4th Qrt References

Module 1 : Mediums in Contemporary Art

Every artwork makes use of a medium – It is the material, tools, or programs an artwork is made
with, as well as where they are posted (digital/online). Some also refer to it as the type an artwork
falls under, such as painting, drawing, and sculpture. Artists have their own way of using a medium
or material, and it is called technique. Along with technique, artists also make use of
craftsmanship, is the skill of doing what can be done in a medium and the ability to do it
(Fieldman, 1981).
Because of the advancement of technology, Contemporary Art now utilizes media in creating and
publishing artworks.
Mediums Used in Contemporary Art
1. Visual Arts pieces are posted on websites such as DeviantArt, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
Pinterest, and Tumblr. Other artists also post videos of how they create their works on YouTube
and, sometimes, Tiktok.
• The most common mediums used in creating drawings include graphite pencils, charcoal,
pen & ink, colored pencils, chalk, and oil pastels. While the surfaces used in drawings
include sketch paper, illustration board, and sandpaper.
• Painting mediums include watercolor, oil paint, and acrylic. Binder is the material which
makes each painting medium unique. It is the substance that hold the pigment, which
provide the color, together. Most watercolor brands make use of Gum Arabic. Oil paints
commonly use Linseed Oil, but other brands also use Safflower Oil or Poppy Seed Oil.
Finally, acrylic paint’s binder is acrylic polymer.
The watercolor, oil, and acrylic paints make use of different mediums unique to them. For
watercolor, it makes use of a masking fluid, paper tape, and three kinds of watercolor
paper, namely, cold press, hot press, and rough. For oil paint, artists use different kinds
of oils, solvents, alkyd, varnish, and canvas are utilized. And acrylic painting mediums
include gel medium, glazing medium, and retarding medium.
Lastly, other tools and mediums used in painting include easels, palette, palette knives,
and brushes.
• Sculpting utilizes several materials, including wood, glass, metal, fabric, rubber, wax,
stone, and various materials combined called “found objects”. Additionally, tools are also
used in making sculptures, such as molds and texture tools, scrapers, calipers, modeling
tools, cutters, and trimming tools.
• In printmaking, artists make use of a template that is made of either wood or metal, and
sometimes even rubber, then ink is applied with a roller brush on the template and pressed
onto paper or fabric.
Along with the materials mentioned above, each kind of printmaking technique also utilizes
different materials. In relief printing, artists use block printing ink, as well as carving tools
in creating the pattern on the template. Intaglio printing makes use of etching ink and a
tool called “burin” to make engravings on a metal plate. Lastly, serigraphy makes use of a
mesh screen, squeegee, and stencil.
• The most common materials used in Philippine Architecture are concrete, wood, steel,
plastic, stone, textile, glass, brick, and bamboo. Additionally, architects work with different
tools, such as pens, tracing papers, laser distance meter, measuring tools (triangle, scale,
rulers, T-squares), scale figures, as well as computer programs like Adobe Photoshop,
AutoCAD, and SketchUp.
 • Photography’s medium is a camera, and it 8 of the most common kinds are DSLR,
mirrorless, point and shoot, smartphone, medium format, instant/polaroid, action, and 360
cameras. Images can remain in digital formats, such as JPEG or JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF,
and RAW, but they can also be printed on glossy, matte, canvas, transfer, and sticker
papers.

2. Performing Arts
• Music mediums can either be vocal or instrumental. Vocal music is performed by one or
more singers through their voice, while instrumental music is when musicians create music
with instruments. Musical instruments have 5 major kinds: wind (e.g. flute, clarinet,
harmonica), brass (e.g. trumpet, trombone, French horn), percussion (e.g. triangle,
xylophone, drums), string (e.g. harp, guitar, violin), and electronic (e.g. piano keyboards,
synthesizers, rhythm machines).
Popular programs and websites where music is accessible are YouTube, Spotify, and
SoundCloud.
• In dance, the human body is the main medium used in creating art. Not only that, but the
use and relationship of dance with sound, movement, and space are also used as
mediums.
• Theater productions use different mediums, including costumes, makeup, lighting, space,
set, props, actions, and dialogue.

3. The mediums used in Literary Arts are words and language. Due to the rising popularity of
electronic literature, literary works, like short stories and novels, are now getting posted in
websites such as Wattpad, Archive of Our Own, and even Twitter.
Furthermore, audio books are also getting popular because of services like Audible and Google
Audiobooks.
Lastly, academic and professional texts are also shared in digital libraries such as Scribd,
Academia, Research Gate, Google Scholar, and LinkedIn.
4. Media Arts utilize media technologies, such as televisions, radio, and both computer hardware
and software, to create and produce art.
• Filmmaking, just like the ones mentioned in photography, makes use of cameras,
however, digital file formats of films are different from images, such as AVI, WMV, MP4,
MKV, FLV, and SWF.
There are a lot of processes done in producing films, hence a variety of computer
programs are used. In writing a screenplay, the popular programs are Final Draft and
StudioBinder. In editing and rendering, Final Cut Pro for Apple products and Adobe
Premiere and Adobe After Effects for Windows PCs are popular, but due to the
convenience and improvements in the capabilities of mobile devices, KineMaster and
FilmoraGo are among the popular choices.
• In digital painting, graphic tablets with computer programs are used by artists. Graphic
tablets have different kinds, such as digitizer pen tablets, monitor tablets, tablet PCs, and
mobile tablets (iPad, Android tablets). Popular programs in computers include Adobe
Photoshop and Illustrator, Corel Painter, and Clip Studio Paint, then for mobile, ProCreate,
Ibis Paint, and Adobe Illustrator Draw.
In traditional animation, artists use pencils, papers, and tracing papers. However, nowadays,
artists have transitioned to graphic tablets, just like in digital painting. Popular animation
programs include Adobe Flash, Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya, and even Microsoft
PowerPoint.
Module 2
Mediums and Techniques: Drawing
The lesson will tackle at the most common drawing mediums used by artists and student artists
– their characteristics, similarities, and differences, as well as the brands that students can find
locally.
The following are the most common materials and tools used in drawing:
1. A pencil is a wooden rod enclosing a substance for marking. It is usually made of
graphite and not lead, contrary to the popular belief. There are numerous types of
pencils, which include the following:

• Graphite pencils are the most common ones used by artists. Graphite is the
substance enclosed inside a wooden frame used for making marks. It is
classified into different grades according to softness and hardness using
alphanumeric values indicated at the end of the pencil. Popular graphite pencil
brands for students are Staedtler, Faber-Castell, Derwent, and Prismacolor.

