STEP 2 > How is art made?

STEP 2: HOW IS ART MADE?

What are art mediums? Snisarenko describes how mediums have two overlapping meanings:

  • MEDIUM can refer to the TYPE and STYLE OF ART (drawing, painting, photo, print, sculpture, video); and

  • MEDIUM can also refer to the TOOLS and MATERIALS used to create a work of art (paint or inks, sculpting materials, fabric, glass, chalk pastels or pencils, and even sound or living people in some cases).

In a 2022 article titled, “Understanding the different art mediums,” the minted website explains how:

“A “medium” can refer to the materials used to make a work of art (such as clay, wood, paint, fabric, charcoal, etc.) and also refer to creation techniques such as sculpture, printmaking, watercolor, or pottery.”

And, Charlene Lewis, in her 2021 article titled, “Art Mediums - What Are the Different Types of Art Mediums?,” conveys how:

“A simple medium art definition would be the various tools and methods that artists used through the ages to create their works of art. From the early pigments created by cave dwellers to mark their hands on walls, through to the tools used for painting and drawing, and even including new formats of expression such as computer-generated graphic designs, humans have expressed themselves in a way that reflects the technological advancements of the era.”

Finally, the study.com website notes how:

“The medium that an artist chooses to work with contributes to both the style of the art and its meaning. It can also enhance the texture. Medium is not a neutral choice in artwork but rather a highly complex and codified one. To learn about art, it is important to understand how mediums are used and why.”

Artdex. “The Ultimate Guide on Different Art Mediums.”

Artflex. “33 Different Types of Art Mediums To Try.”

Video > Artdex. “[Artdex Helps]. “The Ultimate Guide on Different Art Mediums.” YouTube, 11 Jul 2020.

Video > Sotheby’s. “The Value of Art | Episode 9: Medium.” YouTube, 20 Dec 2016.

Video > jows hulk. “28 Works of Art Made Using Unusually Awesome Mediums.” YouTube, 12 Apr 2018.

TYPES OF ARTWORK

Collectors usually look to acquire works of various categories which Snisarenko discussed. Sinsarenko introduced the following as the most popular types of artwork placed in collections:

PAINTING

Sinsarenko described painting as “A visual art form that involves applying pigment to a surface, such as canvas or paper, to create a scene.” She noted how paintings can be FIGURATIVE or ABSTRACT:

  1. FIGURATIVE: an artwork that clearly represents or depicts recognizable objects, figures, or scenes. The artwork can include elements of realism, surrealism, expressionism, and other styles. It may be used to tell a story, create an emotional response in a viewer, explore complex topics, or capture a moment in time.

  2. ABSTRACT: a type of artwork that does not represent or depict any recognizable objects, figures, or scenes. Abstract artworks uses colours and shapes to express emotion and create meaning, allowing viewers to make their own interpretations of the artwork. Abstract artworks do not have explicit goals or messages, but encourages viewers to think more deeply about the work itself.

Video > Contemporary Art Issue. “British Contemporary Figurative Painting: 25 Artists in the 21st Century.” YouTube, 16 Dec 2021.

Sinsarenko described the materials used in painting as primarily including:

  1. SURFACES: canvas, paper, wood, fabric, and cardboard among other surfaces;

  2. PIGMENTS: oil, acrylic, watercolour, charcoal, pastel, spray paint, pencils, and markers among others; and

  3. APPLICATION TOOLS: brushes, palette knives, cloths, sticks, fingers, and hands among others.

Sinsarenko noted how artists can use a wide range of mediums and tools to create paintings. The value in painting is that a UNIQUE work of art is created.

The Eden Gallery, in their June 2021 blog post, “What is Painting?,” defines painting as:

“…the act or process of using paint. The paint can create an artwork known as a painting, or it can be used more practically as a protective coating or form of decoration. Paintings are a form of visual art that captures the expression of ideas and emotions on a two-dimensional surface”

Wikipedia defines painting as:

“Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used.

In art, the term "painting" describes both the act and the result of the action (the final work is called "a painting"). The support for paintings includes such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, pottery, leaf, copper and concrete, and the painting may incorporate multiple other materials, including sand, clay, paper, plaster, gold leaf, and even whole objects.

Painting is an important form of visual art, bringing in elements such as drawing, composition, gesture, narration, and abstraction. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in still life and landscape painting), photographic, abstract, narrative, symbolistic (as in Symbolist art), emotive (as in Expressionism) or political in nature (as in Artivism).”

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Intro to Painting (feat. the making of “Hope Has Feathers”).”YouTube, 11 Jun 2020.

SCULPTURE

Sinsarenko described sculpture as being:

“…a form of art that takes up three dimensions. The art is created by removing (subtractive) or adding materials in the form of height, width, and depth (additive) .”

