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100% Art Appreciation and Techniques

Purpose of Course

This course is an exploration of visual art forms and their cultural connections for the student with little experience in the visual arts.  It includes a brief study of art history and in depth studies of the elements, media, and methods used in creative processes and thought.  In this course, students will learn how to develop a five-step system for understanding visual art in all forms based on:

1) Description: Explaining a work of art from an objective point of view, its physical attributes, and formal construction.

2) Analysis: A detailed look at a work of art that combines physical attributes with subjective statements based on the viewer’s reaction to the work.

3) Context: Any historical, religious, or environmental information that surrounds a particular work of art and which helps to understand the work’s meaning.

4) Meaning: A statement of the work’s content.  A message or narrative expressed by the subject matter.

5) Judgment: A critical point of view about a work of art concerning its aesthetic or cultural value.

After completing this course, students will be able to interpret works of art based on this five-step system of analysis; explain the processes involved in artistic production, themes, and the political, social, cultural, and aesthetic issues that artists examine in their work; and explain the role and effect of the visual arts in societies, history, and other world cultures.

Note that this course is an alternative to ARTH101A, and that you may choose to take either ARTH101A or ARTH101B in order to learn the basics of Art Appreciation and Techniques.  These courses cover the same material, but in a slightly different way.

This course has been developed through a partnership with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Unless otherwise noted, all materials are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. The Saylor Foundation has modified some materials created by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in order to best serve our users.

Learning Outcomes  showclose

Course Requirements  showclose

Course Overview Expand Resources Collapse Resources

• Unit 1
• Unit 2
• Unit 3
• Unit 4
• Unit 5
• Unit 6
• Unit 7
• Unit 8
• All Units

Unit Outline show close

Unit 1: Definitions, Artistic Roles, and Visual Thinking  

How would you define “art?”  For many people, art is a specific thing: a painting, sculpture, or photograph, a dance, a poem, or a play.  Art is uniquely human and tied directly to culture.  As an expressive medium, it allows us to experience sublime joy, deep sorrow, confusion, and clarity.  It gives voice to ideas and feelings, connects us to the past, reflects the present, and anticipates the future.  Visual art is a rich and complex subject whose definition is in flux as the culture around it changes.  This unit examines how art is defined and the different ways it functions in societies and cultures.

Unit 1 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 1 Learning Outcomes   show close


• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #1: Expose Yourself to Art”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #1: Expose Yourself to Art” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment to think about your previous exposure to art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Introduction"

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Introduction" (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Introduction.”  Please read this short introduction that discusses how ‘art’ is defined.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #2: A Definition for Art”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #2: A Definition for Art” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment thinking about how you define “art.”

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.1 Form and Content  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Form and Content"

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Form and Content" (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Form and Content.”  Please read this short introduction that discusses the difference between form and content and their importance when looking at art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.2 Aesthetics  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Aesthetics"

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Aesthetics" (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Aesthetics.”  Please read this short text about what Aesthetics is and how it relates to works of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.3 Subjective and Objective Perspectives  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Subjective and Objective Perspectives"

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Subjective and Objective Perspectives" (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Subjective and Objective Perspectives.”  Please read this brief overview that explains the difference between a subjective and an objective perspective.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.4 Artistic Roles  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Artistic Roles”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Artistic Roles” (PDF)
  
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Artistic Roles.”  Please read this brief overview that explains the different roles that art can perform.   This reading covers materials for sub-subunits 1.5.1-1.5.2. 

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.4.1 Ritual  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.4.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Ritual.”

1.4.2 Description  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.5.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Description.”

1.4.3 Enhancing our World  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.4.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Enhancing Our World.”

1.4.4 Storytelling  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.4.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Storytelling.”

1.4.5 Spirit, Myth, and Fantasy  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.4.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Spirit, Myth, and Fantasy.”

1.5 Artistic Categories  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Artistic Categories"

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Artistic Categories" (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Artistic Categories.”  Please read this section in its entirety, including the material under the subheadings, “Fine Art,” “Popular Culture,” and “Decorative Arts” as an introduction to different artistic categories.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 1.5.1-1.5.3.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.5.1 Fine Art  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.5.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Fine Art.”

1.5.2 Pop Art  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.5.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Popular Culture.”

1.5.3 Decorative Arts  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.5.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Decorative Arts.”