Figure 1: Graphite pencil grades from 9B to 9H | Photo by The Virtual Instructor

• Charcoal is a stick or pencil made from wood burned until it reaches the right
consistency for drawing. Like graphite, it is classified according to the softness
and hardness, but it only has three kinds: soft (or light), medium, and hard (or
dark). It is more difficult to work with compared to graphite because charcoal
tends to smudge easily. Derwent and Faber-Castell are the charcoal brands that
artists often use.

• Colored pencils are similar to the typical pencil but have a colored pigment core
enclosed by wood. Most brands are made of wax, pigment, additives, and
binding agents. Brands popular and ideal to students include Faber-Castell,
Prismacolor, Derwent, and Colleen.

• Lastly, mechanical pencils, also known as automatic pencils, are enclosures

that hold and extend sticks of graphite with a push of a button. There are
advantages in using mechanical pencils, instead of wooden ones, such as they
are reusable, does not require sharpening, and has more consistent line widths.
2. Pen & ink refers to the use of different inks with a pen, which serves as the vehicle to
create marks. The 4 most common types of pens are:

• The ballpoint pen is the most common and popular type. It uses a thick oil-
based ink that dries quickly.
 • Rollerball pens uses a similar body with ballpoint pens, but it uses a water-
based ink.

• Marker pens and felt-tip pens are pens that use four types of ink, namely,
pigment, water, oil, and alcohol-based inks. The first two are meant to be used
on paper and the other two are for other surfaces, such as metal, plastic, and
glass.

• Finally, nib pens have metal nibs that are inserted on a metal body and do not
have ink inside but must be dipped on ink instead.
3. Soft pastel is a type of pastel that has the consistency of a chalk. It is made of pigment
held by either gum or resin binder. Popular brands of soft pastels include Dong-A,
Sakura, and Schmincke.
4. Oil pastel is another type of pastels. It is made of pigment held by a wax or an oil
binder. The most widely used student-quality brands are Pentel, Dong-A, and Golden.
The following are the different kinds of surfaces used in drawing, such as papers and boards.
1. Sketch papers are the most common type of papers used in drawing. It is lightweight,
widely available, and comes at a reasonable price. The best brands of sketch papers for
students include Canson, Berkeley, Denise, and Fabriano.
2. Illustration board is a board made of thick paper or cardboard that serves numerous
purposes. Because of its thickness, other than drawing, artists use illustration boards for
painting, making cutouts, and a base for three-dimensional projects, such as sculpting
and architecture. Most illustration boards that students on a budget use are unbranded,
however there are also brands like Berkeley and Master that make quality products,
which come at a price (e.g. a 10x15 inch Master Board costs PHP 89.00).
3. Sandpaper is used by artists because of the texture. Colored pencils and pastels work
well on it. One advantage of using sandpaper is that it is not imperative to sharpen
pencils. Sandpapers are measured by its grit – the number of sharp particles per square
inch of the paper. The higher the grit of the sandpaper, the finer its texture is.
Every paper has its own characteristics usually found on the cover. When choosing a paper, the
following are the considerations to look for:

• A paper’s weight is measured through grams per square meter (written as gsm or
g/m2 ). The weight designation is the weight of 500 sheets of paper or one ream.
Additionally, it indicates the thickness of the paper.

• Papers also have acid-free and archival characteristics. These tags help indicate how
long a paper will last before it deteriorates in form and quality. The difference between
the two is that archival papers are of better quality which means that they will last longer
than acid-free papers.
Pen and Pencil techniques
1. Hatching is the most basic shading technique used with both pen and pencil. It is done
by making parallel vertical, horizontal, or diagonal lines. In making hatch lines, make
 sure they are parallel or do not intersect. Also, the closer they are drawn with other lines,
the darker the value will be, and vice versa.
2. Cross hatching involves drawing lines that intersect. They may intersect with other lines
from different angles. The more lines that intersect with each other, the darker the value
will be and vice versa.
3. Stippling is the technique of drawing dots or ticks. The farther the dots or ticks are with
others, the lighter the value will be and the closer they are, the darker it will be.
4. Scumbling is creating circular marks.
5. Scribbling is drawing with random lines. It does not require an outline.
6. Contouring follows the shape of the image to make it look like it is three-dimensional.
7. Smudging is a pencil technique that involves blending pencil marks with pressure.
Some artists use their hands or fingers to smudge, however it is highly discouraged as
the oils or sweat can cause irreversible damage on the artwork. There is a tool called
“stump” or “paper stump” that is dedicated for smudging.

Module 3
Mediums and Techniques: Painting
There are 3 major painting mediums that are widely used by both students and professional
artists: watercolor, oil, and acrylic. Each medium is unique because of its binder, or the material
that holds the pigment together.
1. Watercolor is a water-soluble paint that is bound by gum Arabic. Student grade watercolor
brands recommended by MyModernMet.com include Winsor & Newton, Reeves, Van Gogh,
and Sennelier.
Unlike oil and acrylic, it can only be used on paper. In picking out a paper to use for watercolor,
besides the weight, the texture of the paper is considered. There are three kinds according to
texture:

• Hot-pressed papers have a smooth surface. It is ideal for portraits and detailed work. A
drawback of hot press is that since it is too smooth, the texture makes it difficult to
control the paint as it does not have wells that stop the paint from moving.

• Cold-pressed papers or “Not papers” have a texture that is between hot press and
rough. It is the most used kind because of its versatility. Novice and professional artists
use it for various works, such as portraits, landscapes, and still life.

