard canvas, plant materials, food, found objects, and etc.. Any material can be made into art if given the right concept.
Fine arts is called visual arts which is classified as 2D and 3D art. This can also include performance art. Painting is the most recognized form of 2D art today. It has replaced sculpture as the most popular form of art in the 20th century. The umbrella of 2D art covers painting, printmaking, shaped canvases, drawing, pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, mixed media and collage. So when parents ask what I teach, I prefer to say 2D art. Beginning students of art need to learn the academic art before advancing to the modern or contemporary art. One must learn the rules of art before you can challenge and modify them.
Whether the student is in Art Discovery, Fundamentals of Drawing/Painting or Studio Art, the subjects covered for the beginning level is similar. Classes for high school students and adults are similar to college art classes. All age group will be engaged intellectually as well as technically. The most complete art education is like a tripod.
The three pillars of art education are :
1) the practice of art,
2) history of art,
3) theory of art.
Reputable colleges and universities teach fine arts in this manner. KLA upholds this approach to teaching art. However, the methodology of teaching is modified for the appropriate age group. For example, the scope and scale of a color theory study are simplified for younger age groups while preserving the integrity of the subject.
Sincerely,
Nalyne Lunati - Art Director/Owner