1.6 Artistic Styles  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Artistic Styles”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Artistic Styles” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Artistic Styles.”  Please read this section in its entirety, including the material under the subheadings, “Naturalistic,” “Abstract,” and “Non-objective” to learn about different artistic styles.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 1.6.1, 1.6.2, and 1.6.3.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.6.1 Naturalistic  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.6..  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Naturalistic.”

1.6.2 Abstract  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Abstract.”

1.6.3 Non-objective  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 1.6.  Focus specifically on the text beginning with “Non-objective.”

1.7 Cultural Styles  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Cultural Styles”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Cultural Styles” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Cultural Styles.”  Please read this section in its entirety to learn about cultural styles of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #1”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Art Appreciation: Worksheet #1” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills you have learned so far.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

1.8 Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Ideas of Perception and Visual Awareness.  Please read this section that discusses the elements and importance of visual awareness when looking at a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #1: Style, Form, and Content”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #1: Style, Form, and Content” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment to review the major themes covered in this unit.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 2: Process and Training  

This unit explores the artistic process and the art industry surrounding it: from individual artists turning ideas into works of art to collaborative creative projects, public art, and the viewer.

Unit 2 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 2 Learning Outcomes   show close


• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #3: The Artistic Process”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #3: The Artistic Process” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this short assignment, answering questions about what you think about artists and the artistic process.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

2.1 The Artistic Process  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "The Artistic Process”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "The Artistic Process” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Artistic Process.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the elements involved in creating a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

2.2 The Individual Artist  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "The Individual Artist”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "The Individual Artist” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Individual Artist.”  Please read these texts as an introduction to how some artists work.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #4: Art: 21”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #4: Art: 21” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment in which you will listen to what artists have to say about their work and the artistic process.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

2.3 Artistic Training Methods  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Becoming an Artist: Training”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Becoming an Artist: Training” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Becoming an Artist: Training.”  Please read this text to understand the ways that people have historically trained to be an artist and how people become artists today.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

2.4 Art as Social Activity  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Art as Social Activity”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' "Art as Social Activity” (PDF)
  
  

  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Art as Social Activity.”  Historically, many artworks were not created by one person and production of art in the contemporary world is also often the result of the work of groups of people.  Read this text as an introduction to how artists collaborate with themselves as well as non-artists when producing works of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #2”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #2” (PDF)

   

  Instructions: Please complete this assignment in which you compare works done by an individual artist to those that are collaborative endeavors.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 3: How Art Works: The Elements and Principles of Visual Language  

In this unit, you will begin to learn the terms that are used to describe and analyze any work of art and explore the principles of design—the means by which the elements in a work of art are arranged and orchestrated.   Just as spoken language is based on fundamental letters, sounds, and grammar, visual art is based on elements and principles that, when used together, create works that communicate ideas and meaning to the viewer.  We can refer to them as the building blocks of an artwork’s composition—the organized layout of an image or object, according to the principles of design.

Unit 3 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 3 Learning Outcomes   show close


3.1 Artistic Elements  

3.1.1 The Point  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of the Point”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of the Point” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of the Point.”  Please read this short text about what a point is and how it is used in a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.2 Definitions and Qualities of the Line  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Line”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Line” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Line.”  Please read this text about different kinds of lines and how they can be used to create works of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.3 Shapes and Figure/Ground Relationships  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Shape”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Shape” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Shape.”  Please read this text that defines what a shape is and how shapes are used to animate figure-ground relationships in artworks.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.4 Mass  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Mass”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Mass” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Mass.”  Please read this text that defines what mass is and its significance to two and three-dimensional works of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.5 Space and Perspective  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Space”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Space” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Space.”  Please read this text that introduces the different kinds of space that artists represent in their works and the different perspectives they use when creating artworks.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.6 Value  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Value”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Value” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Value.”  Please read this text that discusses what the term value relates to when talking about an artwork and how it is used when creating a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.7 Color: Its Qualities and Combination  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Color”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Color” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Color.”  Please read this text that discusses the relevance, use, and function of color in the creation of a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.1.8 Texture  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Texture”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Element of Texture” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Element of Texture.”  Please read this text that defines what texture is and how it can be used in two and three-dimensional works of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #6”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation:  “Discussion Question #6” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment by applying the artistic elements you have learned in this unit.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #3: The Formalist Method”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #3: The Formalist Method” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, which asks you to complete a formal analysis of a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #2: Translating an Image”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #2: Translating an Image” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills you have learned in this class so far.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 3 Quiz: The Elements of Art”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 3 Quiz: The Elements of Art” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2 The Principles of Design  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Artistic Principles: Introduction”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Artistic Principles: Introduction” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please read the first few paragraphs of this text as an introduction to the Principles of Design.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.1 Visual Balance  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Balance”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Balance” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Balance.”  Please read this text that discusses how balance can be used to organize and plan artistic elements to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.  This reading covers the topics outlined in sub-subunits 3.2.1.1-3.2.1.3.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.1.1 Symmetry  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 3.2.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Symmetry.”