• Lastly, rough papers have the most pronounced texture among the three. It is ideal for
painting landscapes and expressive pieces.
Watercolor papers are also categorized according to forms. They come in sheets, rolls,
blocks, panels, and pads. Some popular student quality paper brands are Canson, Fabriano,
and Strathmore.
Other materials and mediums used in watercolor:

• Masking fluid is a latex-based product used to shield a portion of the paper from paint.
It is used by applying on the paper, letting it dry, and peeling off the product, revealing
the surface unaffected by the paint.

• Paper tape is a kind of tape used to mask portions of a paper. It is usually used in
watercolor hold down a paper on a surface to prevent it from warping.

• Waterbrush is a brush exclusive for watercolor use. Its body or handle serves as a
container to hold water that seeps down onto the bristles for ease of use.
2. Oil paint is a mixture of pigment using oil as a binder. While most brands use Linseed Oil,
other brands may also use Safflower Oil or Poppy Seed Oil. Unlike watercolor and acrylic, oil
paints dry slow, with others taking several hours and some taking more than a day to dry.
Reliable student-grade oil paint brands are Reeves, Winsor & Newton Winton series,
Grumbacher, and Pēbēo.
Oil paints come in different forms. Besides the traditional oil paints, there are also water-mixable
oils, alkyd oils, and oil sticks.

• Traditional oil paints are the usual pigment plus oil binder paints. They can be mixed
with different oils and solvents and have a consistency similar to butter.

• Water-mixable oil paints are the same as traditional oils in terms of what it offers, but
with the bonus of the ability to mix with water, getting rid of the need for solvents and
oils, and the often tedious process of cleaning up tools.

• Alkyd oil paints contain alkyd resin, which is a solution that makes the paint dry faster.
For example, a Winsor & Newton Burnt Umber paint usually dries in 12-24 hours, but
with alkyd, it is cut to 6-12 hours. It is ideal for making multi-layered oil paintings.
 • Lastly, oil sticks, sometimes referred to as oil bars or pigment sticks, are traditional oil
paints that can be used with oils and solvents that come in the form of a rod or stick.
Additionally, oil paints can be painted in surfaces, called as supports. The two most widely
used are:

• A canvas is a material made of cotton, linen, or other synthetic material. It is the most
common surface used in oil painting. Canvases come in different forms, such as
stretched, board/panel, and paper.

• Wood panels are made from different kinds of wood (depending on the brand), like
poplar, oak, plywood, fiberboard, pine, and other various hardwoods.
Other materials used in oil painting:

• Turpentine is a solvent made from Pine Tree resin used for thinning out oil paints and
cleaning brushes and palettes.

• Drying oil is a medium used to slow down the drying time for paint. It is used by painters
to allow them to work on the paint for days, or sometimes even months.

• Alkyd medium is used to speed up the drying time of paints.

• Varnish is used as the last layer of the painting. It is used to give the painting a glossy,
satin, or matte sheen. Varnishes are also used to give the painting a layer of protection
once it is dried.
3. Acrylic paint is a water-based medium made from a combination of pigment and acrylic
polymer. It is the fastest drying painting and most versatile medium among the three discussed
in the lesson. Acrylic paints can be used like both watercolors and oils. To add to that, it can be
applied to a variety of surfaces like paper, canvas, and wood, as well as metal, plastics, and
textile.
There are numerous mediums and additives used with acrylic paints, which include the
following:

• Gloss medium is used to make acrylic shine, thinner, and add transparency.

• Matte medium creates a non-reflective finish to the final product.

• Glazing medium makes the paint thinner and more transparent suitable in making multi-
layered paintings using the glazing technique.

• Gel medium is used to make the acrylic paint thicker for artists who prefer using the
impasto technique.

• Retarding medium is utilized to slow down the drying time of the paint, akin to the
drying time of oil paints.
Other materials and tools used in watercolor, oil, and acrylic painting:

• Easel is a frame that supports or holds a surface an artist is using while it is being
painted or drawn. It is made of different materials such as wood, plastic, and metal.
 • Palette is a surface where paint is put onto and mixed. In watercolor painting, it is ideal
to have a palette made of plastic with numerous wells to separate each color and to
store water. Oils and acrylics can use plastic or wooden palettes.

• Palette knife is a tool used to mix acrylic and oil paint. It can also be used like a brush
and apply paint onto a surface.

• Brushes are the main tools used by artists to apply paint on a surface. There are two
types of brush bristles or hair:
o Natural brush is made from animal hairs. An example of this is bristle brush,
which are thick, strong, and rough. It is ideal for oils and acrylics. As for
watercolor paints, sable brushes are recommended as they hold water
excellently.
o Synthetic brush is often made from nylon, polyester, or both. It can be used for
all three painting mediums, but one drawback is that synthetic brushes can only
hold a small amount of paint, which can be a hassle for some artists.
Painting is an art anyone can start. It is not necessary for artists to use expensive artist and
professional grade paints to be able to learn and create beautiful paintings. With paints,
brushes, a surface on hand, along with the fundamental painting techniques, one can ease
the anxiety of starting with painting:

• Underpainting is the first layer of paint applied on a surface serving as the base for the
artwork. It can have a major effect on the rest of the painting, especially the color. For
example, blue toned underpainting can make a painting feel cold, even if something is
red-like a barn in wintertime against a white, snowy backdrop.

• Dry brushing is a method that uses a dry brush to spread paint. Depending on the
paint, it can have varied effects. With oil and acrylic, it creates a feathered effect, and it
is used to blend the paints. For watercolor, it is used to create textures, especially on
rough papers.

• Sgraffito is the term used when removing paint while it is still wet to expose the
underpainting or the layer underneath. It is used when depicting scratches, hair,
grasses, and the like.

• Glazing is the process of layering a coat of transparent paint over a dry part of the
painting. It is used for intensifying shadows and changing colors. For example, when a
transparent blue layer is painted over a dry yellow layer, it creates green. This
technique is useful when producing various shades of colors that are not achieved from
a single color of paint from a tube or pan.
Module 4
Mediums and Techniques: Sculpture
Sculpture is the art of making three-dimensional pieces, which can either be representational or
abstract. Representational depicts figures that can be seen in real life, such as humans,
animals, and objects, whereas abstract makes use of shapes and forms that do not aim to
depict visual reality.
In sculpture, the most common materials used are wood, glass, metal, stone, and found objects.
Below are the advantages and disadvantages of the materials:

• Wood has been used as a material for thousands of years. It is cheap, widely available,
versatile, durable, and easy to use. Wood is also preferred by artists because it can
easily be used in combination with other mediums. However, one of its disadvantages is
it decays and rots over time.

