Art and the arts

Art and the arts, skill of making or doing. The term can be used to define useful arts (beautiful objects that have functional value), decorative arts (beautiful objects that exist for their own sake), liberal arts (the study of humanities), applied arts (such as architecture), language arts (the related skills of reading, writing, speaking, and spelling), and graphic arts (such as printmaking and bookmaking). However, the term art is most often used to describe the fine arts, which consist of painting, sculpture, literature, dance, music, and film. Works of art can be classified as verbal (literature) or nonverbal (musical composition and visual design). Mixed arts, a combination of 2 or more basic arts, include dance, drama, and film. Theories of art which attempt to define its meaning, explain its effects, assess its worth, set guidelines for its execution, or provide a historical or social context for its interpretation have existed since the ancient Greeks and continue to be a subject of discussion among artists, scholars, and critics.