Sculptures can be made by:

  • Carving - “…cutting or chipping away a certain shape from stone, wood, or other materials. Considered to be a subtractive process as material is taken away from the outside in.” (Definition - DavidsonArtOnline)

  • Modeling - “…created when a soft material like clay is molded and shaped to create a form.” (Definition - DavidsonArtOnline)

  • Casting - “…melting down a material (usually a metal) and pouring the material into a mold. The mold cools, the metal hardens, and the form emerges.” (Definition - DavidsonArtOnline)

  • Assembling / Constructing / Joining - “…to gather and join different materials to create an assembled sculpture.” (Definition - DavidsonArtOnline)

Sculptures can be made with:

  • Stone

  • Metal

  • Wood

  • Ceramics

  • Plastics

  • Found objects

Sinsarenko also noted how sculptures can be UNIQUE or they can be created in EDITIONS.

The Oxford Language Dictionary defines sculpture as “…the art of making three-dimensional representative or abstract forms, especially by carving stone or wood or by casting metal or plaster.”

The Eden Gallery, in their June 2021 blog post, “What is Art Sculpture?” described how:

“Traditional sculpture materials were marble, wood, clay, or metals. But contemporary sculpture can use any material the artist desires, from plastic and even found objects. 

Modern and contemporary artists may also include lights, projections, audio, or other technology as part of their sculptures. The use of 3D printing in sculpture is also becoming more common.”

Sculptor Angelo Accardi, on his blog post, “What is Sculpture?” defines sculpture as:

“…a three-dimensional form made from a material such as clay, wax, plaster, stone, polyester, fiberglass, metal, or plastic. It is often used to decorate public spaces that are usually very large. The sculpture is also sometimes used to express feelings, to tell a story, to teach, or to scare.

Sculpture is also a form of art in which an object is formed by shaping or altering solid matter by removing or adding material, which may be done with tools, gravity, or mechanical devices. This art form also enables artists or sculptors to arrange heavy materials in an expressive form, most often using human forms, which are often in three dimensions.

The sculpture is one of mankind’s oldest art forms, dating back over 3,500 years. It is considered one of the most powerful creations of human imagination because it expresses human emotions and ideas through shapes, lines, and forms that the viewer can understand. When you see a sculpture, you can begin to understand how the artist feels about the subject.”

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Introduction to Sculpture.” YouTube, 18 Jun 2020.

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Intro to Ceramics.” YouTube, 20 Jun 2020.

WORKS ON PAPER

Sinsarenko noted that the phrase “works on paper” can reference many types of art including:

  • Drawing

  • Painting

  • Prints - a print is a type of artwork created by transferring one original design to another medium. There are several methods of printing, with the most common being:

    • Etching;

    • Lithography;

    • Screen-printing; and

    • Woodcutting.

  • Multiples

Sinsarenko described how these works provide a way for artists to try out new ideas and to think through larger concepts quickly. She also explains how these works can be a way for viewers to observe an artist’s creative process up close.

Drawings and paintings are unique, one of a kind artworks, while prints can be produced in limited edition multiples. Prints are usually given an edition number and are hand signed by the artist.

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Intro to Drawing.” YouTube, 9 Jun 2020.

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Intro to Printmaking.” YouTube, 3 Dec 2020.

PHOTOGRAPHY

According to the Oxford dictionary, photography refers to “…the art or practice of taking and processing photographs.”

Tumbleston Photography, in their December 2018 post, “What Makes a Photograph Good?” notes how:

“…There are many elements in photography that come together to make an image be considered “good”. Some of these elements include, but are not limited to lighting, the rule of thirds, lines, shapes, texture, patterns, and color. All of these things play an important role when it comes to photography.”

Wikipedia describes photography as:

“…the art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g., photolithography), and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, film and video production, recreational purposes, hobby, and mass communication.”

Photography can be more accessible than other mediums in terms of cost, notes Sinsarenko. She also notes how works from emerging and well known photographers can be acquired for a few thousand dollars. Finally, fewer prints in an edition means that the cost will be higher.

Kracov, David. “What is Modern Photography?” Eden Gallery, 01 Aug 2021.

Video > DavidsonArtOnline. “Intro to Photography.” YouTube, 6 Jun 2020.

VIDEO ART

François-Xavier Trancart, writing for Artsper Magazine in a November 22, 2021 article titled “What is Video Art?” notes how:

“Video Art designates both an artistic movement, limited in time, with its artists and its own grammar, but also a medium of artistic expression, accessible to all. Today it is an important part of contemporary art history. But Video Art has evolved a lot since its birth in the 1960s, and it continues to reinvent itself through technological innovations and new uses. Yet, it is difficult to distinguish it from cinema, television, or music videos…”

Sinsarenko explained that video art offered a different experience than other traditional forms of art, requiring more time for appreciation.

Wikipedia provides a succinctly detailed description of what video art is, stating that:

“Video art is an art form which relies on using video technology as a visual and audio medium. Video art emerged during the late 1960s as new consumer video technology such as video tape recorders became available outside corporate broadcasting. Video art can take many forms: recordings that are broadcast; installations viewed in galleries or museums; works streamed online, distributed as video tapes, or DVDs; and performanceswhich may incorporate one or more television sets, video monitors, and projections, displaying live or recorded images and sounds.