• Glass is a material used by artists for its aesthetic quality, recyclability, ease of use, and
durability, as it resists a lot of elements such as dust, water, and abrasion. But it does
not come without cons, such as cost, fragility, and prone to scratches and etches.

• The advantages of using metal include versatility, strength, and cost-effectiveness,

especially in mass production, whereas its disadvantages are the requirement of
secondary operations, such as finishing, painting, and deburring (smoothing out edges),
which all take a lot of time to do. Some metals are not viscous enough to be able to
create complicated shapes and forms.

• Stones are generally soft and easy to carve, especially with the availability of carving
and power tools these days. The material is also preferred by artists because of its
aesthetic quality, as stones come in different patterns and colors, just like marble,
granite, and limestone. However, stone is fragile and prone to cracks and weather over
time, so ideally, it is not placed outdoors.

• Lastly, found objects are easily modified, readily available, and aesthetically complex.
They generally require the least effort to use, since oftentimes, creating a sculpture with
found objects only requires attaching the objects together, but that is also one of its
disadvantages, especially when the adhesive used is not strong enough to hold the
sculpture together.
Sculpture techniques can either be additive, which involves building up materials to create, or
subtractive, which involves removing materials in creating a piece. There are four basic
sculpture techniques:

• Carving involves removing materials from the medium using various tools, such as
knives and chisels.

• Modeling is the process of gradually adding and reworking soft or malleable materials to
form the sculpture, rather than removing.

• Assembling refers to a technique of using found objects glued, attached, or held

together into one piece.
 • Casting is more often used for mass productions of a piece. This involves using a mold
which will be poured on with a liquid material, such as plastic or rubber, which will then
harden and form a cast.
o Mold is the negative or hollow cavity with which a piece will be formed.
o Cast is the positive or the actual piece created by pouring a casting medium in a
mold.
There are various tools that are used in sculpture in correlation with the techniques.

• Texture tools are small set of tools used in sculpture to create the desire outcome and
proper use of them can create a sculptor’s work easier and more effective. Examples are
point chisel, tooth chisel, flat and rondel chisel, hammers, rasps, banker, grinder wire
tipped tool, and twisted wire rake.

• A scraper is a single-edged tool used to scrape metal from a surface. It is required to

produce a freshly ground surface or to give a decorative and smooth finish.

• Caliper is an essential tool for taking exact measurements from live models or for
enlargements or reductions of sculptural work.

• Modeling tools are wooden tools for clay and pottery used for creating smooth edges
and curves, as well as cut lines.

• Cutters are commonly used in slicing off chunks of clay from larger blocks and remove
excesses and/or small chips in the piece.

• Trimming tools help produce work that with fine details and /or a great finish.

Module 5
Mediums and Techniques: Printmaking
Printmaking is a technique done for reproducing a piece of art by transferring an image from a
template, such as wood and metal, onto another, usually on a paper or fabric. The most widely
used printmaking techniques are relief printing, serigraphy, and intaglio, all of which use
different tools and materials.
1. Relief printing utilizes a block that is carved, then painted on the raised areas, after which is
pressed on a surface.

• The most used templates in relief printing include woodblock, rubber stamp, and a
sheet of linoleum.

• Chisel is a tool with a straight cutting edge at one end utilized by artists to chip, carve,
and cut into the template used.

• A gouge is a chisel with a curved cutting edge designed to carve precise grooves
without having to dig into a surface.

• General Carving Knife is a tool used for all sorts of carving.

 • Detail Knife is designed to carve finer details and fit into smaller areas.

• Block printing ink is the ink used in relief printing, which can either be water-based or
oil-based ink. Water-based ink is best used when printing onto fabric, although it can
also be used on fabric or paper, but because it is too fluid, it is more difficult to use on
both surfaces. On the other hand, oil-based ink is thicker, more viscous, and dries
significantly longer than water-based ink, therefore it is more ideal to be printed onto
fabric and paper.

Figure 2 "Jodeco Summer" (2018) by Gatordog Relief Prints |

https://www.facebook.com/gatordogreliefprints/photos/a.1320066684698415/1782463678458711

2. Serigraphy also referred to as silkscreen printing, is a technique that uses a mesh screen
and squeegee to push paint onto the surface below.

• The mesh screen is a tool made of a framed polyester used to transfer ink onto a
surface, such as textile and paper. The quality and detail of what will be printed depends
on the mesh count. For instance, using a high mesh screen is recommended for a piece
highly detailed artwork.

• A stencil is created and placed on top of the surface to be printed on to block off parts of
the screen using the negative space on the stencil to form the image.

• A squeegee is a tool with flat, smooth rubber blade used to control or clear away the
flow of liquid on a flat surface by scraping the paint on the mesh screen.
Figure 3 "Leaving the Paddock" (2008) by Leroy Neiman |
https://www.parkwestgallery.com/what-is-a-serigraph-serigraphy/

3. Intaglio is the opposite of relief printing because the engravings are used to apply paint on so
that the final product will have an embossed effect.

• Etching ink is used on pre-treated metal plates where they seep into the etched
crevices. They are tick, tacky due to their high oil and pigment content.

• Burin is a tempered steel rod used for engraving clear and precise furrows on metal
plates.

• Scraper is a tool for removing marks on the plate.

• Burnisher is utilized to decrease the furrows or etching on a plate. It is used alongside a

scraper.

Figure 4 "Portrait" (1649) by Coenraad Figure 5 Details of "Portrait" showing the engraved lines distinct in
Lauwers | Intaglio printing
https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-
Module 7
Mediums and Techniques: Music
Music is a kind of performing art that has two kinds: vocal music, which is the product of using
a person’s voice, and instrumental music, which uses musical instruments to produce sounds.
Vocal music is performed by one or more singers, either with instrumental accompaniment, or
without instrumental accompaniment, called “a cappella”, in which singing provides the main
focus of the piece. Performers make use of the following techniques in singing:

• Belting is a contemporary singing technique that produces a high intensity, 'big',

'powerful' (e.g., loud) vocal sound. Belted singing can be found in all contemporary
genres and styles of singing, including jazz, folk, pop and rock, although it is most
commonly associated with musical theatre.

