Art Theory for Beginners (Paperback) - Common

For Beginners

by Richard Osborne

From Paleolithic cave-painting to postmodernism, Art Theory For Beginners/i> is a concise and entertaining survey of the major historical and current debates on art. Painters, theorists and philosophers are all included to show how the idea of art has developed over the last 5,000 years. Art is a visual representation of a range of concepts, stories and emotions, including curiosity, humanity, political statements, and the Self. Art Theory for Beginners examines and explains the development of the different ways in which people study, interpret and appreciate art in its rich variety of forms. Art Theory For Beginners is a clear and entertaining introduction to the complex questions that stem from the simple idea of 'art'.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Theory, History, Graphic Novels

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Pseudonym for Robert Tine

Reviews

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good introduction to art theories. Wow! I must say I barely understood the theories in the last part of the book, they were so complicated, but I shall persist!

[Sean van Dril · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really is an excellent book if for nothing else, for showing how vast of a scholarly field art theory is. In few pages, this book covers an enormous amount of information. Although each art-era section is quite short, they give you sufficient detail to have something to grasp onto for future study. By no means will you be an expert in art theory after reading this book (as the title suggests), but you will have an awfully good starting point to delve deeper into art theory.

[Nellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome companion to my really hard art theory text book. This is funny and I love all the little drawings included in this book.

[Anindya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art theory is a very wide canvas that stretches across multiple dimensions and given the turn that modern art has taken - the subject has become even wider. The book is ideal for an Art theory beginner who is interested in the subject - it helps you flavour the spread of the ideas and philosophies that have shaped the evolution of art - and build appreciation what you want to deep dive therefrom.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does exactly what it advertises on the cover! An interesting, easy to follow basic history of art that covers main theoretical points. Includes great guides for further reading throughout and who doesn't love cartoons?

[Natalie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was actually interesting and it got me an A in my class so that’s even better! <3

[Kirill Protasenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

От прочтения искусствоведом не стать, но расширить представление об искусстве точно получится.

Созерцание произведений искусства - это передышка в бесполезной борьбе за существование. (Шопенгауэр)

Искусство до искусства - миметическая теория искусства - римское и позднеклассическое искусство - античность - искусство восточная империи - иконоборчество - исламское искусство - сакральная геометрия - христианское искусство - средневековое искусство - ренессанс - гуманизм - масляная живопись - маньяризм - барокко - просвещение - рационализм - эмпиризм - рококо - академизм - неоклассицизм - эстетика - красота-истина - эстетические суждения Канта - романтизм - викторианцы - прерафаэлиты - реализм -.социальная роль искусства - фотография - импрессионизм - декаданс - символизм - промышленная теория цвета - японизм - постимпрессионизм - фовизм - примитивизм - глобализм - кубизм - экспрессионизм - модернизм - футуризм - вортицизм - антииискусство - сюрреализм - бессознательное - автоматически рисунок - жуткое - фрейдизм - реди-мейд - абстрактное искусство - формализм - высокое/низкое искусство - декоративность - искусство и бытие -
Семиотика и структуруализм - франкфуртская школа - техническая воспроизводимость - аффирмативная культура - абстрактная жив/экспрессионизм 1950-ых - жив цветового поля - оп-арт - поздний модернизм - живопись действия - минимализм - феноменология восприятия - арте повера - лэнд-арт - «творение прежде подобия» - искусство видеть - поп-арт - ассамбляж - «конец искусства» - «дематериализация» - концептуализм - феминизм 60-70-ых - процесс-арт - перформанс - кинетизм- инсталляция - видео-арт - политика идентичности - ориентализм - «теории рецепции» - постколониализм - политика представительства - пост-модернизм - деконструкция - культурный контекст - смерть автора - каждый-художник - симуляция и гиперреальность - бриколаж (сделай сам) - аллегорический импульс/апроприация - инаковость - отвратительное в искусстве - фалологооколуцентричное в культуре - бесформенное - энтропия - ризома - квир-теория - теория тела - цифровой мир - киберкультура - музеология - реляционная эстетика/реляционный антогонизм - эстетика любопытства

Искусство - форма чувственного любопытства.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d like to give this book more, and if it had been loved by the publishers more it would have been superb.
As it is, there are a plethora of typos, unfinished sentences, and a distinct lack of example and detail. The pictures are black and white sketches and it was necessary on several occasions to grab the iPad and look what these pictures looked like. The book, although for beginners, expected you to know various artworks, which was a shame.
This is useful to give you the words and names of various artists and philosophers, but very much done on the cheap. Be prepared to get up frequently and study “The Art Book” or similar repository of coloured gorgeousness.
You will start off simply, getting to easy grip with the Greeks and so forth, but once you reach the middle of the 19th century you will be astounded by the mushrooming of ideas, each of which could very well be merely a subspecies of a previous idea, but with the fancy dancy words which over complicate.
I am sure such fine divisions existed in Greek times, and much wine was drunk debating the finer points of exactly what differentiates an Ionic from a Doric column, but subtleties are lost in time.
No wonder people get confused with art historians!

[Henry O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. it's a concise and coherent overview/introduction to the main ideas that have shaped western art and culture from the ancient Greeks right up to the present day. similar to the 'introducing' series of books but longer and more substantial, yes art theory is complicated, but a general historical overview is far more accessible to a beginner than fragmenting it all up into a dictionary. also the book very much helps you put artworks in a theoretical and historical context and so helps you begin to understand and appreciate art more. Complicated ideas are clearly explained and the theories shown in their historical place. An easy introduction to a difficult topic.

[Alex Rendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to art theory, as you can guess from the title. Even so, I found some of the concepts quite difficult to grasp. The illustrations did help with elucidating some of the points, but I think it definitely just whets the appetite.

[David W. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry. The font choice is awful and the text is ridden with clerical errors like the absence of brackets in the birth and death years of historical figures.

[Zhi Zhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice

[Christen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moderately amusing and easy to understand. Its really good for people who arent familiar with art theory but also for those interested in finding out general info about time periods or writers they are curious about as well. An entertaining read

[Ricardo]

excellent introduction to a complicated area.

[A · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book turned out to be less interesting and less informative than I though it would be, but then again it does say "for beginners."

[Shishir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent synopsis of Western Art and philosophy behind each art type transition in history

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

El planteo de los temas es coherente y llevadero, las ilustraciones son bastante mediocres y la traducción es muy mala.