Point of View

The Arts as an Art

            The arts are an important part of society. Music, painting, and dancing are a few examples of activities that bring personal enjoyment, entertainment, and harmony to everyday life. Art is an outlet for self-expression. Participating in the arts is beneficial not only individually, but also societally. Practices in the arts allow for the development of new skills that will enable students to be successful in school, the workforce, and society.

            Art can be beneficial to students in an academic setting. Any type of art requires some level of discipline. Painting, for example, needs a great deal of time and patience. Mixing too many colors at once results in what is referred to as “mud,” which is a dark brown/black color and can ruin a color scheme or painting. If a student wants to have more than three colors in one area, they will have to wait for the first layer of paint to dry and then go back in and add more. Waiting for paint to dry can turn a few minutes into an hour if a student is eager to continue painting. Painting small details requires a steady hand and the ability to take time to get those exact details. Discipline can also be found in other forms of art. For example, playing an instrument demands a student to tune their ears to the sounds of notes. They also have to condition their lungs if playing a wood wind instrument, as well as their fingers to create different notes and sounds. Developing patience and becoming aware of new skills that are necessary to a particular art train students to become aware of their abilities.

            Specifically with drawing, as well as other visual arts, starting out basic is the key to success. Many students want to dive right into a project, either out of enthusiasm or the desire to get the project over with. With either outlook, both types of students need a foundation. Structure drawings are the best way to build up a drawing. By starting with this type of drawing, students can develop control in their drawings and exhibit self-discipline. For example, if a student is drawing a dog, then a circle would be the appropriate shape to begin the head with. To continue with the facial area, depending on the qualities of the specific dog, a square or rectangle would be a good start for the dog’s snout. These simple shapes help the student’s eye place where the ear or perhaps nose goes in relation to the dog’s head. Structure drawings are important for keeping the correct proportion in artwork. Organizational lines can also help with proportion; these are lines that compare the heights, or widths, of objects in a given composition. Having a solid foundation paves a way for success in the art world. After the structure is completed, students can easily transition into detail and shading without the worry  of having a bobble head dog. The primary steps in art require students to build and expound their knowledge instead of just starting blindly. This concept is similar to having an algebra class before moving into harder math, like calculus or statistics. Without the basic foundation it is hard for students to be disciplined in a school setting; art is a great way to build discipline along with essential parts.

            In addition to academic discipline, the arts also help to develop analytical, critical, and creative thinking, which are highly valuable in the work place. Analytical and critical thinking come into play in visual arts when decisions about the art work are being made. The angle, composition, colors, and hues are all necessary components in creating visually interesting art. Deciding which angle to snap a photograph from can ultimately change the perception of the photo. The view point can draw the spectator in or push them out depending on how captivating the angle is. For example, a photograph of the top of a mushroom is much less inviting and interesting than a picture at eye level with the said mushroom. From above the fungi is simply a circular shape, whereas at eye level it seems larger and allows the observer to imagine what it would be like to mushroom height. The same concept applies to the use of color in paintings and drawings. For a relaxing approach, cool colors, such as blues, greens, and purples, should be used to create that emotion. If an energetic, upbeat feel is desired, then warm colors like reds and yellows are better suited. Along with the color scheme, the value ranges of the colors are also important. Light and dark also play an important role in portraying emotion, which leads into the creative side of the arts. Art, typically, should be visually interesting to capture attention and evoke emotion, as well as express it. In today’s work environment, critical thinking skills and creativity are necessary to keep the business industry innovative. Boring, dull workers in contrast to brilliant, constructive colleagues simply do not bring the required skills to the financial world. The types of thinking skills used in creating visual art, as well as music composition and dance choreography, are great assets and abilities to use in the work force.

            Besides thinking skills and academic discipline, self-discipline and persistence also blossom through the practice of arts, which further adds to job skills. Art can be a frustrating topic. Whether it is not being able to take a picture because of the weather or simply not being able to grasp the beat of a dance move, art can be extremely difficult. The only way to improve any art skills is through repetition and execution. In drawing, sometimes getting that contour line, the lines delineating the subject or creating dimension within the picture, can be a hard concept. Maybe the lines do not connect perfectly or the drawing was started with pieces out of proportion. Many aspects go into creating a drawing and mastering the necessary skills can take quite a bit of time. Of course, for some people it comes naturally, but when looking at all the parts that bring a drawing together it truly is a lot to puzzle through. Practicing shading or putting an object into perspective allows for the development of determination. Generally, someone is not going to be able to create a realistic piece of art on their first round. Sometimes several tries are required before achieving the desired look. Being able to control frustrations or put emotions into artwork can help with self-control. Persistency contributes to having motivation and drive that is necessary for most things in life, like working, eating better, or working out.

            Along with building valuable skills, art contributes to the economy and has its own range of business. Professional artists add to the yearly national product. From selling their own art to setting up galleries, money flows from the art industry. Art galleries and museums are usually pricey and numerous people enjoy going to museums to observe art. Art is used in everyday business. Principles of designs, like composition, are used in newspapers and magazines when the pages are being arranged. There are a variety of jobs that the art world offers. Some proposed jobs are in the fashion industry with the designing of clothes and shoes. Design is also used by architects when planning and creating buildings. Math is a large part of architecture, but art also plays its role in how the building is setup and constructed. Critical thinking and creative skills come into play with jobs like this, when it takes careful planning and measures to ascertain the buildings are of sound structure. Even simple household items like kitchen appliances, had to be designed and planned out at one point. Car models are continuously being altered and advance, it takes art to re-design a car and create something new while still being similar.

            Along with motivation to perform everyday activities, art is also integrated into education and can increase the desire to learn. Art is a gargantuan part of human civilization and cultivation. Most history classes incorporate art because it helps explain the history. Art is a timeless and it reflects at least some aspect of the time period it was created in. Through the use or art in a school setting visual learners can get a better grasp at the material that is being taught. Looking at art can be useful and paint a picture in a student’s mind, but some students simply cannot learn from being lectured. Being able to observe an art piece can contribute to the overall understanding because art also conveys emotion. While depicting history in a political and social stance, art also explains the history of itself as it progresses over time. Through the development of perspective and landscaping, art has become much more profound and can present the story of our world without words.

            Although art is not appreciated by everyone, it is a crucial part of life. It is a potential outlet for expression and can relieve stress, frustration, and anger. Viewing art can allow one to perceive new ideas, form new opinions, and obtain knowledge about their true feelings. Art aids in alleviating pain and stress and can be beneficial for the emotional state of mind. It also helps people to be creative and continue to innovate the world with new ideas. Art is a learning tool as well as a part of history. Paintings from years in the past explain how life was previously while art continues to generate the story of the present and future. The application of art in school is important because it assists in the learning process. It also allows for students to connect on a deeper level and become eager to comprehend the material. From magazines to books and posters, art is everywhere showcasing the developments of today. Media and entertainment are a massive part of this generation. Without art concepts and artists the media would not be possible. Art can be  useful in some way for a majority of people and it offers a myriad of benefits.