The Objectivity of Elements and Principles of Design - Essay Example

Final reflection It would not be a mistake to suggest that throughout history art has played a significant role in the development of the inner potential of a human being. Indeed, it served as a platform that allows one to express the creative energy. However, people tend to forget that critique of art as an essential part of art since the latter is created for other people to see. In addition to that, critique is closely connected to interpretation. This paper will provide my reflection on the two chapters that deal with interpretation and elements and principles of design as well as my related class experience. To begin with, it is important to note that my participation in this class has significantly enhanced by ability to communicate visually. Communication relies heavily on the process of encoding a message and sending it, but it is virtually impossible to send a message if a person does not now the basic of the visual language. Indeed, I was surprised to learn that there is an almost universal set of parts that people all over the world use while creating their visual art. That is why it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that Elements and Principles of Design is the “alphabet” that all people who learn visual art should learn. It was quite helpful for me to learn that there are ways to describe things that I thought could be perceived visually exclusively. Furthermore, I was quite surprise that the list of elements and principles is not endless: it is quite short, in fact. Having worked with it thoroughly I was able to remember all of them, but just identifying them in the works of art. I believe that this is rather important for communication since it helps people to find a common ground. It is quite interesting that the interpretations which were shared in class differed so much. Indeed, as I was listening to my fellow classmates, I realized that they could have looked at the same work of art from a completely different perspective. I noticed that some would even structure their interpretations in a way that is different from mine. It was rather insightful for me since it showed that interpretations do differ and they differ greatly. It may be beneficial to compare some of them with my own. Thus, I tend to value the feelings that a work of art invokes in me and base my interpretation on them. However, I noticed that some of my fellow classmates tend to have a more objective approach: they focus on the elements and principles of design first and feelings latter. As a result, my interpretation seems somewhat subjective, while there is objective and almost impersonal. I acknowledge the fact that no one is wrong in this situation, but it is rather astonishing to see that two people could see the same object in different ways. Interpreting was an important process that I discovered and it taught me a lot about it. First of all, I saw that it “can make the paintings more meaningful to us” (Barett, 2003). Indeed, it almost uncovers a completely new layer of meaning that is not hidden, but remains unnoticed by the majority. Secondly, I was surprised to see that asking different question is very helpful as “the questions themselves, without answers, already reveal much about the paintings” (Barett, 2003). They make a person to think about small details that are left omitted. Furthermore, I learned that “interpretation need not … be limited to examples drawn from the galleries of fine art” (Barett, 2003). In other words, interpretation is something that can be done with regard to anything. In addition to that, I particularly liked the definition of this process: “to interpret a work of art is to understand it is language” (Barett, 2003). This means that a person should be able to put the entire aesthetic message in a different way without distorting it. Finally, I strongly believe that “feelings are guides to interpretation” (Barett, 2003). It would not be an exaggeration to say that the many things changes when it comes to my perspective of how I see art. Just like I noted before, I was able to see the universal patterns between the visual forms and it helped me to gain a better understanding of what art is. Moreover, I think that I reevaluated the role that art plays in my life. Having learned Elements and Principles of Design, I now can see more in my daily life; so, I often think about things that surround me in terms of art. This is wonderful since the world is much more enjoyable this way. I believe that a “break-through moment” that occurred to me in the course is my understanding of the above mentioned elements and principles. In other words, prior to it I always thought that art is born out of thin air and does not follow any rules. In addition to that, I thought that there are no rules that can be used to measure creativity. However, I came to the understanding that there is nothing wrong in finding a patter or a universal feature in a work of art. Quite the opposite: it makes it even more understandable that way. The “experience of looking” is something that changed my views on interaction with art. I must note that I used to enjoy, but not see the works of art. However, it appears that only looking was able to provide me with the ability to enjoy art as prior to that I was similar to a blind man who could only touch the surface of the object, but never gaze inside of it. Therefore, the “experience of looking” is surely an important one since it taught me a lot about what art is and how it should be perceived. It must be pointed out that this class informed my identity as a student and a world citizen. Before it, I knew that art was considered to be a universal language, but I thought that this was quite a metaphor that sounds well. However, now I see that it is a universal language since it helps people from different times, different cultures and different places to exchange ideas and understand them properly. In other words, while it may be necessary to learn other people’s languages and customs, it is also important to learn and understand their art since it can be interpreted with a better precision. With all this in mind, it would not be a mistake to suggest that there was a journey that I made through this class in terms of personal and professional development. Just like I noted before, the existence of Elements and Principles of Design was a complete mystery for me prior to the class; nevertheless, in the end of it I was able to employ the above mentioned elements and principles in a way that would allow me to understand a work of art from a universal perspective. I am firmly convinced that a good reflection of art comes from the ability to find a perfect balance between the objectivity of Elements and Principles of Design as well as the subjectivity of feelings and emotions that are provoked by a work of art. In other words, if a person chooses to follow only one of these approaches, the interpretation will not be full. As a result, one is likely to miss several significant points and the picture will not be complete. That is why it is only harmony of these elements that is able to contribute to a proper understanding. Read More