• Chest voice refers to lower, thicker, and warmer tones. It also reflects the register that
one normally uses when speaking. To identify if one is using his/her chest voice, when
singing using the normal speaking register, or close to it, put a hand on the chest area,
and feel a vibration.

• Head voice is when a singer starts reaching up to those higher notes, they may feel the
sound and vibration in their head. It is necessary to develop a head voice for one’s upper
range. With the exclusion of occasional belting, higher notes will utilize your head voice.
Important note: head voice and falsetto are two different terms.

• Falsetto is a mode of singing that sounds breathy and hollow. It is usually found in the
upper registers of the singer. Basically, falsetto is just a breathy version of head voice.

• Humming is when a sound is produced while the mouth is closed. It is also used as a
warmup exercise to avoid unnecessary damage to one’s voice.

• Vibrato is a rapid, slight variation in the pitch when singing, marked by a rapid wavering
in the intensity and timbre of the note being sung which make it sound as if the voice is
wavering.
Instrumental music, on the other hand, is music produced by a musical instrument without the
use of a person’s voice. It has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes, such as rituals,
events, accompaniment of dances and plays, and performances.
It has 5 major types: wind, keyboard, percussion, string, and electronic.

• Percussion instruments are sounded usually by being struck, but also by rubbing,
shaking, plucking, and scraping. Examples of percussion instruments are drums, bells,
xylophones, and gongs.

• Stringed instruments are musical instruments that produce sound by the vibration of
stretched strings, which may be made of various materials, like fiber, metal, silk, or
artificial materials (e.g. plastic or nylon). In nearly all stringed instruments the sound of
the vibrating string is amplified by the use of a resonating chamber or soundboard. The
 string may be struck, plucked, rubbed (bowed), or, occasionally, blown (by the wind).
Examples of stringed instruments are guitars, violins, cellos, and harps.

• Wind instruments are musical instruments that use air as the primary vibrating medium
for the production of sound. Examples of wind instruments are flutes, saxophones, and
clarinets.

• Keyboard instruments are musical instruments on which different notes can be

sounded by pressing a series of keys, push buttons, or parallel levers. Examples of
keyboard instruments are pianos, organs, and carillons.

Figure 5 The Carillon Tower located in the University of the Philippines | Photo by Ira Villanueva
from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carillon_Tower_UP_Diliman.jpg

• Lastly, electronic instruments are any musical instruments that produce or modify
sounds by electric, and usually electronic, means. The electronic element in such
music is determined by the composer, and the sounds themselves are made or
changed electronically. Instruments such as the electric guitar that generate sound
by acoustic or mechanical means but that amplify the sound electrically or
electronically are also considered electronic instruments. Their construction and
resulting sound, however, are usually relatively similar to those of their nonelectronic
counterparts. Examples of electronic instruments are synthesizers (analogue,
modular, and digital), samplers, and sequencers.
Figure 6 An Akai MPC Live II sampler | Photo from https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-best-
hardware-samplers

Module 9
Mediums and Techniques: Photography
In photography, there are different cameras available in the market. There is a specific kind of
camera to be used in various cases. The module can help the learner identify, distinguish, and
even pick the right camera for his/her use case. It is also indicated below if the camera can be
used for filmmaking.

• DSLR camera (photography and filmmaking), short for Digital Single Lens Reflex
Camera, is the most popular type of camera in the market. It combines the optics and
mechanisms of a single-lens
reflex camera with a digital
imaging sensor which results into
a realistic or true-to-life image.
Another advantage of a DSLR
camera is that the lenses are
detachable, so it can be used in
all types of photography. For
example, a wide-angle lens is
suited in shooting landscape
photographs, while a telephoto
lens is excellent for capturing
wildlife photos. Additionally,
DSLR cameras have an Figure 7: A digital single lens reflex camera
optical viewfinder which
provides the photographer a view of the area of what is included in the frame, as well as
 show other information, such as exposure, focus, and metering. In filmmaking, they are
great for low light and shallow focus shots, which are great for capturing “cinematic”
scenes.
The most popular manufacturers of DSLR cameras as Canon and Nikon. Other brands include
Fuji, Pentax, and Sigma.

• Mirrorless camera (photography and filmmaking), also known as compact system

camera (CSC), is a kind of camera that has no reflex mirror, hence the name, which
means that light passes through the camera directly to the digital sensor. Compared to
DSLR cameras, they are slimmer, smaller, and lighter, which makes them more
convenient to carry around. Another key difference between mirrorless cameras and
DSLR cameras is that mirrorless cameras feature a digital display, instead of the
traditional optical viewfinder.
Mirrorless cameras are manufactured by companies like Sony, Nikon, Canon, Leica, and
Panasonic.

• Point and Shoot cameras (photography and filmmaking), also referred to as

compact cameras, are designed for simple purposes, like shooting vacation pictures or
family pictures. It is ideal for people who have no interest in photography and just want
to capture photos. Point and Shoot cameras use focus-free lenses or autofocus and an
automatic system for setting exposure. A disadvantage of using these is that the photo
and video quality are not that great, compared to most of the other kinds.

• Smartphone camera (photography and filmmaking) is the camera that comes with
mobile phones.
Nowadays, almost all
smartphones come with at
least 3 cameras, which
usually include the main
wide-angle, ultrawide, and
a front-facing camera. A
huge advantage of using a
smartphone camera is that
the photos are tweaked
and improved through the
phone’s software, like the
blur or bokeh effect
usually done by DSLR
cameras. Another plus for
these is the ability to edit
photos and videos using
the different applications.

• Instant camera
(photography only),
introduced by the Polaroid Figure 8: A Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 instant camera with a printed photo
Corporation, is a kind of
 camera capable of printing photos shortly after capturing them. It is fitted with internal
development mechanisms used to print a photo with a self-developing film. Other than
the Polaroid Corporation, Kodak and Fujifilm also make instant cameras.