3.2.1.2 Asymmetry  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 3.2.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Symmetry.”

3.2.1.3 Radial Balance  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 3.2.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Radial Balance.”

3.2.2 Repetition  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Repetition”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Repetition” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Repetition.”  Please read this text that discusses how repetition can be used to organize and plan artistic elements to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.3 Scale and Proportion  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Scale and Proportion”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Scale and Proportion” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Scale and Proportion.”  Please read this text that discusses how scale and proportion can be used to organize and plan artistic elements to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.4 Emphasis  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Emphasis”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Emphasis” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Emphasis.”  Please read this text that discusses how emphasis can be used to organize and plan artistic elements to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.5 Time and Motion  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Time and Motion”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Time and Motion” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Time and Motion.”  Please read this text that discusses how time and motion can be used to organize and plan artistic elements to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

3.2.6 Unity and Variety  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Unity and Variety”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Unity and Variety” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Unity and Variety.”  Please read this text that discusses how unity and variety can be used to create a work of art that holds interest and commands attention.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #7: Objective Description of Artistic Principles”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #7: Objective Description of Artistic Principles” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills you have learned in this class so far.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #4”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #4” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills you have learned in this class so far.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #3: Compare and Contrast”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #3: Compare and Contrast” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment using the interpretive skills you have learned in this class so far.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 4 Quiz: The Principles of Art”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 4 Quiz: The Principles of Art” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 4: How Art Speaks: Finding Meaning  

Art, by its nature, asks questions and holds meaning.  It explains ideas, uncovers truths, manifests what is beautiful, and tells stories.  Up until now we have been looking at artworks through the most immediate of visual effects: what we see in front of our eyes.  In this unit, we will begin to break down some barriers to find specific meaning in art, including those of different styles and cultures.

Unit 4 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 4 Learning Outcomes   show close


• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #8: Form and Content”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #8: Form and Content” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment as an introduction to the relationship between form and content.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.1 Introduction: Objective vs. Subjective Meaning  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “How We See: Objective and Subjective Means”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “How We See: Objective and Subjective Means”(PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “How We See: Objective and Subjective Means.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the difference between objective and subjective viewing.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.2 The First Level of Meaning: Formal  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The First Level of Meaning: Formal”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The First Level of Meaning: Formal” (PDF)

   

  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The First Level of Meaning: Formal.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the formal level of meaning in artworks.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.3 The Second Level of Meaning: Subject  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Second Level of Meaning: Subject”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Second Level of Meaning: Subject” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Second Level of Meaning: Subject.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the different categories of ideas that have been represented by artists.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.4 The Third Level of Meaning: Context  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Third Level of Meaning: Context”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Third Level of Meaning: Context” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Third Level of Meaning: Context.”  Please read this text that highlights the importance of understanding the context in which art is made. 

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #5: Style, Form, and Context”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #5: Style, Form, and Context” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment that highlights the important role that style, form, and context plays in interpreting a work of art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.5 The Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography” (PDF)

   

  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Fourth Level of Meaning: Iconography.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the field of iconography.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.6 Critical Perspectives  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Critical Perspectives”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Critical Perspectives” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Critical Perspectives.”  Please read this entire text, which focuses on different types of art criticism.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 4.6.1-4.6.6.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

4.6.1 Structural Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Structural Criticism.”

4.6.2 Deconstructive Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Deconstructive Criticism.”

4.6.3 Formalist Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Formalist Criticism.”

4.6.4 Ideological Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Ideological Criticism.”

4.6.5 Psychoanalytic Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Psychoanalytic Criticism.”

4.6.6 Feminist Criticism  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 4.6.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Feminist Criticism.”

