This document provides an overview of different types and styles of visual art from around the world and throughout history. It discusses fine art created by artists to express ideas and appreciation for beauty. Examples of paintings, sculptures, and graphic art are shown from the Caribbean, United States, and other places. The document also covers different careers in art and gives a brief history of art, describing styles from ancient times to modern movements like Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and more experimental contemporary styles.

1. The Visual Arts: an Overview
Introducing some of the different types and styles of art
to be encountered today, and throughout history.

2. The visual arts are a familiar part of life, and can influence the way we
think, feel and our attitudes to people, things and events.

3. “The Laud is My Shepherd” by Osmond Watson of Jamaica
Some artists, known as ‘Fine artists’ are motivated by a desire to
express ideas, dreams, feelings and their appreciation of beauty in
nature. The above and following are some examples. Works of art
like these will be found mostly in Art Galleries.

4. “First Communion” by Calixte Henry of Haiti

5. “Palm Landscape” by Leo Glasgow of Trinidad and Tobago

6. Another
Caribbean
artist,
Shalini,
creates
colourful
art-works
that reflect
the cultural
influence of
India

7. Person viewing Shalini’s paintings in an art gallery setting

8. “The Guitar Player” by the U.S, artist Joseph Stella

9. Sometimes artists
like to work on a
large scale - this
piece, called
“Woman on a
Bicycle”, is by the
artist Knox Martin
and is located on
an outside wall of
a building above a
busy New York
street.

10. 3-d Art
Three-dimensional art is known as ‘sculpture’ of which
there are many different styles, sizes and types, such as
the example above, a ‘kinetic’ (moving) sculpture (also
known as a ‘mobile’) by Alexander Calder.

11. Another ‘Kinetic’
sculpture, called
“Discotech2”, by
Vince Murray.

12. Some large
sculptures are
located in
public areas,
such as this
example,
called
“Chaos3”,
which is
situated in a
US shopping
mall.

13. The Graphic Arts
Many different
areas of work are
found in the field of
the graphic arts. The
following slides show
just a few examples
of work produced by
graphic artists.

14. Cartoonists add humour to our lives. ‘Peanuts’ characters by Charles M. Shultz

15. Graphic Designers produce original designs for items
such as CD covers…

18. … book covers…

21. … movie posters…

24. … and events posters, such as these for music gigs.

26. Other ways that professional ‘commercial’ artists can earn their living
include: computer animation, advertising, auto-body spray-art, and
stage design. Other careers involving art and design are: teacher,
architect, film-maker, fashion designer, town planner, product
designer, make-up artist, interior designer and art therapist.

27. History of Art
Artists and designers working in the present day
often look to the art of the past for inspiration.

28. These drawings were done on rocks using natural earth
pigments, in Mali, West Africa, about 15,000 years ago.

29. Painting on the wall
of the tomb of
Queen Nefertari, in
Egypt, which was
done around 3000
B.C.

30. A mosaic done in 333B.C. It reflects the battle-loving nature of that era.

31. Painting
representing a
prophetess,
done on the
ceiling of a
chapel in Rome,
around 1500
A.D. (about 500
years ago), by
the Italian artist
Michaelangelo.
He was one of
the well- known
artists of a
period known as
the Renaissance
(rebirth)

32. Another famous artist of the Renaissance was Leonardo
Da Vinci. This painting of ‘The Last Supper’ was done on
the wall of a monastery, and has suffered from
deterioration (flaking off etc.) over the years. Art
restorers care for old and damaged works of art.

33. Artists have sought to portray (show) events in cultural history, so that
those events are ‘brought back to life’ in a visual way. Painting on a wall
(‘mural’) by the Mexican artist Diego Riviera.

34. About 150 years
ago, artists began to
experiment with
different ‘styles’ and
this was the
beginning of what is
referred to as
‘modern art’. The
example shown here
is in the
‘Impressionist’ style.

35. “Starry Night”, an Expressionist painting by Vincent Van Gogh.

36. Cubism was
a style that
redefined
ideas about
beauty. It
was partly
influenced by
African art,
such as the
Tchokwe
mask, below.

37. Surrealism
portrayed
the strange
images seen
in dreams.

38. Some
artists
imitated a
child-like
or
‘primitive’
style so
as to
express a
particular
mood.

39. Conclusion:
Practically anything goes regarding art styles: the artist
can now work in the style that suits them best, as long as
it’s done with dedication!