• Action cameras (photography and filmmaking) are small cameras meant to capture
action scenes, whether they are photos or videos. They are usually small, compact, and
meant to be used in rugged situations, hence they are water-resistant. Action cameras
are not meant to be used as the main camera as their quality is not up to par with the
others in the list.
In improving one’s skill in photography also involves knowing what the essential terms and
jargons are used in the field.

• Aperture is the size of the opening of the lens, which can be wide or small/narrow. It
dictates how light or dark a photo will be (exposure) as well as how much of the image is
in focus (depth of field). For exposure, a wide aperture lets in more light which results in
a brighter photo, whereas a small aperture does the opposite. As for depth of field, a
wide aperture results in a blurred background, while a small one keeps more of the
foreground and background in the image sharp and clear.
Aperture is measure in f-stops: a small f-stop like f/1.0 is considered wide, the aperture
becomes smaller or narrower the higher the number goes.

• Depth of field refers to how much of the image is in focus. A shallow depth of field
focuses more on the foreground and shows a blurred background, while with a large
depth of field, both the foreground and background are clear or in focus.

• Exposure is the lightness and darkness of an image. A dark image wherein there is an
obvious lack of light is considered as underexposed, whereas an image that has too
much light is called overexposed.

• Focal length refers to the distance between the lens and the image it forms on the film
measured in millimeters. It dictates the angle of the view, which is how much of the
scene is captured, as well as magnification, which is how large individual elements will
be.
Essentially, it is how zoomed in or out the image will appear. Focal length is used in lenses. The
higher the number is, the more zoomed in a subject will be.

• Focus refers to what is being emphasized in a photo. A subject that is in focus is

considered as sharp, whereas something that is out-of-focus appears to be blurry.

• ISO pertains to the sensitivity of the camera to light. For instance, an ISO of 100 means
the camera is not sensitive, which is ideal in daylight, as well as well-lit rooms or scenes;
while an ISO 3200 is sensitive to light, making it optimal for night shots or situations
where the lighting is insufficient.

• Noise, also referred to as grain, is considered as a visual distortion in a photograph

which appears like discolored grains. It is especially apparent when shooting in low-light
situations.
 • Pixel or pixel size is a small square or dots of color in a digital image. The more pixels
the camera has, the more information about the qualities of the light that can be
captured by the camera will be, resulting in a better-quality final image. The pixels
become evident when enlarging or zooming in on a photo – lower pixel counts result in a
lower quality image making.

• Shutter speed is the part of the camera that opens closes to let light in and take a
picture determined through seconds (determined with a “) or fractions of a second (e.g.,
1/200).

• Viewfinder is the hole that photographers look at when taking a photo used in all DSLR
cameras and most mirrorless cameras.

• White balance is the color temperature of the image measured in degree Kelvin (K).
The higher the unit is, the cooler the image will appear.
Photography is not just about pointing at a subject and clicking a button, but it is utilizing light
along with techniques. The following are some basic photography techniques:

• Monochrome is capturing an image with a single color or hue. The most popular way of
doing this is shooting in black and white. Monochromatic shots convey a message using
color even without much detail in the shot.

Figure 9: A monochromatic photo shot by Pier-Luc Bergeron from

https://www.flickr.com/photos/burgtender/4308413524

• Motion Blur is the technique wherein the subject is intentionally blurred to showcase
movement or action.
 Figure 10: A motion blurred photo of a train that shows its movement | Photo by Emre Kuzu from
Pexels
• Macro photography refers to capturing photos of small objects and making them
appear bigger than they actually are. It also aims to showcase tiny details that are
otherwise invisible to the human eye.

Figure 11: A macro shot of a human eye | Photo by Subin from Pexels

• Reflection photography showcases a mirror image of a subject through various

surfaces or objects, such as water, glass, and mirrors, which adds depth to a
photograph.
 •

Figure 6: A landscape photograph showcasing reflection photography | Photo by James Wheeler from Pexels

• Panoramic Stitching is a technique done by taking a series of side-by-side photos then

merging them. The technique is meant to capture a scene that would be too wide for a
camera to capture in a single shot.

Figure 7: A panoramic shot of a cityscape

Module 10
Mediums and Techniques: Filmmaking
Along with the other kinds of cameras that were discussed in module 9, the following cameras
are dedicated for filmmaking:

• Cinema cameras have interchangable lenses

similar to DLSR and mirrorless cameras,
however they are mainly designed for capturing
videos and not still images. Most of these do
not have the ability to shoot stills.

• Consumer camcorders are small and

affordable camcorders that are meant for
beginners. The image quality is not as good as
DLSR or mirrorless cameras, but they are
aimed for users who are just learning about
filmmaking or shooting videos.

• Professional camcorders, also referred to as

professional video cameras, are what
professional filmmakers use in making movies.
They are big, high-end devices that have more
manual controls compared to the consumer and
prosumer camcorders, as a result they are not
beginner friendly and will take time to learn.
Professional camcorders are best for shooting
newscasts, documentaries, and events, like
weddings and birthday parties. Figure 12: A professional camcorder

• Prosumer camcorders have a larger body than consumer camcorders. They have built
in zoom lenses and headphone sockets, but small sensors which means that they are
not as good in low light situations. Prosumer camcorders sit in between consumer
camcorders and professional camcorders in terms of the image quality, accessibility, and
price.

When watching a movie, a shot was made by utilizing multiple techniques in filmmaking. A
scene is usually shot in a more complex manner than what meets the eye. Below are film
techniques that filmmakers use in their movies included in the glossaries of Matrix English
Theory Books:

• Angles, or camera angles, refer to the relationship of the camera with the scene,
characters, and objects. It can be tweaked to highlight an action scene, enhance the
emotion of the scene, or suggest the relationship between characters. The following are
the main camera angles:
o Low angle, also known as Worm’s Eye View, is when the camera is looking up
at the subject, which makes it look larger as a result.
 o Normal or straight angle is at the eye-level of the subject, which makes it look
even with or equal to the audience.
o High camera angle is when the camera is looking down, which makes the
subject appear small. It is also referred to Bird’s Eye View.
o Dutch angle is an angle that is deliberately slanted to one side. Dutch angles
are meant make the audience feel disoriented or confused. It is also known by
the following terms: Dutch tilt, canted angle, and oblique angle.