Video art is named for the original analog video tape, which was the most commonly used recording technology in much of the form history into the 1990s. With the advent of digital recording equipment, many artists began to explore digital technology as a new way of expression.

One of the key differences between video art and theatrical cinema is that video art does not necessarily rely on many of the conventions that define theatrical cinema. Video art may not employ the use of actors, may contain no dialogue, may have no discernible narrative or plot, and may not adhere to any of the other conventions that generally define motion pictures as entertainment. This distinction also distinguishes video art from cinema's subcategories such as avant garde cinema, short films, or experimental film.”

Video > The Art Assignment. “The Case for Video Art.” YouTube, 17 Jun 2019.

Video > Contemporary Art Issue. “What is Video Art? Top 20 Artists & Examples.” YouTube, 5 Mar 2023.

DIGITAL (NEW MEDIA) ART (NFTs)

Sinsarenko described how digital new media art is created using digital technology, including NFT technology.

Sinsarenko also explained that NFT stands for NON-FUNGIBLE TOKEN - a digital record that proves ownership of a digital item, like an artwork.

Wikipedia defines Digital Art as:

“…any artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process. It can also refer to computational art that uses and engages with digital media.”

Christiane Paul, in her book Digital Art (4th Edition), describes that:

“Among the forms that a digital artwork can take are installation; film, video, and animation; Internet art, networked art, and software art; and virtual reality and musical environments.”

Paul also notes:

“While the formal aspects of a work are always inextricably interconnected with its content (the medium also being the message), classifications based on form are not necessarily helpful in consistently outlining the themes developed in a given art.”

Video > British Council Arts. “What is Digital Art?” YouTube, 17 Feb 2015.

INSTALLATION ART

Sinsarenko noted that Installation Art often took up an entire space or room of a gallery where viewers walk into, through, or around in order to observe and understand the artwork fully. It’s unique as it creates a combined and unified experience. Artists will carefully craft an installation to prioritize how a viewer engages with their work so that it is an intense and complete experience.

The Tate Britain describes how: “The term installation art is used to describe large-scale, mixed-media constructions, often designed for a specific place or for a temporary period of time.”

The Art Story website introduces the concept of Installation Art with the following description:

“Installation art is a term generally used to describe artwork located in three-dimensional interior space as the word "install" means putting something inside of something else. It is often site-specific - designed to have a particular relationship, whether temporary or permanent, with its spatial environment on an architectural, conceptual, or social level. It also creates a high level of intimacy between itself and the viewer as it exists not as a precious object to be merely looked at but as a presence within the overall context of its container whether that is a building, museum, or designated room. Artworks are meant to evoke a mood or a feeling, and as such ask for a commitment from the viewer. The movement remains separate from its similar forms such as Land art, Intervention art, and Public art yet there are often overlaps between them. The ideas behind a piece of Installation art, and the responses it elicits, tend to be more important than the quality of its medium or technical merit. Artists champion this genre for its potential to transform the art world by surprising audiences and engaging viewers in new ways.”

Adam Fabianski, in his October 2022 article called “What is Installation Art?” outlines seven (7) characteristics for art installations as follows:

- A constructed environment that is site-specific and site-transformative.

- The purposeful placement of three dimensional-objects to create a unified experience. 

- Large-scale designs which may be placed indoors or outside.

- Must be experienced in-person to fully understand and appreciate.

- May be temporary or permanently placed at a site. 

- Usually employs mixed media and multi-sensory elements such as sound and light to facilitate viewers’ immersion. 

- Is not intended for passive consumption but aims to activate spectators and elicit strong responses. 

ELEMENTS OF ART

Video > Winged Canvas. “LINE: Elements of Art Explained in 5 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 23 Oct 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Line | KQED Art School.” YouTube, 18 Aug 2014.

Video > Winged Canvas. “SHAPE: Elements of Art Explained in 7 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 27 Nov 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Shape | KQED Art School.” YouTube, 16 Sep 2014.

Video > Winged Canvas. “FORM: Elements of Art Explained in 7 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 22 Dec 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Form | KQED Art School.” YouTube, 14 Oct 2014.

Video > Winged Canvas. “COLOR: Elements of Art Explained in 6 minutes!” YouTube, 6 Nov 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Color | KQED Arts.” YouTube, 16 Jan 2015.

Video > Winged Canvas. “SPACE: Elements of Art Explained in 7 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 30 Mar 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Space | KQED Arts.” YouTube, 2 Feb 2015.

Video > Winged Canvas. “TEXTURE: Elements of Art Explained in 7 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 18 May 2020.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Texture | KQED Arts.” YouTube, 20 Nov 2014.

Video > Winged Canvas. “VALUE / TONE: Elements of Art Explained in 6 minutes (funny!)” YouTube, 2 Mar 2021.

Video > KQED Art School. “Elements of Art: Value | KQED Arts.” YouTube, 5 Jan 2015.

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— END OF STEP 02 —