There are different forms of art which affect our emotions and feelings. This article will attempt to discuss the different art forms that make our life more enriching.
It is through art that we can communicate to the world our inner feelings and our creativity that only exists within our mind. Art has many forms; from visual arts to performing arts. Many great civilizations and cultures are perceived to be great because they were advanced in the arts. The strength and culture of an entire nation or civilization rests upon how rich the art of that particular country or civilization is. There are different forms of art like painting, sculpture, literature, architecture, music, dance, theater, photography and films.
Whatever form of art we see, its main characteristic is that it is pleasing to the senses. It expresses the feelings and emotions of the artist and it can be interpreted in different ways by different people. Any type of art, essentially tells a story. It is a form of communication with another human being that is indirect but deeply profound. Art has a tendency to deeply move our souls and most masterpieces that we see in museums are a silent testimony to that.
Visual Arts
Visual art can be defined as a form of art that uses any medium to represent the artist’s idea, emotion and imagination. Visual art, like paintings, sculptures and architecture have evolved with time and different periods saw the emergence of different art movements. The most famous art movements and styles are Impressionism, cubism, surrealism, expressionism, favism, art noveu, realism and relativism.
Drawing is a representation of any form or object by hand through the medium of pencil, pen, charcoal, etc. Drawings are not necessarily a depiction of what we see around us. A drawing can also be abstract, illustrating certain emotions and ideas that are in the mind of the artist and which are open to interpretation.
There are many drawing and sketching techniques and what an artist uses depends upon his skills and preferences.
Paintings are classified according to the style in which they are made as well as the genre and main object of the painting. Still life, landscapes, seascapes, abstract and pop art are the different types of painting genres that are popular among artists.
Moreover, the kind of medium used for the painting like oil colors, pastels, water colors, charcoal and the surface that it is painted on, whether it is canvas or paper has a bearing on how the painting would look.
Sculptures are also among the different art forms that falls under visual art. Sculptures can be defined as a three-dimensional art form that uses materials like clay, stone or wood for its execution.
Sculptures are essentially made in two ways. Either they are formed bit by bit into a particular shape and structure as it is in the case of a clay sculpture or it is chiseled and carved from a block of wood or a piece of stone. There are many clay sculpture ideas that an amateur can take inspiration from while attempting to make a sculpture.
The art of writing letters in a manner that it looks visually appealing is defined as calligraphy. Calligraphy is a form of visual art that has great commercial value and is much sought after.
For calligraphy, a special calligraphy pen with a flat nib or brushes dipped in paint is often used. There are many calligraphy styles and usually it takes months of training and skill to learn these calligraphy alphabets and styles.
Photography is the art of producing an image of an object on a photographic film. The way the image is captured with the use of light differs from photographer to photographer. There are different types of photography, from fashion photography, wildlife photography, food photography to wedding photography and more.
Applied Art
Applied art is a part of visual art and it can be defined as art that has practical application as well as functionality.
Architecture is a form of applied art and Johann Wolfgang Van rightly said that “Architecture is frozen music”. Architecture can be classified as commercial or applied art. Designing and building any construction might seem to be a marvel of science, but good architectural design is actually a form of art.
An architectural design should not only be functional but also aesthetically pleasing. There are different architectural styles from Colonial, Victorian, French Colonial, Spanish to the modern ones.
Fashion design is the art of designing apparel that are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Fashion design involves working with different types of fabrics and patterns which are then designed into garments.
Jewelry design is also a different form of art and it involves the design of intricate pieces of jewelry from metals, wood or plastic. Metals that are primarily used for designing jewelry are gold, silver, platinum, copper, etc. Jewelry design also incorporates precious and semi precious stones for its execution.
Any object that is made with wood that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well as functional is called wood crafts. Furniture and decor items are examples of woodworking. Design can be curved on wood or different wood pieces can be joined together in wood craft.
The art of planning the design, layout and style of an architectural space, be it home or office is called interior design. Interior designing includes furnishings, furniture placement, layout of the interiors and many other factors.
Visual art is a highly evolved one and there are many people who are masters in their field. How can anyone not be moved by looking at Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or the beautiful Water Lilies painting by Claude Monet. Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh, Raphael, Salvador Dali and John Constable are some notable names in the field of paintings and sculpture.
Performing Arts
Of all the different forms of art, performing arts is much appreciated and enjoyed by people – dance, music, opera, films, theater, drama , magic shows and stand up comedies. Artists that perform these arts are known by the type of art that they have perfected. Singers, actors, comics, magicians, dancers and musicians are all people who do these performing arts.
Moving the body in a particular sequence to music is called dancing and there are many forms of dance. A particular dance form can be from a particular region or country that has the steps and movement to a particular type of music prevalent there.
Dance is a kind of non verbal communication and movement of the body is aesthetically pleasing and harmonious. Both classical as well as modern dance are different forms of performing art.
— Ballet Dancing
— Ballroom Dancing
— Salsa Dancing
— Tango Dancing
— Line Dancing
— Tap Dancing
— Belly Dancing
— Latin Dancing
— Flamenco Dancing
— Hip Hop Dance
The act of producing sound with the voice in a rhythmic manner so as to be pleasing to the ear is known as singing. Singing is often accompanied by the use of musical instruments. There are different singing styles ranging from operatic, classical, modern, country, pop, etc.
There are many famous singers in the world who have incredible talent and voice quality. Learning to sing takes a lot of dedication and effort and only the truly talented can attain great heights of fame.
A form of performing art is theater and films. Both theater and films use stories that capture the imagination of people. It is also a good form of entertainment. Opera, carnivals, circus, magic shows and concerts are also different art forms that are performing in nature.
Theater as a form of art has evolved from medieval times to become one of the best mode of entertainment. Theater artists perform in front of an audience and there are various forms of theater that are performed across different regions of the world. In films, a story is revealed that is enacted by actors and has elements of dance and music to give people a complete entertainment package.
One of the most difficult art forms to define, music is also one of the most admired art forms. Any harmonious sound either vocal or produced from a musical instrument can be defined as music. But music is so much more than that. Music has the power to change our mood, lift our spirits and emotionally move us.
There are different types of music from rock music, country music, jazz and soul.
— Blues Music
— Classical Music
— Country Music
— Gospel Music
— Indie Music
— Indie Rock
— Rock Music
— Rock and Roll
— Rap Music
— Soul Music
Art is symbolic representation of ideas and thoughts. It has the power to move us. Different art forms work are an expression of the feelings, imagination and creativity of an individual. Art knows no boundaries and the different art forms are always of help whenever we feel the need to stimulate our senses.