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s Art Appreciation: “Assignment #4: Everyone’s a Critic”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s Art Appreciation: “Assignment #4: Everyone’s a Critic” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment in which you will attempt to apply each of the critical perspectives that you have learned in this unit.  Are some of the critical perspectives more applicable than others with the work you have chosen?  Why do you think this might be?

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 5: Artistic Media  

Artists find ways to express themselves with almost anything available.  It is a stamp of their creativity to make extraordinary images and objects from various, but fairly ordinary, materials.  From charcoal, paper, and thread to paint, ink, and found objects like leaves, artists continue to search for ways to construct and deliver their message.  In this unit, we look at artworks created from two and three-dimensional media and arts made using different types of cameras.

Unit 5 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 5 Learning Outcomes   show close


5.1 Two-Dimensional Media  

5.1.1 Drawing  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College's “Drawing”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College's “Drawing” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Drawing.”  Please read this entire text that focuses on drawing and the different types of drawing media.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 5.1.1.1 and 5.1.1.2.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #9: The Fantastic Disappearing Drawing!”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #9: The Fantastic Disappearing Drawing!” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment thinking about artistic issues related to drawing in particular and the creative process in general.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.1.1.1 Dry Media  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Dry Media.”

5.1.1.1.1 Graphite  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath “Graphite” in the “Dry Media” section.

5.1.1.1.2 Charcoals  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath “Charcoals” in the “Dry Media” section.

5.1.1.1.3 Pastel  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.1.  Focus specifically on the text underneath “Pastels” in the “Dry Media” section.

5.1.1.2 Wet Media  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.1.   Focus specifically on the text underneath the heading “Wet Media.”

5.1.2 Painting  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Painting”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Painting” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Painting.”  Please read this entire text that focuses on the six most common mediums used in paintings.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 5.1.2.1-5.1.2.6.

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5.1.2.1 Encaustic  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.   Focus specifically on the text that begins with “1. Encaustic.”

5.1.2.2 Tempera  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “2. Tempera.”

5.1.2.3 Fresco  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “3. Fresco.”

5.1.2.4 Acrylic  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “4. Acrylic.”

5.1.2.5 Oil  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “5. Oil.”

5.1.2.6 Watercolor  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.2.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “6. Watercolor.”

5.1.3 Printmaking  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Printmaking”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Printmaking” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Printmaking.”  Please read this entire text about the different kinds of printmaking.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 5.1.3.1-5.1.3.4.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.1.3.1 Relief Printing  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Relief Printing.”

5.1.3.2 Intaglio Printing  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Intaglio Printing.”

5.1.3.3 Etched Printing  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Etched Printing.”

5.1.3.4 Planar Printing  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Planar Printing.”

5.1.4 Collage  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Collage”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Collage” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Collage.”  Please read this text that focuses on the medium of collage.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet 6: The Medium is the Message”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet 6: The Medium is the Message” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment in which you will focus on thinking about how different medium dictate what artists can express.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Module 6 Quiz: Two-Dimensional Media”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Module 6 Quiz: Two-Dimensional Media” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2 The Camera Arts  

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #10: Here a Photo, There a Photo, Everywhere a Photo”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #10: Here a Photo, There a Photo, Everywhere a Photo” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment as an introduction to the camera arts by thinking about how you take and use photographs.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.1 Early Development  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Early Development”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Early Development” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Early Development.”  Please read this text that outlines the early development of photography.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.2 Photography’s Impact on Traditional Media  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Impact on Other Media”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Impact on Other Media” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Impact on Other Media.”  Please read this text that discusses the impact photography has had on the development of other artistic media.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.3 Issues of Form and Content  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Form and Content”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Form and Content”(PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Form and Content.”  Please read this text that discusses issues related to the form and content of photography and its development as an art form.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.4 Darkroom Processes  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Darkroom Processes”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Darkroom Processes” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Darkroom Processes.”  Please read this text that discusses the difficulties inherent in photography and the different processes that take place in a darkroom.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.5 The Human Element  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Human Element”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “The Human Element” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “The Human Element.”  Please read this text that discusses the importance of and issues related to the role of the human element in photography.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.6 Color Images  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Color Images”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Color Images” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Color Images.”  Please read this text as an introduction to color photography.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.7 Photojournalism  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Photojournalism”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Photojournalism” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Photojournalism.”  Please read this text as an introduction to photojournalism.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.8 Modern Developments  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Developments”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Developments” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Modern Developments.”  Please read this text as an introduction to modern developments in photography.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.2.9 Time-based Mediums: Motion Pictures, Video, and Digital  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Time-based Media: Film, Video, and Digital”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Time-based Media: Film, Video, and Digital” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Time-based Media: Film, Video, and Digital.”  Please read this text as an introduction to film, video art, and the impact computers and digital technology has had on the visual arts.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #11: Film Study”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #11: Film Study” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment thinking about the medium of film and your experiences with it.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Assignment #5: Four Photos, Four Meanings”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ Art Appreciation: “Assignment #5: Four Photos, Four Meanings” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 7 Quiz: The Camera Arts”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 7 Quiz: The Camera Arts” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3 Three-Dimensional Art  