Figure 13: Examples of the kinds of angles

• Bridging Shot is a shot that showcases the passage of time. For example, a clock’s
hands turning rapidly.
• Color dictates the mood of the scene by affecting the audience emotionally,
psychologically, and physically. There are a lot of symbolisms in colors. For instance,
red may evoke emotions of love, passion, violence, danger, anger, and power, while
blue can feel cold, isolated, cerebral, melancholic, passive, and calm.

• Cucoloris is a technique in which

an object is placed between the
light source and the subject to
create a patterned shadow, which
enhances a scene.

• Establishing Shot is a type of an

extreme long shot that shows the
time and place context of a scene
or the film as a whole.

• Eyeline Match is a type of cut

where the shot of a character
looking at something cuts to a shot
of what he/she is looking at.

• Long take, also known as one-shot

or sequence shot, is the effect of
editing a series of shots making it
appear that the film or scene was
Figure 14: An example of how Cucoloris looks like | Photo by
shot in a single take. Deden Dicky Ramdhani from Pexels

• Mise en scene pertains to the

composition, arrangement, and the
objects included in a shot. For
example, the placement of
characters, set design, setting, and
lighting.

• Montage is a type of editing

sequence wherein the scene shows
a series of shots in quick
successions to narrate the story.

• Over the shoulder is a type of shot

in which the character is followed by
the camera by shooting over their shoulder.
Figure 15: An over the shoulder shot
• Rack Shot is a type of shot wherein
the camera’s focus shifts from on subject to another.

• Shot types shows how near or far the camera is from the character or object. The kinds
of shots are: Extreme Long Shot, Long Shot, Medium Long Shot, Medium Shot,
Medium Close Up, Close Up, Super Close Up, Extreme Close Up
 Figure 16: A collage of how each shot type looks like

• Transitions signify the change in the scene. It includes cuts, fades, and wipes.

• Zoom is when the camera moves closer or farther from the subject. It can be used for
dramatic effect, show emphasis, as well as illustrate size scaling of objects.

Module 13
Contemporary Arts: Lit and Performing Arts
Literature Literature has an obvious kinship with the other arts. Presented, a play is
drama; read, a play is literature.

Philippine literature is literature associated with the Philippines from prehistory,

through its colonial legacies, and on to the present. The Philippine literature has
contributed much to the formation of a real Filipino nationalism to a wide-ranging
campaign for economic freedom, political related disputes, environmental awareness,
and peace education in the Philippines because it portrays as a living language.

Pre-Hispanic Philippine literature was actually epics passed on from generation to

generation, originally through an oral tradition. However, wealthy families, especially in
Mindanao, were able to keep transcribed copies of these epics as family heirloom. One
such was the Darangen, an epic of the Maranaos.

Philippine literature in English has its roots in the efforts of the United States, then
engaged in a war with Filipino nationalist forces at the end of the 19th century. By 1901,
public education was institutionalized in the Philippines, with English serving as the
medium of instruction. That year, around 600 educators in the S.S. Thomas (the
"Thomasites") were tasked to replace the soldiers who had been serving as the first
teachers. Outside the academe, the wide availability of reading materials, such as books
and newspapers in English, helped Filipinos assimilate the language quickly. Today,
78.53% of the population can understand or speak English
Awardees of the National Artist of the Philippines Order, for Literature, include:

• 1976 – Nick Joaquin, National Artist for Literature

• 1982 – Carlos P. Romulo, National Artist for Literature
• 1990 – Francisco Arcellana, National Artist for Literature
• 1997 – Ryan Christopher Joson, National Artist for Literature
• 1997 – Rolando S. Tinio, National Artist for Theater and Literature
• 1997 – Levi Celerio, National Artist for Music and Literature
• 1999 – Edith L. Tiempo, National Artist for Literature
• 2001 – F. Sionil Jose, National Artist for Literature
• 2003 – Virgilio S. Almario, National Artist for Literature
• 2003 – Alejandro Roces, National Artist for Literature
• 2006 –*2009 – Lazaro A. Francisco, National Artist for Literature
• 2014 – Cirilo F. Bautista, National Artist for Literature and Died in 2016

Examples of Novel that marks and shape the Philippine Literature

Noli Me Tángere by Jose Rizal (1884) Noli Me Tángere, Latin for "Touch me not", is
an 1887 novel by José Rizal during the colonization of the Philippines by Spain to
describe perceived inequities of the Spanish Catholic friars and the ruling government.

El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal (1891) El

filibusterismo (transl. The filibusterism; The Subversive or The Subversion, as in the
Locsín English translation, are also possible translations), also known by its
alternative English title The Reign of Greed,[1] is the second novel written
by Philippine national hero José Rizal. It is the sequel to Noli Me Tángere and, like the
first book, was written in Spanish. It was first published in 1891 in Ghent.

Ibong Adarna is a 16th-century Filipino epic poem. It is about an eponymous magical

bird. The longer form of the story's title during the Spanish era was "Korido at Buhay
na Pinagdaanan ng Tatlong Prinsipeng Magkakapatid na anak ni Haring Fernando
at ni Reyna Valeriana sa Kahariang Berbanya" ("Corrido and Life Lived by the Three
Princes, children of King Fernando and Queen Valeriana in the Kingdom of Berbanya"),
and is believed by some researchers to have been based on similar European stories.
The tale is also known as The Aderna Bird.
The 10 Best Books in Philippine Literature
• Noli Me Tángere by Dr. José Rizal.
• Florante at Laura by Francisco Balagtas.
• Mga Ibong Mandaragit by Amado V. Hernandez.
• The Woman Who Had Two Navels by Nick Joaquin.
• Po-on A Novel by F. Sionil Jose.
• Banaag at Sikat by Lope K. Santos.
• Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco.
• Dekada '70 by Lualhati Bautista.

