1. Art History
and Why Artists Create
Art Criticism
The 6 main reasons we create art:
 Utility and Function
 Religion
 Politics
 History/Information
 Aesthetics
 Commerce

2. I. Utility and Function
 Objects which have utility or a functional
purposes, or are useful yet artistic.
examples: Furniture, architecture, pottery,
silverware, clothing, baskets, vehicles

3. II. Religion
 Objects which aid in worship.
ex: mandalas, good luck charms, fetishes, icons, altars

4. III. Politics
 Influences people to or support a particular belief,
person, or group.
ex: propaganda, political posters,

5. IV. History/Information
 Passing on of information about history,
culture, people, values, & traditions -
especially where there is no written language
ex: Portraits, photographs, tatoos
manuscripts, stelae
Tatoo, or tatu, was originally a
record of the person’s family,
status, beliefs, & history.

6. V. Aesthetics
 An object created just to be pleasing to sight & touch
- for a feeling of balance, proportion, pleasing arrangement,
thought provoking subject matter, stimulating to the imagination.
Art for art sake.
 ex: abstract painting,
sculpture, watercolors

7. VI. Commerce
 Art created for commercial purposes, primarily advertising.
Commercial art is not considered FINE art, but design.
Do you agree with this?
 ex: packaging, newspaper
or magazine advertising, posters,
book illustrations.
 Some types of commercial art:
* Commercial Character Design
* Illustration
* Graphic design
* Photography* Makeup
* Television commercials
* Music videos
* Animation
* Computer art
* Anime
* Fashion Designer
* Interior Design

8. Review
1. What are the 6 reasons we create art?
I. Utility/ Function
II. History/Information
III. Aesthetics
IV.Religion
V. Politics
VI. Commerce
Some art work can and usually do served
more than on purpose.

9. Review
2. What is aesthetics?
Art created just to be pleasing to sight & touch -
a feeling of balance, proportion, pleasing arrangement,
thought provoking and stimulating to the imagination.
It is the philosophy or the study of the beauty and art.
According to: aestheticism - “The belief that the pursuit of
beauty is the most important goal, and that it is the artist's duty
to orchestrate selected elements from nature into a
composition that, like music, exists for its own sake, without
regard to moral or didactic issues” (an attempt to instruct
produce and influence in some way.) & aesthetics
Originally, any activity connected with art, beauty and taste,
becoming more broadly the study of art's function, nature,
ontology, purpose, and so on.

10. Art History I
Why Artists Create
END
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