5.3.1 Definitions and Processes  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Definition,” “Processes,” and “Sculpture”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Definition,” “Processes,” and “Sculpture” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Definition.”  Please read these short texts to learn the definition of three-dimensional art and sculpture as well as the processes involved in their production.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.2 Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media: Freestanding and Relief  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Types of Sculpture and Other Three-Dimensional Media.” Please read this text as an introduction to the different types of sculpture and three-dimensional media.  

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.3 Methods  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Methods”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ “Methods” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Methods.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the major methods that artists use to produce three-dimensional works of art.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 5.3.3.1–5.3.3.4.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.3.1 Carving  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.3.3.  Focus specifically on the text that begins “1. Carving.”

5.3.3.2 Casting  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.3.3.  Focus specifically on the text that begins “2. Casting.”

5.3.3.3 Modeling  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.3.3.  Focus specifically on the text that begins “3. Modeling.”

5.3.3.4 Construction/Assemblage  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.3.3.  Focus specifically on the text that begins with “Construction or Assemblage.”

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #12: Form and Content”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: Discussion Question #12: Form and Content” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.4 Modern Variations of Three-Dimensional Media  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Variations”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Variations” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Modern Variations.”  Please read this text as an introduction to installation and performance art, two modern variations of three-dimensional media.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 5.3.4.1 and 5.3.4.2.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.4.1 Installation Art  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Installation Art.”

5.3.4.2 Performance Art  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under sub-subunit 5.1.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Performance Art.”

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Workshop #8: The Expansion of Time and Space”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Workshop #8: The Expansion of Time and Space” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

5.3.5 Decorative Arts  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Decorative Arts” and “Product Design”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Decorative Arts” and “Product Design” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Decorative Arts.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the Decorative Arts.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 8 Quiz: Three Dimensional Media”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Module 8 Quiz: Three Dimensional Media” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 6: Architecture  

This unit explores architecture, its history, and relation to visual art.  Architecture is the art and science of designing structures and spaces for human use.  Architectural design in itself is an art form realized through considerations of spatial design and aesthetics.  Related to sculpture, architecture creates three-dimensional objects that occupy a given space and create a visual relationship with the area surrounding them.

Unit 6 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 6 Learning Outcomes   show close


6.1 What Is Architecture?  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Introduction”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Introduction” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Introduction.”  Please read this text as an introduction to architecture.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.2 Traditional Methods and Materials  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Traditional Methods and Materials”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Traditional Methods and Materials” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Traditional Methods and Materials.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the traditional architectural methods and materials.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #13: Personal Response to Buildings”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #13: Personal Responses to Buildings” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment which asks you to think about your personal responses to several buildings.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.3 Architecture in China and the Far East  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Architecture in China and the Far East”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Architecture in China and the Far East” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Architecture in China and the Far East.”  Please read this text as an introduction to Chinese and East Asian architecture.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.4 Cross-Cultural Influences  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Cross-Cultural Influences”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Cross-Cultural Influences” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Cross-Cultural Influences.”  Please read this text about several examples of cross-cultural influences in architecture.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.5 Architecture and the Industrial Revolution  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Architecture and the Industrial Revolution”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Architecture and the Industrial Revolution” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Architecture and the Industrial Revolution.”  Please read this text as an introduction to architectural developments connected to the Industrial Revolution.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.6 Modern Architecture: A New Language  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Architecture: A New Language”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Modern Architecture: A New Language” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Modern Architecture: A New Language.”  Please read this text as an introduction to the Modern architecture. 