The important elements of literature are:

1.Emotional Appeal - is attained when the reader is emotionally moved or touched by
any literary work.
2. Intellectual Appeal - Dr. Jose Rizal's novels are good illustrations of literature of
intellectual appeal. Both were instrumental in exposing the ills of the society of its
period.
3. Humanistic value - can be realized when the literary work affirms the dignity and
worth of all people.

Performing arts refers to forms of art in which artists use their voices, bodies or
inanimate objects to convey artistic expression. It is different from visual arts, which is
when artists use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art
objects. Performing arts of the Philippines Music, dance, fashion, painting, sculpture,
and architecture show evidence of these. It is generally assumed that dance and music
as a medium of artistic expression are the most popular among Filipinos.

In addition to teaching self-expression, the performing arts help society as a whole in

self-knowledge and understanding. Theatre and the performing
arts teach society about itself, hoping to point out the attitudes and mindsets of
current society. It can be a tool used to educate people about their current conditions

The main three branches of performing arts – music, dance and drama.
Performing arts

7 Skills you need to succeed in performing arts

• Confidence.
• The ability to network and market yourself.
• Resilience, self-discipline and stamina.
• An analytical mind and the ability to self-reflect.
• Flexibility.
• Teamwork.
• Organisation and time management.

What are the four basic elements of performance art?

• It can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the
performer's body, or presence in a medium, and a relationship between
performer and audience. Performance art can happen anywhere, in any type of
venue or setting and for any length of time.

Theater Groups in the Philippines

• Gantimpala Theater Foundation.
• Triumphant Peoples Evangelistic Theatre Society (Trumpets)
• Philippine Educational Theater Association (Peta)
• Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (Dulaang UP)
• Tanghalang Ateneo.
• Teatro Tomasino.

What is the difference between performing arts and performance art?

Performing Arts are primarily skills-based, Performance Art is primarily concept
based. ... In the Performing arts, the message is often presented to an audience via
the performers, in performance art, the art is often the performer themselves as much
as their message. When used as a past tense (performed), the word indicates something
that has already been presented, done or enacted. Perform has been derived from the
Old French parfournir or par (through) + fournir (furnish or provide). Preform is a verb
that means something that is already (pre) formed.

What is performing arts in the Philippines?

Music, dance, fashion, painting, sculpture, and architecture show evidence of
these. It is generally assumed that dance and music as a medium of artistic
expression are the most popular among Filipinos. The Philippine Performing
Arts Company is proud to present to the public these facets of
the Philippine cultures.

Long before the different forms of theater we enjoy today, like straight plays and
musicals largely influenced by the West, the Philippines has had many types of
theater through the years. It’s a rich performing arts tradition – from folk legends
passed down through generations to intellectual debates as performance art; from
pagan practices to the deeply religious celebrations influenced by years of
colonization, here’s a look back through the colorful history and evolution of theater
in the Philippines.

1. Epic poetry
Is considered the highest point of Filipino folk literature, and dates back to the pre-
colonial period. These epics, usually of romance or adventure, are commonly
presented during festivals and gatherings such as weddings, baptisms, and wakes.
Singers have been known to perform for hours at a time. One of the most famous
epic poems is Biag ni Lam-ang, the national epic of the Ilocano people, and notable
for being the first folk epic to be recorded in written form after being passed on from
generation to generation.

2. Duplo
The duplo is a poetic debate presented through song and dance, which originated
from indigenous courtship customs. Poets used proverbs and riddles to present their
suit to the woman of their choice. This ultimately evolved into a more formal debate
on issues, and started to be called the balagtasan.
3. Moro Moro
For a time, one of the most popular types of theater in the Philippines was the Moros
y Cristianos, which is not surprising for a country that was under Spanish rule for
300 years. Commonly called moro-moro, it is a street drama that usually lasted for
several days, and presented both secular themes like love and vengeance, and the
Spanish-influenced religious theme of the conflict between Christians and Moors.
The moro-moro only survives in isolated towns today, and though an integral part of
Filipino art history, it may not bear too much close scrutiny these days with its less
than admirable depictions of intolerance.

4. Senakulo
Another performing art stemming from religious custom is the senakulo or Passion
Play. This is the dramatization of the life and death of Jesus Christ and is usually
presented as a community activity during the Lenten season. This still endures to
the present, ranging from simple productions to more technically sophisticated and
modernized versions.
5. Traditional Folk Dance
With its varied cultures and communities throughout its 7000 islands, the
Philippines has a diverse collection of folk dances. Some of the most popular folk
dances are the Singkil, a folk dance that originated from the Maranao people of Lake
Lanao in Mindanao, from the epic legend Darangen; the Itik-Itik, which originated as
an improvised dance in Surigao del Sur and was discovered by National Artist for
Dance Francisca Reyes-Aquino; and the Tinikling, which is similar to Singkil with its
use of bamboo poles that dancers must weave through. It is supposed to mimic the
movement of the local tikling birds.

6. Bodabil
It sounds like “vaudeville”, and it is. This form of theater was an American import
in the pre-war era, but became uniquely Filipino with the indigenization of the name.
Like its American counterpart, bodabil featured a variety of musical numbers,
comedic and dramatic skits, and song and dance numbers. Popular Filipino
performers such as Dolphy, Anita Linda, and sarsuwela legend Atang de la Rama
got their start in bodabil. It has since died out with the rise of cinema, but its
influence can still be felt in television variety shows.
7. Sarsuwela
The sarsuwela is a type of melodrama, usually in three acts, that uses alternately
spoken and sung words. It was the Spanish influence that started the sarsuwela,
but it was also this colonization that led Filipinos to incorporate nationalistic
overtones in the art. This resulted in the arrest of several prominent writers such as
Aurelio Tolentino and Pascual Poblete, and eventually, the shutdown
of sarsuwela companies during the American occupation. As proof of its importance
in Philippine culture, in 2011 the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
designated the sarsuwela as a nominee for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural
Heritage lists.

Performing Arts are art forms in which artists use their body or voice to convey artistic
expression—as opposed to visual arts, in which artists use paint/canvas or various
materials to create physical art objects. The first recorded use of the term performing
arts was in 1711. It is also supported by the services of other artists or essential workers,
such as song writing and stagecraft.