This book is more than an introduction to the psychology of art appreciation, it puts into perspective the research carried out within the area and offers a new understanding of the relationship between art and viewer. A number of studies within the psycho-physical, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and existential-phenomenological schools of thought are presented in order to demonstrate how their views on the appreciation of visual art vary. Five different types of art appreciation, ranging from a spontaneous preference for a work of art to a blissful experience of trancendence, are identified and described.

Why do we enjoy art? What inspires us to create artistic works? How can brain science help us understand our taste in art? The Psychology of Art provides an eclectic introduction to the myriad ways in which psychology can help us understand and appreciate creative activities. Exploring how we perceive everything from colour to motion, the book examines art-making as a form of human behaviour that stretches back throughout history as a constant source of inspiration, conflict and conversation. It also considers how factors such as fakery, reproduction technology and sexism influence our judgements about art. By asking what psychological science has to do with artistic appreciation, The Psychology of Art introduces the reader to new ways of thinking about how we create and consume art.

Written for those who are new to the study of art, Art Appreciation: An Introduction to the Formal Elements and Mediums familiarizes readers with foundational concepts of art appreciation and teaches them all they need to know in order to consider and discuss what artists create. The book concentrates on the formal elements and mediums, and introduces art-related vocabulary commonly used by artists and art historians. The accessible content is organized into four primary units. In the first section, students begin with an introduction and learn how art functions within the public sphere. The second section discusses the formal elements of art including line, space, color, motion, and pattern and texture. It also addresses balance, emphasis and focal point, and scale, repetition, and unity. The third section explores various art mediums such as drawing, printmaking, painting, photography, sculpture, and architecture. In the final section students are introduced to specific time periods of the renaissance and modern art era as well as a chapter devoted exclusively to Vincent van Gogh. Featuring an extensive glossary for easy reference and devoted to necessary fundamentals in the discipline, Art Appreciation is ideal for art survey courses, art history, and introductory art appreciation. Dave Plouffe holds a master's degree in art with a specialization in art history from California State University, Fullerton where he is now a faculty member. He has also taught at the University of La Verne and Chaffey College. His areas of interest are modern and contemporary art and art history. He has taught courses in art appreciation, the history of modern art, contemporary art, and survey classes: prehistory through the middle ages and renaissance to contemporary. In addition to teaching, he served as an exhibition technician and a collections administrator for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The psychology of aesthetics and the arts is dedicated to the study of our experiences of the visual arts, music, literature, film, performances, architecture and design; our experiences of beauty and ugliness; our preferences and dislikes; and our everyday perceptions of things in our world. The Cambridge Handbook of the Psychology of Aesthetics and the Arts is a foundational volume presenting an overview of the key concepts and theories of the discipline where readers can learn about the questions that are being asked and become acquainted with the perspectives and methodologies used to address them. The psychology of aesthetics and the arts is one of the oldest areas of psychology but it is also one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas. This is a comprehensive and authoritative handbook featuring essays from some of the most respected scholars in the field.

A 50-year-old classic, which was revised and expanded in 1974. Explains how the eye organizes visual material according to psychological laws.

Those who love art are guaranteed to further expand their knowledge of this form of expression when using this comprehensive 3-panel (6-page) guide, which examines in detail each type of art--from printmaking to photography--that currently exists. Key definitions, historical periods and lists of well-known art pieces are included for easy access.

"How Art Works explores puzzles that have preoccupied philosophers as well as the general public: Can art be defined? How do we decide what is good art? Why do we gravitate to sadness in art? Why do we devalue a perfect fake? Could 'my kid have done that'? Does reading fiction enhance empathy? Drawing on careful observations, probing interviews, and clever experiments, Ellen Winner reveals surprising answers to these and other artistic mysteries. We may come away with a new understanding of how art works on us."--Jacket.