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.7 Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Post-Modern and Contemporary Architecture.”  Please read this text as an introduction to Postmodern and Contemporary architecture.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #14: The Visual Environment: Urban Design”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #14: The Visual Environment: Urban Design” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

6.8 Green Architecture  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Green Architecture”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Green Architecture” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Green Architecture.”  Please read this text as an introduction to Green architecture.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet 9: Gone Green”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet 9: Gone Green” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assessment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Module 9 Quiz: Architecture”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Module 9 Quiz: Architecture” (HTML)
   
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam.  If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 7: Our World: Nature, the Body, Identity, Sexuality, Politics, and Power  

In this unit, we will look at how artists express and interpret our world.  If nothing else, visual art provides an avenue for self-expression. As a primary source, artists express attitudes, feelings, and sentiments about the world around us through personal experiences, social interaction, and our relationship with the natural world.  In short, art gives us a perception of and a reaction to our place in the world.  In Unit 1, we referred to description as one of many roles art affords us, but this description is often imbued with the artist’s subjective interpretation.  In this unit, we will examine how art operates as a vehicle for human expression, a kind of collective visual metaphor that helps define who we are.

Unit 7 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 7 Learning Outcomes   show close


7.1 Identity  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Identity”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Identity” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Identity.”  Please read this text as an introduction to how art can be used to express identity.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.2 Self-Portraits  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Self-Portraits”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Self-Portraits” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Self-Portraits.”  Please read this text that discusses different examples of self-portraits.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.3 The Natural World  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Nature”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Nature” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Nature.”  Please read this text as an introduction to how the natural world has been a source of inspiration to artists throughout time.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #15: Nature and Technology”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #15: Nature and Technology” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.4 Social and Collaborative Art  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Social and Collaborative Art”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Social and Collaborative Art” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Social and Collaborative Art.”  Please read this text about the social role art can play and several examples of collaborative art.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.5 Politics, Conflict, and War  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Politics, Conflict, and War”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Politics, Conflict, and War” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Politics, Conflict, and War.”  Please read this text about several examples of works of art related to the themes of politics, conflict, and war.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.6 Memorials  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Memorials”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Memorials” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Memorials.”  Please read this text about examples of different memorials.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

7.7 Peace  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Peace”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Peace” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Peace.”  Please read this text as an introduction to works of art that are related to the themes of peace and tranquility.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #10: Compare and Contrast: Form and Content”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #10: Compare and Contrast: Form and Content” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #6: The Virtual Museum”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Assignment #6: The Virtual Museum” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment in which you create a virtual museum.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Unit 8: Other Worlds: Mortality, the Spirit, and Fantasy  

Humans use art to capture the form of ideas about worlds outside of our own.  Art is often a vehicle for myth or how we understand and explain concepts of a spirit world.  Cultures use iconography to symbolize abstract ideas like dreams, love, power, and emotion, and cultures call on the artist to create them.  Art also plays a significance role in ritual and ceremony.  In this unit, we will see how art makes tangible things that inhabit the realm of human thoughts, beliefs, and imagination.

Unit 8 Time Advisory   show close


Unit 8 Learning Outcomes   show close


8.1 Myths  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Myths”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Myths” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Myths.”  Please read this text that discusses examples of art that represent mythological figures.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

8.2 Dreams  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Dreams”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Dreams” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Dreams.”  Please read this text that discusses examples of artwork, depicting the world of dreams.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

8.3 Spirituality  

• Reading: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Spirituality”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Spirituality” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Scroll down to the section titled “Spirituality.”  Please read this entire section that discusses different examples of artwork, depicting spiritual themes.  This reading covers the topics outlined for sub-subunits 8.3.1-8.3.4.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

8.3.1 Christian  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 8.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Christian.”

8.3.2 Islamic  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 8.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Islamic.”

8.3.3 Buddhist  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 8.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “Buddhist.”

8.3.4 African  

Note: This topic is covered by the reading under subunit 8.3.  Focus specifically on the text under the heading “African.”

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #16: Art and the Spirit”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Discussion Question #16: Art and the Spirit” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #11: Comparing Costume and Decoration”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Art Appreciation: “Worksheet #11: Comparing Costume and Decoration” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

Final Exam  

• Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation's ARTH101B Final Exam

  Link: The Saylor Foundation's ARTH101B Final Exam
  
  Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!

• Assignment: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Final Essay”

  Link: The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' “Final Essay” (PDF)
   
  Instructions: Please complete this assignment, using the interpretive skills that you have learned so far in this class.

  See a broken link? Please let us know!