Perception is the way people understand and interpret things around them. Perceptions are influenced by many factors, including culture, history, personal experience, and more.
Art is a powerful medium that allows artists to tap into many perceptions. Artists use many senses to create art: sight, touch, feel, taste, and smell. Art can be made using all of these senses, which is why it is called multisensory art.
How people perceive art is influenced by the way artists use color, shape, texture, and context to create their work. Artists also use perception to create illusions that can surprise or challenge viewers.
This article will discuss how important it is for viewers to perceive art correctly and how to do so. Looking at art correctly will help viewers appreciate the artist’s intent and the message they are trying to convey.
Understand what the artist intended
Perception is the way we understand what we see. What we see is influenced by our experience, education, and perception.
Art is a way to educate yourself about the world and other cultures. Art is a universal language that everyone understands. Through art, people from all over the world share their culture, perspective, and knowledge.
In order to understand art, it is important to know the artist’s intent. What did they want you to understand or feel when they created it? How did they want you to perceive it?
For instance, many artists have paintings that are called “the void” or “emptiness”. The artist may intend for you to feel emptiness or heaviness when looking at the piece. You must look deeper into the art to find what the artist intended for you to perceive.
Artists typically spend a great deal of time studying how humans perceive things and reality, so they can put that into their art.
Understanding the historical context
Perception is shaped by our experience of the world. What we know about art, how we see color, what we consider beautiful, and what we consider ugly are all influenced by our culture and history.
If you know little to nothing about art history, it can be hard to understand some works of art. For example, a lot of contemporary art requires you to look at it a certain way to understand its meaning.
For instance, a piece may be hung upside down as a deliberate choice by the artist. You cannot fully appreciate this piece unless you realize it is upside down.
Similarly, many pieces use color in unique ways that require you to understand the context of how colors were used in art historically. If you do not understand this context, you may not fully grasp the piece.
Art is an ever-evolving medium and element of culture. New artists and new trends will continue to shape perception in new ways.
Understanding the technique used
So much of looking at art is understanding the techniques artists use to create their works. What media they use, how they mix their media, and what symbolism they intend to convey all depend on the technique used.
For example, oil paintings are typically thought to be higher quality than watercolor paintings due to the difficulty in creating an oil painting. Watercolor paintings are often considered more expressive as well, as you have to really manage the flow of water to get the desired effect.
Both are considered high quality art mediums, and can both be very difficult to master. As such, knowing the different properties of each can help you appreciate the art more.
Similarly, caricatures are painted in very distinct layers that give the image a distinctive look. Looking at how those layers are applied can help detect what kind of image it is and what message the artist was trying to convey with it.
Ask yourself: “Does this artwork make me feel something?”
If you look closely at the work of any great artist, you’ll find that emotion is a key component of their work. Whether the artist is painting a scene of nature, a still life, or someone or something in motion, they are trying to convey feeling.
Many artists even choose subjects based on how they feel about them. For example, a painter who loves birds may choose to paint birds because he or she loves how they feel about them.
When you look at art, it’s important to not get caught up in the details. Don’t worry about whether the proportions are accurate or if it looks like the real thing. Instead, just look and see if it makes you feel something. Does it make you smile or laugh? Is it scary or comforting?
If the art makes you feel something, then the artist did their job.
Ask yourself: “Does this artwork make me think something?”
If an artwork makes you think about something, whether it’s a feeling, a thought, or something external, then it’s done its job.
If the art only prompts you to think about how it was made, then it probably fails as art. The nature of perception suggests that the most important key to looking at art is: Ask yourself if the artwork makes you think something.
If you can answer that question with a yes, then you have encountered great art. If you cannot answer that question with a yes, then the artwork may be well-made but it is not great art.
In general, people tend to overlook the power of perception. We spend too much time thinking about how things are made and not enough time thinking about what they make us think. This is why we suggest asking yourself if the artwork makes you think something.
Does it evoke a mood?
The most important key to looking at art is whether or not it evokes a mood. If an artist uses color, shapes, and texture to create a feeling in you, then they have done their job.
Art is an expression of the inner self. The artist uses his or her skills to express what is going on inside. How does he or she feel? What emotions do they want to convey?
Does the art make you feel something? Does it make you feel happy, sad, inspired, relaxed, etc.? If so, then you have viewed good art!
The best way to look at art is with no prior expectations. Don’t go in thinking that you will see a certain type of art. Just take in the work and see what feelings it brings out in you.
Look at the composition of the piece
The nature of perception suggests that the most important key to looking at art is to look at the composition of the piece. How the artist arranged the elements of the work tells you a great deal about what they wanted to express.
For example, if a piece has a lot of empty space, then you can assume that they wanted to focus on the subject or subjects and not much else. If everything seems very balanced, then they likely wanted to convey a sense of equilibrium or balance.
Using these clues can help you get a deeper understanding of the art piece and the artist’s intent.
Interestingly, many artists seem to be moving away from very balanced compositions and focusing more on dynamic asymmetry. Perhaps this reflects a changing sense of identity or orientation in our culture.
Look also for repeated patterns or themes in the art.
What messages does it convey?
In the case of the Mona Lisa, the message seems to be one of subtlety. The message is not in what is painted, but in how it is painted.
Da Vinci used very subtle shades of color to create his paintings. This suggests that he wanted the viewer to perceive his work as more than just a representation of a figure. He wanted the viewer to notice the subtle qualities of his work.
By using subtle colors, he forced the viewer to really focus on his work. If all of his paintings were in bright, flashy colors, then it would not be as effective. The contrast between light and dark also adds to this perception.
The Mona Lisa is famous for her smile, but some people have noted that she does not look totally happy. She appears contemplative or thoughtful, perhaps even a little sad. These are perceptions that the viewer brings to the painting based on their own perception of emotions.
