Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts

(artworks), expressing the author's imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for
their beauty or emotional power. In their most general form these activities include the
production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic
dissemination of art.

ELEMENTS OF ART
Line

 An element of art defined by a point moving in space. Line may be two-or three-
dimensional, descriptive, implied, or abstract.
Shape

 An element of art that is two-dimensional, flat, or limited to height and width.

Form

 An element of art that is three-dimensional and encloses volume; includes height, width
AND depth (as in a cube, a sphere, a pyramid, or a cylinder). Form may also be free
flowing.
Value

 The lightness or darkness of tones or colors. White is the lightest value; black is the
darkest. The value halfway between these extremes is called middle gray.
Space

 An element of art by which positive and negative areas are defined or a sense of depth
achieved in a work of art .
Color

 An element of art made up of three properties: hue, value, and intensity.

Hue: name of color
Value: hue’s lightness and darkness (a color’s value changes when white or black is
added)
Intensity: quality of brightness and purity (high Intensity= color is strong and bright; low
intensity= color is faint and dull)
Texture

 An element of art that refers to the way things feel, or look as if they might feel if
touched

What Are the Functions of Art?

First, proceed with this caution: No piece of art can be "assigned" a function (or functions),
either in essay form or in casual conversation, if it isn't first considered within the proper
context.
Trying to classify function depends on context.
Ideally, one can look at a piece of art and know (approximately) where it came from and when.
The best-case scenario includes identifying the artist, as well, because s/he is part of the
contextual equation (i.e.: What was the artist thinking at the time s/he created this?). You, the
viewer, are the other half (i.e.: What does this piece of art mean to you, living right now?). These
are all factors that should be considered before trying to assign functions. Besides, taking
anything out of context can lead to misunderstanding, which is never a happy place to visit.
That said, the functions of art normally fall within three categories. These are personal, social
or physical functions. These categories can, and (often) do, overlap in any given piece of art.

The Physical Functions of Art

The physical functions of art are often the the most easy to understand.
Works of art that are created to perform some service have physical functions.
If you see a Fijian war club, you may assume that, however wonderful the craftsmanship may be,
it was created to perform the physical function of smashing skulls.
A Japanese raku bowl is art that performs a physical function in the tea ceremony.
Conversely, a fur-covered teacup from the Dada movement has no physical function.
Architecture, any of the crafts, and industrial design are all types of art that have physical
functions.

The Social Functions of Art

Art has a social function when it addresses aspects of (collective) life, as opposed to one person's
point of view or experience.
For example, public art in 1930s Germany had an overwhelming symbolic theme. Did this art
exert influence on the German population? Decidedly so. As did political and patriotic posters in
Allied countries during the same time.
Political art (skewed to whatever message) always carries a social function. The fur-covered
Dada teacup, useless for holding tea, carried a social function in that it protested World War I
(and nearly everything else in life).
Art that depicts social conditions performs social functions. The Realists figured this out early in
the 19th century. Dorothea Lange (and, indeed, many other photographers) often photographed
people in conditions we'd rather not think about.
Additionally, satire performs social functions. Francisco Goya and William Hogarth both went
this route, with varying degrees of success at enacting social change.
Sometimes having specific pieces of art in a community can perform the social function of
elevating that community's status. A Calder stabile, for example, can be a community treasure
and point of pride.

The Personal Functions of Art

The personal functions of art are often the most difficult to explain. There are many types of
personal function, and they are subjective and will therefore vary from person to person.
An artist may create out of a need for self-expression, or gratification. S/he might have wanted
to communicate a thought or point to the viewer. Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an
aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers. A piece might have been meant to "merely"
entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't meant to have any meaning at all.
(This is vague, I know. The above is a great example of how knowing the artist can help one "cut
to the chase" and assign functions.)
On a slightly more lofty plane, art may serve the personal functions of control. Art has been
used to attempt to exert magical control over time, or the seasons or even the acquisition of food.
Art is used to bring order to a messy and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be used to create
chaos when an artist feels life is too staid and ordinary. Art can also be therapeutic - for both
the artist and the viewer.
Yet another personal function of art is that of religious service (lots of examples for this, aren't
there?). Finally, sometimes art is used to assist us in maintaining ourselves as a species.
Biological functions would obviously include fertility symbols (in any culture), but I would also
invite scrutiny of the ways we adorn ourselves in order to be attractive enough to, well, mate.
You, the viewer, are half of the equation in assigning function to art. These personal functions
apply to you, as well as the artist. It all adds up to innumerable variables when trying to figure
out the personal functions of art. My best advice is to stick with the most obvious and provide
only those details you know as factual.